What's your favorite beach town in Spain?
Apr 5th, 2005, 10:28 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What's your favorite beach town in Spain?
We are looking for a Spanish beach holiday from the last week of June into the beg. of July. Would love a town/city with a nice beach with possible sight seeing options for some days. Night life is not important although good food is! Also, we need to keep the price reasonable (not necessrily cheap). Any suggestions?
Apr 6th, 2005, 02:18 AM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,635
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The timing of your visit makes me lean toward the Costa Blanca (i.e., Denia, Benidorm, Villajoyosa, Campello, etc.) all the way to Alicante for late June, early July.
I personally prefer the Cantabria coast, especially Santander (Sardinero playa), but June might still be too cool up there. Sightseeing options include Liebana & los Picos de Europa, Santillana del mar and Comillas, Bilbao, etc., etc.
I don't particularly care for San Sebastian although my remarks concerning the weather in June would apply to Guipuzcoa also.
I personally prefer the Cantabria coast, especially Santander (Sardinero playa), but June might still be too cool up there. Sightseeing options include Liebana & los Picos de Europa, Santillana del mar and Comillas, Bilbao, etc., etc.
I don't particularly care for San Sebastian although my remarks concerning the weather in June would apply to Guipuzcoa also.
Apr 6th, 2005, 03:44 PM
#9
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We liked Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz. It is within day-trip distance of Sevilla, Ronda and Gibraltar. It is less busy than the tourist traps like Marbella, etc. Accomodation in a 3* pensione is less than $100 a night, and it is easy to eat well for a budget price.
Apr 6th, 2005, 05:14 PM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I like Marbella, but I'm not a "beach person" so I'm not sure my liking it is of any value to what you want. The sand seemed soft, the shops along the beach, like most beach areas, cute and a bit touristy, the promenade leading to the beach is lovely, and I like the area because it's so good for day trips to various places that I love such as Granada, Ronda, Nerja, and the white villages. But it is a built up, though the old city is lovely and the Monday market is fun. If you want a really sandy, more secluded beach, I'd recommend Zahara de los Atunes near the wonderful white village of vejer de la rondtera.
Apr 6th, 2005, 06:01 PM
#14
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The only beach area we visited in Spain was Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava, which another poster also recommended. We only spent the day, travelling from the north to Barcelona, but I regreted not being able to spend longer. The water was warm in June and there were huge haystacks off the coast which were lovely. Rather depends on your perspective about beaches. Great area from which to sightsee with Barcelona only being an hour or two away and the roman ruins (don't recall the town) father north on the coast. Although living in NJ with good beaches, and having spent considerable time up and down both the east and west coasts of the US and visited various Carribean Islands and Hawaii, I wouldn't choose this as a prime beach destination.
Apr 6th, 2005, 11:05 PM
#16
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the northern coast although beautiful might be too cool at that time of year.. although with the crazy weather lately (snowing again up north now) who knows!!??
unless you are avid sea-swimmers, if it is sunny, most beaches will be pleasant, so, i suggest you choose something near one of the cities you feel like seeing.
barcelona /sitges beach area or barcelona itself, north to costa brava.
valencia/ denia/javea/altea/ moraira.
granada/ nerja/ guadix (cave houses)
malaga/ marbella, sevilla, cordoba/granada/white villages/ puerto banus/ estepona
surfer's delight TARIFA
a nice calm town is MOJACAR. has historic town up on rocky hillside, and the beach below.
it is s. of cartagena/murcia and north of the beautiful parque natural cabo de gata-nijar.
this is a more isolated area, but perhaps a nice stopover if you are driving elsewhere.
unless you are avid sea-swimmers, if it is sunny, most beaches will be pleasant, so, i suggest you choose something near one of the cities you feel like seeing.
barcelona /sitges beach area or barcelona itself, north to costa brava.
valencia/ denia/javea/altea/ moraira.
granada/ nerja/ guadix (cave houses)
malaga/ marbella, sevilla, cordoba/granada/white villages/ puerto banus/ estepona
surfer's delight TARIFA
a nice calm town is MOJACAR. has historic town up on rocky hillside, and the beach below.
it is s. of cartagena/murcia and north of the beautiful parque natural cabo de gata-nijar.
this is a more isolated area, but perhaps a nice stopover if you are driving elsewhere.
Apr 15th, 2005, 10:00 AM
#19
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can't seem to find them either, it was nearly a year ago, I was sure I included details of it in my Bilbao/Barcelona trip report, a quick look would indicate otherwise.
If you'd like to know some specifics please let me know, and I'll do my best from memory.
It's a small seaside town that reminds me of the grand seaside resorts in Britain, but with a far more continental flavour, and of course guaranteed sunshine (in the summer at least), also in a recent article I noted there are several Michelin starred restaurants there. As for shopping - I arrived there during lunchtime so as such they were all shut, but I'm sure they've a good selection, and of course you can always go to Bilbao "down the road" which has a shop that stocks Prada, and Dior Homme among others. Back to San Sebastian...there's a croisette beach with golden sand, and the usual beachside accoutrements, lots of residences nearby, and gardens/parks too (apparently). I was only able to spend a long afternoon there, but am planning to return.
If you'd like to know some specifics please let me know, and I'll do my best from memory.
It's a small seaside town that reminds me of the grand seaside resorts in Britain, but with a far more continental flavour, and of course guaranteed sunshine (in the summer at least), also in a recent article I noted there are several Michelin starred restaurants there. As for shopping - I arrived there during lunchtime so as such they were all shut, but I'm sure they've a good selection, and of course you can always go to Bilbao "down the road" which has a shop that stocks Prada, and Dior Homme among others. Back to San Sebastian...there's a croisette beach with golden sand, and the usual beachside accoutrements, lots of residences nearby, and gardens/parks too (apparently). I was only able to spend a long afternoon there, but am planning to return.
