Although all ports are near the sea, not all of them can say they’ve got their own beach – but we can! Marina Beach lies within Badalona port, between the southern harbour wall and the district of La Mora. Because of its particular features, it is subject to different dynamics from the city’s other beaches. For example, it has seasonal opening and closing times, in accordance with the agreement between the Port, the local residents and Badalona City Council to promote civic behaviour in a natural area. It also has two direct accesses: one from inside the port – the best for event logistics – and another from Carrer de la Mar Jònica. It has been on the list of metropolitan beaches since July 2020, when it came into use with authorisation from the Government of Catalonia after decontamination and adaptation work by Marina de Badalona which cost almost 2 million euros.
MARINA BEACH
A HIDDEN CORNER OF THE CITY
The sand has undergone a regeneration process involving the removal of pollutants from the area’s chemical industry past. The beach is 150 metres long and between 30 and 60 metres wide, with 7,000 m2 of good quality, fine sand. This area is protected by the Port breakwater, which keeps it safe from storms, especially the violent easterlies and north-easterlies.
As part of the City Council’s overall agreement with the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), the supramunicipal organisation is responsible for the cleaning service in both low and high seasons. Between mid-June and mid-September the service is stepped up, with sifting and cleaning of the sand by machine or manually if necessary. The AMB also provides signage, the life guard service and rubbish bins. In the second season, 2021, access with walkways and bicycle parking were added.
Like Sant Sebastià beach in Barcelona, Marina Beach is a port beach on the metropolitan coast and is entirely urban, making it easy to get to on foot or by bike.
The aim for the next few seasons is to complete the range of services and also to programme continuous leisure activities and uses. There will be a beach bar providing refreshments and regular activities such as paddle boarding, paddle yoga, snorkelling and light sailing, as well as the possibility of just enjoying the natural landscape and swimming in the sea.
MARINA BEACH SERVICES
