Nova Icaria beach
Beach · la Vila Olimpica del Poblenou ·
Sandy beach with ample space, sports courts, and year-round bars
Information
Spain Get directions
Sandy beach with ample space, sports courts, and year-round bars
Spain Get directions
"Nova IcĂ ria and Bogatell are neighboring beaches, but weâve grouped them together because they share a boundary, not to mention a vibe. Leave the shouts of Barcelonetaâs sarong- and sangria-sellers behind; walk while keeping Frank Gehry's famous golden fish sculpture on your left (and eventually behind you), and you'll start to actually see some unoccupied stretches of sand. Thereâs ample space, plenty of sports courts, and, best of all, no one has tried to massage you in public for at least ten minutes." - Gemma Askham
"Give us the wide-angle view: what kind of beach are we talking about? Nova IcĂ ria and Bogatell are neighboring beaches, but weâve grouped them together because they share a boundary, not to mention a vibe. Leave the shouts of Barcelonetaâs sarong- and sangria-sellers behind; walk while keeping Frank Gehry's famous golden fish sculpture on your left (and eventually behind you), and you'll start to actually see some unoccupied stretches of sand. Thereâs ample space, plenty of sports courts, and, best of all, no one has tried to massage you in public for at least ten minutes. Lovely. How accessible is it? If youâre not coming from Barceloneta beach, take the metro to Ciutadella Vila OlĂmpica or Bogatell, both on the yellow L4. The stations donât exit directly on the seafront, but youâll see sand after walking for ten or fifteen minutes. Got it. Decent services and facilities, would you say? There are services aplenty, particularly for sports enthusiasts: table tennis, basketball hoops, soccer nets, and volleyball courts used for the standard beach volleyball as well as for a hybrid form called foot volley. Imagine soccer-meetsâbeach volleyball: Your feet do everything your hands normally would. Itâs a skill to watch, so be sure to post up and take it all in. Howâs the actual beach stuffâsand and surf? The water is cleaner than Barceloneta, and more pleasurable to wade into. Anything special we should look for? The xiringuitos (beach bars) stay open all year, even in winter. For a lunchtime fix of fresh fish and rice, try Xiriniguito EscribĂ or Can Fisher. If weâre thinking about going, whatâand whoâis this beach best for? If youâve ever dreamed of leading a more outdoorsy lifeâone with fresh air and long runs by the seaâthis is the beach for you. Obviously youâll need paella and a bottle of wine to mull over your five-year plan." - Gemma Askham
"Youâve nearly burst a lung blowing up the inflatable swan. Now your needs are simple: a safe spot of shallow sea in which to plop it (plus its pilots), and a nice spot of sand in which to plop yourself. Bogatell checks both boxes. Quieter than crowded Barceloneta, but near the life of Poblenou should you need supplies. Besides the sun and sand thereâs a brilliant rope playground for kidsâlook for a giant red climbing triangle and the beachfront Vai Moana cafĂ© has a childrenâs menu featuring mini versions of the adult-size dishes (plus chicken fingers)." - Gemma Askham
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