Why You Should Visit Sant Pol de Mar

Summertime in Barcelona is all about enjoying the long and leisurely days, which for many of us, are spent at the seaside with family and friends.

If you’re a visitor to Barcelona anytime during July and August, whether for just a short weekend trip or perhaps a longer summertime stay, then your internal compass will most likely point you in the direction of the beach.

While the super central Barceloneta beach is one of the most favored beach hangouts for visitors, you may be looking for a quieter and less crowded place to splash about in the Mediterranean.

A visit to Sant Pol de Mar is a great option if you’re looking for a beach outside of Barcelona that’s easily accessible by train and completely doable as a day trip.

Visit Sant Pol de Mar

Beaches on the Costa Brava

There are several beaches at Sant Pol de Mar for you to park your beach blanket and beach umbrella. Straight off the train platform is the town's main beach, which is a lovely spot to spend the day.

But if you head towards the left as you’re facing the sea and walk for around five minutes, then you’ll also find some smaller and less populated beach areas.

When compared to Barceloneta, there’s more of a family feel at all of the beaches at Sant Pol de Mar with more space to stretch out on the sand or play some games by the water’s edge.

You also may like to spend some time walking around the town itself, admiring the homes with their flower-filled window bays and seaside village charms.

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Restaurants in Sant Pol de Mar

There’s a beach café (known in Spain as a chiringuito) on the main beach, but if you continue walking to the left to some of the smaller beaches then you’ll find Restaurante Banys Lluís.

It is perfectly positioned with postcard views of the sea while serving up an expansive and delicious offering of seafood and rice dishes. The paella here is highly recommended.

It can get quite busy, particularly during the summer months, so you may like to call ahead to make a reservation.

Related article: The Best Beaches of El Maresme

How to get there

If you have your own set of wheels, you can easily drive to Sant Pol de Mar with the trip from Barcelona taking around an hour. 

But to save the hassle of trying to find a car park as well as to be able to indulge in a glass of tinto de verano (summer red wine), it’s a far better option to catch the train.

You can catch the R1 train from Plaça de Catalunya station, with the trip going for just over an hour to Sant Pol de Mar train station.

Be sure to check the train times on the train operator’s website, Rodalies Barcelona.

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Have you visited Sant Pol de Mar and did you take the train?
Tell us about what you think of the beaches there!