Once a fisherman’s haunt where the city’s old stream met the sea, Bogatell Beach has reinvented itself as a laid-back playground for Barcelona’s active set. Volleyballs thud onto sun-warmed sand, runners pound the seafront promenade, and gym buffs pump out reps at the open-air workout stations. With some of the city’s cleanest waters, fewer vendors, and a more local feel, Bogatell is also one of the best Barcelona beaches for relaxation and a peaceful dip away from Barceloneta’s crush.

Mar Bella Beach (Playa de la Mar Bella) has long been a beach of reinvention. Once home to the Baños de la Mar Bella, a beloved bathhouse, it fell into decline before the 1992 Olympic facelift brought it back to life. Today, it’s a beach with two distinct sides: one a laid-back nudist retreat, the other a playground where kids race down an oversized slide. In between, volleyball games play out on the sand, windsurfers skim the waves, and the grassy park behind the beach fills with picnickers.

The name Mar Bella harks back to Barcelona’s history of reshaping its coastline—a marbella is land reclaimed from the sea, much like the city itself. Today, Nova Mar Bella Beach (Platja de la Nova Mar Bella) offers a peaceful stretch of golden sand where locals come to swim, sunbathe, and escape the city’s buzz. It’s also one of the cleanest beaches in Barcelona, earning an Ecoplayas flag for its environmental efforts.

Once an industrial zone and a shantytown, Nova Icària Beach (Platja de la Nova Icaria) emerged from Barcelona’s Olympic transformation as one of the city’s most inviting beaches. Today, it’s a laid-back spot and one of the best beaches in Barcelona for families, where kids dig moats and lifeguards patrol the shore. Inland, high-end chiringuitos give way to the wide promenades of the Vila Olímpica neighborhood, once home to the world’s fastest athletes.

If Barcelona’s beaches feel too cramped and crowded, Castelldefels Beach is the antidote. A 30-minute train ride from Sants Train Station delivers you to a 3-mile (5-kilometer) sprawl of golden sand where the waves are bigger, the crowds are thinner, and the beach bars are just the right amount of lively. Castelldefels is also one of the best Barcelona beaches for adventure seekers: It's a playground for kitesurfers, paddleboarders, and windsurfers catching the perfect gust.

Stretching from Barceloneta to the looming sail of the W Barcelona hotel, Sant Sebastià Beach (Platja de Sant Sebastià) almost always includes a steady cast of locals. Here, seasoned old-timers wade into the water from the city’s storied swimming clubs, while bronzed regulars bask in an unofficial nudist section, but that's not all: From here, the Barcelona coastline unfurls, taking in everything from the ghostly three chimneys of La Canadenca to the futuristic solar panels at the Forum.

Llevant Beach (Platja de Llevant) is one of the city’s newest beaches, and it remains less crowded than some of Barcelona's more famous stretches. Located at the far end of the city in El Poblenou, it’s one of the quietest beaches in Barcelona, and has a natural, untouched feel. Though it lacks the lively bars of Barceloneta, it’s an excellent spot for sunbathing, swimming, and soaking up the Mediterranean without the usual beach hustle.

Though it's only a short train ride from Barcelona, Garraf feels like another world. This little fishing hamlet, backed by cliffs and vineyards, is reminiscent of another era: The small beach is lined with charming, century-old wooden huts next to its calm waters lapping the shores. There are also a couple of restaurants nearby, such as La Cúpula Garraf and Chiringuito de Garraf, with terraces overlooking the water and menus of crisp white wines and fresh seafood.