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We all want something different
from a beach. Whether you prefer facilities, peace, privacy or entertainment
here are a few Spanish beaches which come highly recommended.
.... to go with children
Look for beaches with fine
sand, without stones or pebbles and with wooden walkways to the shore because
these are easier to walk on. The best beaches for children are those which
have shallow water and only very small waves. In addition, access should
be easy and comfortable for buggies and it should have good facilities:
foot washers, showers, easily visible danger signs, assistance points,
play areas and shady places. If children are small, it is important to
check out nearby toilet and changing facilities. To keep them amused, choose
beaches with activity centres and supervised courses for windsurfing, swimming
or fishing.
La Costilla y El Rompidillo
on the Costa Ballena (Cádiz)
Situated between Rota and
Chipiona, there are seven kilometres of fine sandy beaches, which are not
dangerous and which have all sorts of facilities. The children can be kept
amused for hours watching the corrals, small stone walls in the sea where
fish, shrimps and crayfish are trapped at low tide.
....in the city
Do you prefer not to lose
sight of civilization while you swim? Then city beaches are for you. The
best thing is that you don't have to go far to find them - they are separated
from the shops and offices by a promenade, from which you can access the
sand by means of ramps and steps.
La Concha in San Sebastián
(Guipúzcoa).
Queen María Cristina
elevated it to the status of "the" place to spend summer, at the end of
the nineteenth century and, from that time, it has kept its charm. Framed
by its two mountains, Igueldo and Urgull, the beautiful beach is bordered
by superb decorative walkway. In the centre of the bay is Stanta Clara
Island and lighthouse, which can be reached by ferry in the summer.
....for nudists
If when it gets hot, you
find clothes are too much, you'll surely enjoy naturism, which consists,
among other things, of living the beach experience in your birthday suit
or "how your mother brought you into the world" as the Spanish put it.
Well, you can wear a thong if you want. In Spain there are several hundred
beaches with a nudist tradition which goes back to the 1960s, the majority
with difficult access and unspoilt scenery. As well, there are those which
must live with the "textiles" (as naturists call those who don't go nude)
in separate zones, including certain remote caves in which there is a natural
mixture of bathing costumes and exposed skin. You can also find areas of
coast specifically for nudism; authentic naturist centres, equipped with
all types of set up (hotels, supermarkets, swimming pools) for those who
go around completely naked.
Cala Fonda, in Altafulla
(Tarragona).
Also known as Waikiki Beach,
it is situated in the middle of a leafy pine grove and sheltered by a vertical
cliff which makes access difficult. Precisely because of the complications
of getting here (it is necessary to walk more than a kilometre through
woods), it has become a complete nudist paradise. There are more than 200
metres of fine sand with clear water and absolutely nothing else.
...for friends of the
wild and the natural
The more difficult the paths
are to negotiate, the more possibilities you have to have the beach to
yourself. These coastal spots well deserve a hike of several hours, but
to be remote from civilization as well implies a total absence of infrastructure,
so don't forget to carry a good supply of water with you and whatever you
need to give you some shade. The locals know the best places and how to
get to them, so use your charm to get the information from them.
Los Genoveses, in San
José (Almería).
Positioned in the heart of
the Parque Natural del Cabo de Gata, you get there by a small earth road,
signposted from the town of San José. The small bay of Los Genoveses
(so called because in its day, it was an anchorage for pirate ships) opens
up to the left of the road and has an improvised parking area. It is a
beach of dunes, surrounded by vegetation.
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