Beaches and coves in Portbou
From long sands to hidden coves: 6 beaches and coves in Portbou.
See it on the mapEverything in Portbou
Platja de PortbouBeach or covePortbou beach, or Platja Gran, is an urban beach in the municipality of Portbou (Alt Empordà), located in the centre of Portbou bay, right next to the town's seafront promenade. Shaped like a half-moon and nestled within the bay of Portbou, it is bordered to the north by Platja Petita and to the south-west by the jetty and the path leading to the nearby Port of Portbou. It is 239 m long with an average width of 18 m, made up of pebbles, and has a very steep slope into the water. The beach offers lifeguard services, an access walkway, a children's area, showers and toilets. There is also a sailing school, a diving centre, kayak rental and, along the seafront promenade, numerous restaurants. The Catalan Water Agency (Agència Catalana de l'Aigua) carries out weekly water quality checks during the bathing season, with an excellent result. In 2013 the beach was awarded the Blue Flag, an internationally recognised distinction for water quality and services.
Platja del PiBeach or covePlatja del Pi is a natural beach in the municipality of Portbou (Alt Empordà), set between cliffs on the north side of the Bay of Portbou, 500 m north of the town. It can be reached on foot from the N-260 road (it's the first accessible beach once you cross the border from France) or via the coastal path from Portbou, after passing Platja de les Tres Platgetes. It faces south, which gives it good shelter when the strong tramontana wind blows. It is 45 m long and 10 m wide, made up of dark pebbles. There are no facilities. Nudism is common here. Its lovely seabed makes it an ideal spot for diving.
les Tres PlatgetesBeach or coveTres Platgetes beach is a natural beach in the municipality of Portbou (Alt Empordà), located on the north side of the bay of Portbou, between cliffs, about 200 m north of the town. It faces southeast, sheltered from the tramontana wind. It is about 100 m long and 20 m wide, with coarse, dark-coloured sand. It can be reached via the coastal path, from Portbou's Petita beach. It gets its name from being located in one of three small coves separated by rock formations.
Platja del ClaperBeach or coveClaper beach is a natural beach in the municipality of Portbou (Alt Empordà), located beneath some cliffs, one kilometre south of the town, behind the Port of Portbou. It is 25.4 m long and 7 m wide, with coarse-grained sand mixed with gravel and small stones, and the slope into the sea is quite steep. It is reached via a long, steep staircase starting from the viewpoint on the N-260a road. This viewpoint had, years before, been Portbou's rubbish dump.
Platja PetitaBeach or coveThe small beach of Portbou is an urban beach in the municipality of Portbou (Alt Empordà), located on the north side of Platja Gran, in the bay of Portbou. It is 90 metres long and 30 metres wide on average, made up of dark pebbles. It is accessed on foot from Platja Gran, and on its north side begins the coastal path that runs along the shore and leads to the Tres Platgetes beach and Pi beach. At the edge of the beach there are three fishermen's huts, not aligned and set a few metres apart from one another. Rectangular in shape, they are rendered and painted white. The large hut is listed as a local cultural heritage asset (BCIL).- Platja de les FressesBeach or coveThe cala de les Freses, or de les Fresses, is a natural beach in the municipality of Portbou (Alt Empordà), located on the rugged coastline near the border with France, four kilometres from the town centre of Portbou. It is a completely unspoilt natural spot that can only be reached by sea. It is 50 metres long and 10 metres wide, made up of dark-coloured pebbles.