Playa de la Mar Bella
Playa de la Mar Bella
4
About
Created for the 1992 Summer Olympics, this city beach is a lively spot that's especially popular amongst younger locals and travelers. You can sunbathe on the beach or swim in the cool waters, and even play some beach volleyball, basketball, and table tennis at the facilities provided. Water sports lovers can also visit the nautical center at the western end for sailing or windsurfing. There's even a designated nudist area, one of the only ones in the city. End your day at the beach after going on a coastal tour of Barcelona, which might pass by Playa de La Barceloneta and Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. – Tripadvisor
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Neighbourhood: Sant Martí
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
98 reviews
Excellent
38
Very good
36
Average
15
Poor
5
Terrible
4
JuliaChild1980
Leuven, Belgium19 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Used to be a good place but is getting more and more a place where the straight and clothed people come to join for the good vibe and the free spirit… and thereby killing it… and yes you dressed straight idiots. We see when you do facetime with friends to show the “beach”
Written September 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jd D
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Solo
Claims to be a nude beach but way too many guys with speedos. Why go to a nude beach and not be nude? I am glad there was a sign saying it was a nudist area though.
Written August 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
astonvillan
London, UK461 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We went to Mar Bella beach on consecutive 2 days midweek in July and had two contrasting naturist experiences.
The naturist section of the beach is small and occupies the sections numbered 30 to 32.
The nearest metro stations are Poblenou and Selva de Mar, both about 15 minutes walk away.
On the first day we rented 2 sunbeds and an umbrella in front of the BeGay bar at a cost of 45 Euros. I found this to be very expensive and then was told we could not eat or drink our own food and drink (besides water) whilst seated in front of the bar! The bar itself pumped out techno music the whole day which meant you couldn't really relax. The majority of the people sunbathing around the bar area wore a swim suit (must have been around 95% clothed). I think I was the only naked person using a sunbed and there were no naked people in the bar. Not a great naturist experience to be surrounded by mainly clothed people on a naturist beach.
The next day we brought our own umbrella and sunbathed on a different part of the beach (at the Poblenou end). This was a much better naturist experience and there was a more even number of naked and clothed people. There was a good mixture of male and female people on this part of the beach. It was encouraging to see so many young women feeling safe enough to naked on a beach. We couldn't hear the music from the bar which meant I was able to relax and read in peace.
In conclusion I recommend going to this naturist beach as there is a mixture of male and females and it has a young age group giving it a lively vibe. I would avoid the area around the BeGay bar unless you are into techno music and don't mind paying over the odds for a sunbed and umbrella. As a naturist be prepared to be in the minority in certain parts of the beach and certain areas have more men than women.
I would also recommend visiting the Rambla de Poblenou, near Poblenou metro, for great bars and restaurants (much nicer area than La Rambla in the centre of town).
The naturist section of the beach is small and occupies the sections numbered 30 to 32.
The nearest metro stations are Poblenou and Selva de Mar, both about 15 minutes walk away.
On the first day we rented 2 sunbeds and an umbrella in front of the BeGay bar at a cost of 45 Euros. I found this to be very expensive and then was told we could not eat or drink our own food and drink (besides water) whilst seated in front of the bar! The bar itself pumped out techno music the whole day which meant you couldn't really relax. The majority of the people sunbathing around the bar area wore a swim suit (must have been around 95% clothed). I think I was the only naked person using a sunbed and there were no naked people in the bar. Not a great naturist experience to be surrounded by mainly clothed people on a naturist beach.
The next day we brought our own umbrella and sunbathed on a different part of the beach (at the Poblenou end). This was a much better naturist experience and there was a more even number of naked and clothed people. There was a good mixture of male and female people on this part of the beach. It was encouraging to see so many young women feeling safe enough to naked on a beach. We couldn't hear the music from the bar which meant I was able to relax and read in peace.
In conclusion I recommend going to this naturist beach as there is a mixture of male and females and it has a young age group giving it a lively vibe. I would avoid the area around the BeGay bar unless you are into techno music and don't mind paying over the odds for a sunbed and umbrella. As a naturist be prepared to be in the minority in certain parts of the beach and certain areas have more men than women.
I would also recommend visiting the Rambla de Poblenou, near Poblenou metro, for great bars and restaurants (much nicer area than La Rambla in the centre of town).
Written July 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alice J
2 contributions
Jun 2022
This beach is good. I've been about 20 times and usually it has a good mix of genders. 70 percent of the people are fully nude and you will see the odd male with an erection so need to be adult minded. I have also seen people just walk right near the entrance of the beach cafe without a bit of clothing on. Just standing there as nude as the day they where born in front of all the diners, but no one cares. There are warning signs showing the nude area so people know what they will see.
Written December 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark H
Greater London, UK16 contributions
Sept 2022 • Solo
A rarity to find a clothes optional beach so open and easily accessible in an urban area. Nice Sandy beach. Sea was clear and warm. Very open and relaxed feel. Seemed genuinely inclusive of all, whether in swim wear, topless, naked, or male/female etc. part of the beach was more screened and part not but genuinely no-one seemed bothered by nor interested in who was wearing what, whether they were on the beach, at the bar, the toilets/showers or just walking past.
A good option for a mix of naturists and not.
A good option for a mix of naturists and not.
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark
17 contributions
Sept 2022 • Solo
Unlike many naturist beaches which are in less accessible locations, this beach is as easy to reach as any other beach in Barcelona. Nice sand, clean, warm sea water. And unlike some clothing optional beaches, this was indeed optional with no apparent pressures. Some in full swimwear, some topless, some naked. Nobody seemed bothered by the options people took. And fair balance of men and women, clothed or not.
It was also much more easy going than I had expected. Part of the beach was shielded from view, but most of it was not. Passers-by could easily see the beach was clothes optional. Many people walking to the bar/showers/toilets were naked and nobody was bothered. So a place that seemed open and accessible to all. Worth a visit if only because it is easy, different and accommodates all.
It was also much more easy going than I had expected. Part of the beach was shielded from view, but most of it was not. Passers-by could easily see the beach was clothes optional. Many people walking to the bar/showers/toilets were naked and nobody was bothered. So a place that seemed open and accessible to all. Worth a visit if only because it is easy, different and accommodates all.
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gregory K
Gloucester, UK210 contributions
Aug 2022
My wife and I headed for Mar Bella on a scorching hot afternoon looking to enjoy a nude swim. But we arrived to find the site crowded by several hundred young men, most of whom were wearing speedoes rather than being naked. We looked around but didn't see a single woman sunbathing naked, giving the impression that this was a gay beach rather than a naturist one. If that is the case, the council really ought to advertise it as such.
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
William Hazeltine
Edgerton, WI15 contributions
Aug 2021 • Friends
Playa de la Mae Bella didn’t disappoint. Went mid-afternoon so the sun was shining and the water was warm. Definitely a nude beach, but after 5 minutes of being there my party decided to strip down too. A good mix of clothed and non-clothed locals and tourist. The beach was a bit crowded since it seems smaller, yet there was still plenary of room to lay out.
Written August 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter S
Warwick, UK1,182 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
My wife and I came here without knowing it was a naturist beach. It’s a really nice clean sandy beach with some racks you can lean against if you want some shelter. It only took us a few mins to realise it was a naturist beach for obvious reasons. We were about the only ones clothed. If you’re open minded and it’s not busy it’s a real nice beach. Some naked guys were getting a bit friendly with each other in view of everyone so if you can turn a blind eye you’ll be fine. If not, definitely go to the beach up the road 5 minute away.
Written March 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Xerxes R
Dubai, United Arab Emirates523 contributions
Nov 2019 • Solo
It was a cool 16deg so maybe not the best day for a beach visit. That being said it was nice to walk on the promenade. Saw a few cafes too.
Clean beach chilled vibes enjoyed the sunset too.
Clean beach chilled vibes enjoyed the sunset too.
Written November 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, we are a nudist family with a 3 y.o. Kid, can we get naked in the family section of the beach?
Written November 21, 2018
Yes nudism is absolutely fine- there were whole families.
Written March 2, 2019
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