What you need to know
- Calmer than the central beaches — a wide, mostly local stretch with more room to spread out, though little natural shade
- Sport right on the sand — water-sports rentals and courses at the Base Nàutica, plus beach volleyball, ping-pong, and an adjacent skate park
- Heads-up: a nudist zone at the eastern end, so families with kids tend to settle toward the Bogatell (western) side
About
Mar Bella is one of Barcelona's eastern beaches, in the Sant Martí district just past Bogatell. It's a wide, mostly local stretch of golden sand that stays calmer than the busier beaches closer to the centre, with a gentle slope into the water and a promenade running behind it. There's little natural shade, so bring an umbrella in high summer. The beach is a hub for sport: the municipal Base Nàutica de la Mar Bella rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards and runs sailing and windsurfing courses, and there are beach-volleyball nets, ping-pong tables, and a skate park right behind the sand. The eastern end of the beach is a designated nudist (clothing-optional) area, so families with kids usually settle toward the Bogatell side. In the summer bathing season there are lifeguards, showers and foot showers, an accessible bathing point, and chiringuito beach bars.