With almost 8000 kilometres of coastline, Spain is home to some of the most fascinating secret beaches in the world. We can find these beautiful corners away from the urban concrete, places where you can breathe calm even during the peak season of umbrellas and hammocks, while you can hardly even see the sand on other busy beaches which are flocked by tourists. These secret beaches in Spain are proof that the voracity of wild urbanism and mass tourism has not been able to engulf everything.
We have drafted a list of small (and not so small) paradises that have been kept untouched, where nothing can mask the beauty of the calm and at times raging sea. Corners where the only sound breaking the silence is that of the waves reaching the shore.
Discovering the most stunning secret beaches in Spain
The list of secret beaches in Spain is much longer than it may seem. In order to discover them, all you have to do is get rid of preconceived ideas and established paths. At times, they are surprisingly close to popular tourist destinations too.
Keep reading and discover some of those beaches, one for each autonomous community overlooking the sea. Others lie inland because, apart from the sea, some rivers and reservoirs also have some magnificent sandy areas.
Beaches of Cape Home (Pontevedra)
Cape Home Beach. | Shutterstock
Cape Home overlooks the idyllic Cíes Islands. One needs no excuse to visit and discover the beauty of both the Atlantic Islands’ Maritime-Terrestrial National Park and the Barra e Costa da Soavela Dunes Protected Natural Area. But between its cliffs and its pine forests there are several wonderful and less frequented beaches: Melide, Nerga, Viño and Barra.
These are fine sand beaches with cold and crystal-clear waters. Melide is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Galician coast and has a Blue Flag, as does Nerga. Meanwhile, Barra is one of the most prominent nudist beaches in Galicia. Either of them is a dream for those who seek peace surrounded by water, sand and vegetation. It is also a great destination for hiking lovers, because of its spectacular surroundings.
La Huelga Beach (Asturias)
La Huelga Beach. | Shutterstock
The Asturian coast shelters a good number of secret beaches that are worth discovering. The beach of La Huelga is at the mouth of the San Cecilio River, in Llanes. It is a wild beach of sand and rocks that disappear in high tide. It also reminds us of the Beach of the Cathedrals because of the rocky arch that adorns it on one side. It has an easy access, with no additional facilities.
One can practice sport fishing here, keeping in mind the currents and, above all, the rise of the tide. For more adventure, one can take a short tour through the rocks that surround it which leads to two small hidden coves, La Canal and La Canalina, as well as an ancient fish nursery.
Langre Beach (Cantabria)
Langre Beach. | Shutterstock
Sheltered by a grand cliff that seems to be carved with a knife, Langre Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cantabria. The difficulty in accessing the sandy area (several sections of stairs are required to be walked down) along with strong winds make it one of the least frequented beaches.
This treasure is a paradise for lovers of surfing, snorkelling and sport fishing because of the rocks that surround it. Swimming in the sea is not prohibited here, but caution should be exercised due to strong currents. Nudism is practiced in one part of the beach.
Gorrondatxe Beach (Biscay)
Gorrondatxe Beach. | Shutterstock
Surrounded by cliffs, its access is somewhat complicated. But any effort is worth reaching a beach which has a mix of dark sands, gravel and grass along with small dunes. It is perfect for surfing, especially in its western part.
Gorrondatxe, which is one of the beaches of Getxo, has all the necessary services and facilities to enjoy a good family beach day: toilets, showers, snacking area, play area for the little ones and surveillance in high season. Nudism is allowed at this beach too.
Punta del Fangar Beach (Tarragona)
Punta del Fangar Beach. | Shutterstock
An extensive stretch of sand crowns the Ebro Delta in the north: it is the Punta del Fangar. This slightly curved peninsula is seven kilometres long. It is an immense expanse of fine sand with only one lighthouse which alters this virgin landscape. It is also called the “beach of mirages” because when the sun is intense an optical phenomenon occurs.
Despite its extension, it is one of those secret beaches in Spain that is truly surprising and wonderful. It does not have facilities of any kind. Moreover, during the nesting season for waterfowls, access is limited to protect an area of great ecological value. In any case, it is worth discovering because of its unique beauty and because it allows you to appreciate both the richness of the landscape and the enormous environmental value of the delta.
L’Ahuir Beach (Valencia)
L’Ahuir Beach. | Shutterstock
At a stone´s throw from Gandía is one of the most unique unknown beaches in Spain. It is because of its proximity to one of the great tourist centres of the Levantine coast and the Cordon dunes. The beach of l’Ahuir is, therefore, one of the few truly virgin beaches that are preserved on the Levantine coast.
This beach is considered a real treasure not only because of its natural wealth. On one hand, it has a blue flag, smoke-free beach badge and surveillance service, making it a good place to go with the little ones. And on the other hand, there is an area enabled to visit and enjoy with pets. And, in addition, it is one of the beaches of the Valencian Community where practicing nudism is allowed.
Beaches of Calblanque (Region of Murcia)
Beaches of Calblanque. | Shutterstock
The Regional Park of Calblanque is one of the best kept treasures of the region of Murcia. There are hidden virgin beaches surrounded by nature, ideal to disconnect just a few kilometres from the always crowded Mar Menor. They are golden sandy beaches sheltered by dunes. And between them small coves are interspersed among the rocks, a true paradise for those who seek absolute peace.
Playa Parreño, Playa Negrete, Playa Larga or Cala de Los Dentones are some of them. They do not have any facilities, but they are good not only to sunbathe or swim, but also to hike around and to enjoy the spectacular sunsets. One must bear in mind that access by car is restricted in high season in order to preserve a place of high ecological value.
Playa de los Muertos (Almería)
Playa de los Muertos. | Shutterstock
Surrounded by a steep cliff, Playa de los Muertos is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Cabo de Gata Natural Park. Its crystal-clear waters and white sands make us forget the meaning behind its name (“beach of the dead”): due to the strong currents the bodies of victims of the shipwrecks in the sea used to wash up here.
It is not an easily accessible beach; hence one can enjoy it with relative calm. It does not have facilities or surveillance. Therefore, when bathing it is important to be careful, because of the currents and because of a steep underwater slope.
D’es Caragol Beach (Mallorca)
D’es Caragol Beach. | Shutterstock
This small beach of white sand and rocks is hidden near the lighthouse of Ses Salines, in the Mallorcan town of Santanyí. It is perfect to visit with children because of its calm and shallow waters and because of its distance from the shore. It has some drawbacks: it does not have basic facilities or surveillance and one must take a short walk to reach it. However, the beauty of the landscape more than compensates for the effort and discomfort.
Viejo Rey Beach (Fuerteventura)
Viejo Rey Beach. | Shutterstock
Aggressive, wild and remote. Such is the Viejo Rey Beach, in the municipality of Pájara. Behind it, the steep cliffs create an almost overwhelming postcard image. And, in the front, brave sea waters are pushed by strong winds that break against the golden and black sand. Something that perhaps does not look comfortable to swim in the sea, but this makes it a spectacular place to practice surfing and kitesurfing.
Other secret inland beaches
Gulpiyuri. | Shutterstock
A tour of the secret beaches of Spain would not be complete without those that are not visibly next to the sea, with calm waters and which surprise us with the most unexpected corners. The list is also longer than you might imagine, but there are some lesser-known inland beaches that are inevitable, to say the least.
One of those secret beaches in Spain that are inland is that of Gulpiyuri, in Asturias. The sea water comes to it through some holes, but it is an inland beach which is totally different than those that are located close by and that are whipped by the raging Cantabrian waters.
The beaches of the Ullíbarri swamp, in Álava, have a Blue Flag and all the necessary facilities to enjoy them. In addition to taking a good swim, one can also practice water sports. Same is the case with the beach of Orellana in the reservoir of Orellana and with La Dehesa, by Lake Alqueva, both in Badajoz, as well as the beach of Ardales, in the swamp of El Chorro in Malaga. The choices here are endless.
