Barcelona and Sitges: beach reality check
Short answer: 8 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at el Balmí Gran (20:25), Platja de la Barceloneta (20:40), Platja de Castelldefels (20:50); the latest sun is at Platja de Sant Sebastià, Platja de la Nova Icària, Platja del Bogatell.
| Beach | Surface | Sun in July | Climb from parking | Water | Sea in Aug | Clubs mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platja de la Barceloneta Barcelona | Sand | 06:40–20:40 | 370 m, ↑13 m | gradual | 25 °C | — |
| Platja del Bogatell Barcelona | Sand | 06:40–21:00 | 90 m, ↑6 m | deep fast | 25 °C | — |
| Platja de la Nova Icària Barcelona | Sand | 06:45–21:00 | 90 m | deep fast | 25 °C | — |
| Platja de la Mar Bella Barcelona | Sand | 06:40–20:55 | 560 m, ↑6 m | gradual | 25 °C | — |
| Platja de Sant Sebastià Barcelona | Sand | 06:40–21:00 | 360 m, ↑9 m | gradual | 25 °C | — |
| Platja de Castelldefels | Sand | 06:55–20:50 | 440 m, ↑9 m | gradual | 26 °C | 1 |
| Platja de la Fragata Sitges | Sand | 07:25–20:50 | 450 m, ↑12 m | gradual | 26 °C | — |
| el Balmí Gran Sitges | ? | 08:05–20:25 | 350 m, ↑24 m | gradual | 26 °C | 1 |
Plan it
Questions
Which beaches in Barcelona and Sitges lose the sun first?
8 beaches checked. In mid-July the sun leaves first at el Balmí Gran (20:25), Platja de la Barceloneta (20:40), Platja de Castelldefels (20:50); the latest sun is at Platja de Sant Sebastià, Platja de la Nova Icària, Platja del Bogatell.
Which beaches in Barcelona and Sitges are sand?
Platja de la Barceloneta, Platja del Bogatell, Platja de la Nova Icària, Platja de la Mar Bella, Platja de Sant Sebastià, Platja de Castelldefels, Platja de la Fragata.
Sun and shade come from the sun's position and the skyline around each beach, measured every 4° of compass direction from a 30 m elevation model out to 6 km. The climb back up is the height difference between the beach and the nearest mapped car park or bus stop (about 0.17 m per step). Water depth comes from the EMODnet seabed model; surface, beach clubs, toilets and showers from OpenStreetMap; sea temperature is the 1991–2020 average from NOAA OISST and waves the 2015–2024 average from ERA5. Prices are not shown: they change every season and differ between clubs. Map data checked 7 Nov 2026; next check 1 Dec 2026 (monthly). Sea averages are refreshed every January. Sun and shade are calculated for any date you pick.