Summer is approaching at Centre Esplai Hostel and we are really looking forward to starting to visit the beaches that surround Barcelona! What could be better than enjoying this time of year with a good swim without worries? In this article we want to show you which beaches in Barcelona are accessible to all those people with reduced mobility and who use wheelchairs.
Barcelona City Council understands accessibility with these words:
It is an integral element of the design and configuration of any public space in the city.
That is why, for some years now, efforts have been increased to ensure that all Barcelona beaches are accessible to all users. Currently, all the city’s beaches have elements and services that facilitate access and enjoyment for all people, especially those with reduced mobility or other accessibility needs.
It is worth noting that, of all the accessible beaches, there are four that have a swimming support service. This service is aimed at all those people with mobility limitations who need personal and technical help to access the water and enjoy swimming safely. So, let’s take a look at the beaches and discover what specific services they have.
How accessible are the beaches?
Accessibility is an essential element of all Barcelona beaches and is part of their overall configuration. The aim is to ensure that everyone can access and enjoy them with comfort, safety and tranquility. For this reason, accessible beaches have:
- Parking reservations
- Accessible routes to the dry beach
- Visual and tactile signage and information
- Adapted toilets
- Adapted showers with chairs
- Wooden walkways that come as close as possible to the water line, but without touching it
- Adapted public transport facilitating access to the beaches
This set of measures contributes to making beaches a more inclusive, accessible and open space for all citizens .
Beaches with bathing support service
1. Barceloneta Beach
This beach, located in the same neighborhood as Barceloneta, between Platja de Sant Miquel and Platja de Somorrostro, is one of the most famous in the city of Barcelona and offers a large number of services.
The services intended for people with reduced mobility are the following:
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- Installing a larger support module
- Double walkway that allows bathing
- Pergola to protect from the sun
- Accessible dressing room
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2. Nova Icària Beach
Nova Icària Beach is located in the Poblenou neighborhood, specifically between the Olympic Port of Barcelona and Bogatell Beach. This is the second beach with the most services for users with reduced mobility. Let’s see the services they offer:
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- Parking reservation on the Passeig Marítim
- Double walkway and ramp to access the water
- Adapted inclusive changing table
- Additional garage
- Extra gangway to access the showers
- Expanded number of boxes
- Additional tents, platforms and benches
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3. Forum Beach
In this case we find the Platja del Fòrum, located next to the Port Fòrum in Sant Adrià del Besòs. Until now, the beaches we have analyzed had a very similar water access system among themselves. In this case, we find a completely different machinery, but with very similar services to the previous ones:
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- Free sunbed service for maximum comfort
- Pergola to protect from the sun in the waiting area
- Adapted changing rooms, toilets and showers
- Hydraulic lift chair for water access
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4. Bogatell Beach
Bogatell Beach is part of the Sant Martí district and is about 702 meters long. Like the others we have mentioned, it is adapted for people with reduced mobility and has a bathing support service. This beach has:
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- Accessible changing room with people lifting system
- Height-adjustable bunk bed for adults
- Toilet with transfer on both sides
- Accessible pergola and walkway
- All the necessary buoyancy and support elements for swimming
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As you have seen, all the beaches in Barcelona have accessibility measures so that you can enjoy the coastline with comfort. In addition, if you need a bathing support service, you can use the points set up at the four beaches we have mentioned. To access them, you just need to make an online reservation, a simple process that will allow you to better plan your visit.