Urban Planning, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing

The bathing season is under way, with the middle season starting at Barcelona’s beaches. Various teams have been working in recent months to condition the beaches and install the infrastructures needed for the beginning of the season. The middle season lasts until 1 April and the weekends in April and May, with the high season starting on 25 May.

The season starts with a new feature at the Fòrum bathing area, which will be offering a social programme with social and educational activities, including options directed specifically at young people, such as aqua gym, swimming and various workshops.

Activation of services

The various services activated for the start of the middle season include the lifeguard and rescue service, which consists of surveillance, information, assistance and rescue services through an operation with 30 lifeguards. The Nova Icària beach and the bathing area at the Fòrum will also be activating the assisted bathing service, providing support to ensure accessibility for all. In addition, services offering beach bars, easy chairs and parasols will be available and public toilets opened at the Espigó del Gas, Somorrostro, Bogatell, Mar Bella, Llevant and Fòrum beaches, operating from 10 am to 6.30 pm in the middle season and until 7.30 pm in the high season. Given the drought emergency, showers and foot washing facilities will be out of service to save water.

Extra services will be laid on to clean the sand, the areas around beaches and the water, with the information service at the Barceloneta, Bogatell and Mar Bella beaches also activated. Users can also find real-time information on the state of the sea, beach occupancy, the presence of jellyfish and more on the beaches website.

The City Police beach unit will also become operational from 1 April, with a hundred officers tasked with patrolling the ten beaches along the city’s coast.

Sport at the beach

Measures approved in January 2023 to regulate and order sports at the city’s beaches continue to be rolled out this year. Anybody wishing to practice sport freely at the beach can do so with no limits on times at one of the six areas set aside for this at the Sant Miquel, Somorrostro, Nova Icària and Bogatell beaches. As for organised sport, there are seven courts for this. Full information on sports at the beach can be found on the Barcelona beaches website.

Smoke-free beaches

The beaches will be smoke-free zones again this year, with the consumption of tobacco and the use of any devices that may release nicotine strictly prohibited. The beach information service will be monitoring smoke-free beaches, informing users of the regulations and the harmful effects of tobacco and cigarette butts for people’s health and the environment.