Urban beaches, super-long almost-2-mile beaches packed with all that’s necessary to get into the water sport’s world, beaches surrounded by pinewoods that appear to enter the water, protected beaches due to their high natural importance, beaches crowned by castles (or walled villas), small and exclusive natural coves… Tarragona offers up to 10 beaches and coves scattered all across the 9 miles of coastline. These are beaches and coves that are part of Costa Daurada (Golden Coast) and that, as the very name suggests, provide users with the perfect combination of golden sand and crystal-clear waters with an easy access.
The 10 beaches and coves of Tarragona are connected and one can walk all across them using the coastal path, a route that starts at Miracle beach and go all the way past Tamarit beach, the very last one within the Tarragona area. Strolling along the coastal path, which can be done in stages, is to be recommended in spring, autumn and winter. Also in the summer, although high temperatures will definitely make for short stops so that we can get our feet wet in any of the various small coves and beaches we come across along our journey.
You can actually get to most of the Tarragona beaches and coves by car and, in 5 of them (Miracle, Arrabassada, Savinosa, Cala Romana and Llarga beach), by a specially-dedicated bus.
Next, find every single of the 10 beaches and coves of Tarragona, from the most urban, Miracle/La Comandància, to the remotest one, Tamarit beach.
1 Miracle/La Comandància
The most urban beach here, located by the city’s marina. It provides users with restaurants in one end, plus showers, disabled access, floating wheelchairs, toilets and bins, among other facilities. These are its main characteristics:
Length: 500 m
Width: 75 m
Sand: Regenerated
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily
Access: Pg. Rafael Casanova / Robert d’Aguiló
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: YES (summer)
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – Passeig marítim Rafael Casanova
2 L’Arrabassada
Located next to Miracle beach, it is connected to it through the Rafel de Casanova promenade. L’Arrabassada is suitable for water sports, and it has toilets, showers and supervised beach lockers. It does also provide disabled access and floating wheelchairs. Also, there are 3 beach bars along the beach, the ideal place to try the local seafood. It was awarded with the Blue Flag to quality. These are its main characteristics:
Length: 550 m
Width: 65 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily
Access: Pg. Rafael Casanova / N-340
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: YES (summer)
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – N-340a, end of Via Augusta
3 La Savinosa
Located between L’Arrabassada and Capellans, find La Savinosa. Very near it, we can still find the old remains of an anti-tuberculosis prevention centre. Equipped with lockers, showers, toilets and bins, this is also a disabled access beach and offers floating wheelchairs with a well-deserved Blue Flag. This is an actual nudist beach. Here there are its main characteristics:
Length: 350 m
Width: 30 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily
Access: N-340, km 1165-1166
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: YES (summer)
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – N-340a, Savinosa
4 Capellans
This is, by far, the smallest beach in the city, with 60 metres in length and 50 metres in width. In this case, this beach only has toilets, showers and bins. Main characteristics:
Length: 60 m
Width: 50 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily
Access: N-340, km 1166-1167
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: YES (summer)
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – N-340a, Cala Romana
5 Llarga
We said Capellans was the smallest beach; well, Llarga beach (literally, Long) is the largest in Tarragona, with almost 2 miles. As it is the most populated, it has the highest number of facilities, to which it adds to the ones we mentioned before, an umbrella rental service. It also has a natural area and the Platja Llarga sailing Club, which provides an easy way to get started in water sports, especially those related to sailing. As for its main characteristics:
Length: 3 000 m
Width: 30 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily
Access: N-340, km 1167
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: YES (summer)
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – N-340a, residential area
6 Cala Fonda
Cala Fonda, also known as Waikiki, is a small natural paradise. This nudist cove is surrounded by a green landscape that looks as if it’s about to enter the sea. Main characteristics:
Length: 200 m
Width: 25 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned weekly
Access: From Platja Llarga, heading north; from Cala de la Roca Plana, heading south
Red cross: NO
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access on foot – Bosc de la Marquesa
7 Cala de la Roca Plana
Between Cala Fonda and La Móra, we find this small cove, which is usually frequented by nudists. Sand is to be found in the middle of this cove, whilst rocks appear on both ends, which area ideal for snorkel. Here are the main characteristics:
Length: 205 m
Width: 26 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned weekly
Access: From Cala Fonda, heading north / From Platja de la Móra, heading south
Red cross: NO
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access on foot – Bosc de la Marquesa
8 La Móra
Driving out from Tarragona and towards Altafulla, we find the La Móra neighbourhood and beach, which is very similar to L’Arrabassada beach in terms of its dimensions. Packed with services, La Móra beach provides users with a wide selection of water sports, such as kayaking, thanks to guided tours to the rest of local beaches. It also has a Blue Flag, excellent food, umbrella rental service and a natural area, besides disabled access and floating wheelchairs. As for its main characteristics:
Length: 520 m
Width: 65 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily by hand
Access: N-340 La Móra housing development
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: YES (summer)
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – N-340a, Urb. La Móra
9 Cala Jovera
Our last 2 bathing suggestions, a beach and a cove, are to be found in Tamarit, by the impressive castle. The first one, Cala Jovera, is a small cove with less than 90 metres. There’s hardly any facilities here, due to its reduced dimensions, but can easy swim to Tamarit where there’s a lot to choose from. Characteristics:
Length: 90 m
Width: 20 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily by hand
Access: From Platja de la Móra, heading north; from Platja de Tamarit, heading south.
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: NO
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – Tamarit Castle route
10 Tamarit
And so we made it to the very last, but not least, Tarragona beach, the furthest from city centre. Tamarit beach is located by the castle, near the Tamarit Park campsite: sailing, bike rental, restaurants and cafes, water sports… Tamarit beach is very well equipped in terms of the services it provides, and it has disable access and floating wheelchairs, besides a Blue Flag. Characteristics:
Length: 1.750 m
Width: 45 m
Sand: Fine
Sand cleaning: Sand cleaned daily by hand
Access: N-340 Tamarit Exit
Buses: http://emtanemambtu.cat
Red cross: YES (summer)
Emergency telephone: 112
Observations: Access by car – Tamarit Castle route, access via Altafulla beach
Text: Ivan Rodon (@irodon on Twitter)
Translate: Artur Santos (@artur_1983 on Twitter)
Photography: Rafael López-Monné (@lopezmonne on Twitter)
