17 Coves in Spain where bathing is not the only important thing

In Spain there are as many types of beaches as there are waters that bathe its coasts. There are two seas, the Mediterranean and the Cantabrian, and a large ocean, the Atlantic, that have shaped, and still continue to do so today, the Spanish coastline, which has resulted in endless colors in the sands, landscapes and, of course, shades of the blue of the sea. Thus, a tour of the best coves and beaches in Spain could create a catalog of 5-star beaches.

Here is a list of beaches where swimming is mandatory. They are beaches where we would go to write a book, or to fall in love, or to reflect. They are also exceptional places to practice ecotourism or adventure activities. So the bathroom thing, with an afternoon of diving or snorkeling It is more than mandatory:

Cala Lagoelas (Cangas, Pontevedra)

The small cove that we present here is located in the Ría de Aldán. There are about 50 meters of rock and sand surrounded by beautiful vegetation. The waters that bathe it allow us to enjoy that tranquility that we seek when getting lost on almost desert beaches.

Image provided by the Galician Tourism website

This beach is a corner of natural and virgin land available to those who, when traveling, look for nothing more than the sound of the wind and waves. Of course, to get to it you will have to follow a path, for fifteen or twenty minutes, that starts from Menduíña beach and that will take you to the foot of this endearing piece of sea.

Not far from Cangas, you have La Garita Rural House, in front of Rodeira beach, a unique place on the Galician coast. There are very good hiking or cycling routes here. The property is next to a beach popular with lovers of water sports such as windsurfing and canoeing.

Arnela Beach (Sada, A Coruña)

Arnela beach is a place approximately 150 meters long that transmits a peace that is difficult to achieve anywhere else. You can spread your towel there if you want to take a break: its sand is fine and white. But you will also find rocks among that sand that will give it a wild and charming touch. For your eyes it will look like a landscape painted in oil.

Near the beach there are numerous options for hiking trails. The “Costa Dulce” route is one of them and leads to the foot of the cove. The other option is to access the beach by boat. It usually has little influx of people, so, however you get there, you will almost certainly enjoy a day of calm waters and a relaxing atmosphere.

Image provided by the Galician Tourism website

Cala a Areosa (Ribadeo, Lugo)

This small 50-meter-long beach is one of the wonderful corners of Lugo where you can find a haven of peace. Its low influx of visitors and its easy access on foot make it a key part of the Lugo coast: one of those beaches to add to your list of essentials.

One of its strong points is its cliffs. It seems as if a sea monster had taken a bite out of the coast and formed the beach we see today. It is true that it is not the typical sandy beach where you can choose where to lie down, but it is a beautiful beach to go for a walk; to go think. And how can we forget the green of its surroundings and its clean waters. Impossible.

Image provided by the Galician Tourism website

Playa del Silencio (Cudillero, Asturias)

In addition to being known for Picos de Europa National Park, Asturias has other places of great tourist interest. In this case, this beach is better known than some of the ones we have talked about in this post. If we reach the town of Castañeras, there will be numerous indications that will take us there. We can leave the car here and get to the beach on foot, since access is on foot and easy.

On this beach, as in life itself, the path to get there is as important or more important than the end point of the journey. The views during the tour are magical. In fact, we believe that being called Playa del Silencio should be because of how you feel when you come face to face with its impressive cliffs. Once down there, the best thing you can do is look at the sea, take a breath and enjoy the moment. Few things are as worthwhile as sitting in front of the sea and not thinking about anything.

Playa del Pedrero or Pedreru (Val de San Vicente, Cantabria)

Again we find a quite peculiar beach. With a lot of unevenness and few areas where you can stretch the towel, although there are some, of course there are. However, Pedreru beach is one of those beaches where you can go to take photographs, explore its surroundings or take a leisurely walk.

In addition, only 20 minutes separate Val de San Vicente from San Vicente de la Barquera, where you can enjoy a surf course in Cantabria for a more than affordable price. Two for one are always good deals, but if you apply it to activities in nature, that is “knowing how to take advantage of the best opportunities”, in all its meaning.

Azkorri Beach (Getxo, Bizkaia)

Azkorri is one of those movie beaches where you see a person on the cliff, watching the sea, and in the background a wild, virgin, lonely beach. The green wants to go into the sea at the same time as the sand does. With almost 900 meters of sand to rest on, this beach is accessible on foot and also has a nudist area. One of the greatest charms of Bizkaia.

Furthermore, if you are one of those who see the beach as the ideal place to practice sports in nature, here you have the option of doing hiking along the Basque coast, an unbeatable mix of sea and mountains and, of course, more than recommended.

Sakoneta Cove (Deba, Gipúzkoa)

Located in the Basque Coast Geopark, Sakoneta Cove is characterized by the so-called flyschs, rock formations in which a layer of soft sediment is interspersed with one of hard sediment. The first, being more susceptible to erosion, exposes the layers of hard material, the result of which is a geological formation that looks like a real millefeuille, in addition to being excellent proof of the geological history of the place.

On the Basque Coast you can follow a route that will take you through beaches with similar characteristics. And of course, you can also take a bath or go nudism. An authentic spectacle of nature.

Cala del Molí (Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Girona)

La Cala del Molí, apart from being a magical place as a cove, is unique for its greatest attraction: the via ferrata that runs along its cliffs. The via ferrata Cala del Molí It is the only one in Europe located on the sea. That is, if you have that adventurous streak that forces you to seek adrenaline wherever you go, this place is ideal. You can take the via ferrata and, when you finish, take the opportunity to take a bath in one of these paradisiacal coves.

We have already said it before: luckily, in Spain we have a coast that allows us to enjoy it beyond a simple swim, and Cala del Molí is a good example.

Cala Estreta (Palamos, Girona)

To access this beautiful cove on the Costa Brava it is necessary to walk about 40 minutes from Playa es Castell, taking the coastal path heading north and inland. The journey will be worth it, given the great landscape and natural value of this cove. Thus, to get there you will enjoy hiking while waiting for your arrival at the cove: of course, a great reward. Furthermore, it is said that in an old fishing hut, lives an endearing man with white hair. In short, a cove of legend.

Of course, these coves are equally fascinating both from the sea and from a bird's eye view. And you're in luck, because in Empordá you have the option of fly in a balloon over the Costa Brava.

Macarella and Macarelleta coves (Menorca)

In this case we could not avoid selecting two coves that, in summer, are somewhat crowded. But this fact is more than justified. These two sister coves have an unbeatable environment, bathed in turquoise waters. If you manage to visit them at times of the year when bathers prefer to stay at home in the heat of the stove, they will seem like authentic paradise beaches. Furthermore, if you decide to visit both (which would be convenient), you can unleash your sporty side: from Macarella to Macarelleta there is a very pleasant trail.

On the other hand, Macarella has bar service, but Macarelleta does not. However, what makes the latter particular is that it is nudist (and this is why Cala Macarelleta is well known in Menorca). and look at this house in Ciudadella, another paradise in Menorca for dreamers.

Cala en Baster (Formentera)

The first thing you should keep in mind before visiting this cove is that it is completely rocky, and its charm does not come precisely from its fine white sand. Therefore, have good shoes on hand for walking on the rock. However, this beach, facing north, has numerous caves steeped in history, as well as old structures that were used to lower boats many years ago. All of this gives it that bohemian touch that makes it enter this list.

To access it we must descend a path that borders the cliff, leaving our car above it.

Cala Llebeig (Benitatxell-Moraira, Alicante)

This small cove on the Alicante coast is mainly made up of rocks, although it is possible to find a place to sit on the sand. Of course, it is important to wear good footwear due to the ruggedness of its small piece of coast.

This fact will not require any extra effort, since there are only two ways to get there. By sea, in a small boat, or through two routes: the Penya-segats route (Route of the Cliffs) or through the bed of the Viuda ravine. It is the perfect cove if your intention is to take the opportunity to do a little hiking and find a beach treasure at the finish line. Be careful, you have incredible places to stay in Benitatxell, like this camp in the middle of the nature of Alicante:

Calblanque Beach (Cartagena, Murcia)

We could highlight Calblanque beach for its naturalness and its wide landscape, which seems to allow us to breathe better. Fine, golden sand ideal for lying down and resting. Yes, here you can make a typical summer plan: bathing, sun, sand, and, why not, a good wine. Of course, if you want to enjoy all this in as much solitude as possible, avoid the summer season, which usually attracts more visitors.

Also, if you have decided to visit Murcia to do ecotourism and snorkeling in Cabo de Palos, Calblanque is just a few minutes walk away, so you can combine both plans.

Cala San Pedro (Las Negras, Almería)

You have two options to get to Cala San Pedro in Las Negras, historically more isolated due to its difficult access but which can become crowded in the middle of summer. This is why we prefer to leave this cove for the list of winter beaches and enjoy views in a room with sea view how are you doing. Although if you want one house with pool in Las Negras You have many other building options with the typical aesthetics of the dry south of Andalusia and others with spectacular views, as much as these ones. house on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Las Negras:

The first option, and perhaps the most exciting, is to do one of the Hiking routes of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park: that of the San Pedro – El Plomo – Agua Amarga Trail. From Las Negras to Cala San Pedro you will have to travel just over two kilometers of pleasant walking and contact with nature. Of course, always choose to be as comfortable as possible: even if the destination is a beach, it is still a trekking route. The other option is to get there by boat.

Another very good option is to choose a accommodation in San Jose, one of the most beautiful beaches in Almería and with the greatest popularity in all of Andalusia.

Los Lances Beach (Tarifa, Cádiz)

In the province of Cádiz it is difficult to choose just one beach: each one more virgin, each one wilder. But if we have to stay with one, that is Los Lances, in Tarifa.

It is one of the best beaches for kitesurfing, one of the many nature activities in Andalusia that you can practice, and because of this, the sky above this beach is completely filled with kites. Although it may seem that it is overwhelming, or that it destroys the landscape, the truth is that observing it is a true spectacle. When you do it you feel a mixture of excitement and tranquility. And if you don't believe it, try it.

Tarifa is also the destination of an attractive BTT route through the Natural Parks of Cádiz, which stops at another of the magnificent beaches of this municipality: Valdevaqueros.

Cala Güi-güi (San Nicolás, Gran Canaria)

This beautiful cove is one of the few virgins in Gran Canaria. It has a special charm, both because of the coastline that it enjoys and which invites you to lie down and because of the spectacular trekking route that starts from Tasartico towards Güi-güi. In total it is approximately ten kilometers round trip. The journey is truly amazing, and the end of it, a more than enriching reward.

La Zamora Beach (Fuencaliente, La Palma)

The black beaches of the Canary archipelago attract for many reasons: for their color, for the presence of volcanoes near many of them or for their tranquility.

La Zamora beach brings together the first and the last, although it is true that near it are the San Antonio and Teneguía volcanoes, where you can venture with a hiking route through the volcanoes of La Palma that will make you enjoy, in the same pack, mountains, sea, volcanoes and hiking.

Photo by @tiffouille06

Infographic: The best coves in Spain

This post is not intended to be a guide to follow to the letter and be able to move around the different beaches. With it, we simply want to show a glimpse of those corners of the Spanish coast that have stolen our hearts, and that we would not think twice about recommending.

In Nattule We believe in the importance of keeping beaches in their most natural state possible, since it will depend on whether we can continue enjoying them for a long time. Therefore, if you have decided to visit any of them, it would be advisable to follow this series of tips:

#1 The beaches in their natural state are a delight for those of us who visit them.

We love the vegetation that surrounds them, the crabs that emerge from among their stones, and the birds that fly over the coast. The beach is not going to disappear because you take a shell as a gift, nor is a species going to become extinct because you take a bunch of some rare flower, but think that if all of us who visit the beach did the same, then the degradation of this such a valuable ecosystem will be assured. Please enjoy each element in its habitat and, when you return home, let them continue in theirs.

#2 Respect other visitors.

It is true that sometimes you will find yourself alone on one of these beaches, but some of them are busier in summer. If you feel like listening to music, use your headphones, and if you feel like playing in the sand, make sure there is no one eating snacks nearby; Beach sand between your teeth can be a bit uncomfortable.

#3 Part of the charm of these beaches lies in the fact that there are no buildings or other types of infrastructure in said place.

Nor waste containers. Therefore, be responsible and pick up all your trash when you leave the beach. Also the butts of your cigarettes, as well as the peels of the fruit.

#4 Find out about the characteristics of each beach

Check how the wind is, how the currents are, what rules there are in each of them. On some beaches bathing is not always recommended. Please always exercise caution.

#5 The last and most valuable advice may be unnecessary: enjoy

Live a magical day. Take the opportunity to meet incredible people. Think about the wonder of life on the waterfront or on the way to it. And finally, forget the stress of your routine for a moment to delight in the only routine worth having: the sunset.