Platja del Coco
Badalona’s Urban Beach with a Local Soul
Before you look at a map, imagine this:
“You’ve just stepped off the Renfe, walked down the steps to the path leading to the beach, and the first thing that hits you isn’t salt air, it’s the scent of woodsmoke, grilling sardines and steak from a nearby chiringuito.
You aren’t in the Barcelona tourist crush anymore.
You’re in a place where the sand is wide, the water is clear, and you’re already wondering if your partner would prefer the tapas or fish here for lunch, and you are imagining a sunset drink later, looking over a calm Mediterranean.
But first, there’s a legendary bronze monkey on the pier waiting for a selfie.
Welcome to Badalona and Coco Beach.”
Watch a Short Platja del Coco Beach Preview
This short preview gives you a first look at Platja del Coco in Badalona: the wide sand, the local beach rhythm, the promenade, the restaurants, the marina-side atmosphere and the quieter shift away from Barcelona’s busiest tourist beaches.
A short video can show you the scene.
A full beach walk shows you the mood.
That is especially true here, because Platja del Coco is not just about one dramatic view. It is about the way the beach changes as you walk: the practical southern end near the marina, the naturist-friendly section, the more family-oriented areas further north, the food and restaurant life along the promenade, and the feeling that Badalona’s coast is being used by locals rather than performed for visitors.
Bear Beach Walks members can watch the full-length Platja del Coco beach walk in 4K, along with other Barcelona-area beaches, Badalona walks and coastal videos from across Catalunya.
The teaser is the invitation.
The full walk is on the beach day.
See full 4K Beach Walk Videos from Badalona and the area.
Quick overview: why visit Platja del Coco?
Platja del Coco is an urban beach in Badalona’s El Progrés area. Officially, it is listed as 170 metres long, with Badalona’s council giving an average width of 60 metres and Spain.info listing the width as 80 metres. So, in practical terms, think of it as a short but fairly wide urban beach, not a long wilderness walk.
Platja del Coco Badalona:
A Local Barcelona-Area Beach with Real Character
Platja del Coco is where Badalona’s beach life starts to feel properly real.
There are beach spots south of here, between the River Besòs and Port de Badalona, and I’ll come back to those another time because that area has its own developing story.
Some parts have been officially closed or under redevelopment, even though locals have still used them in that very Mediterranean way of treating official signage as a polite suggestion rather than the final word from Mount Olympus.
But for me, Platja del Coco is where Badalona’s main beach stretch begins.
It sits just beyond Port de Badalona, with Hotel Marina Badalona at the southern end, the railway line behind it, restaurants and beach bars along the promenade, and the Mediterranean opening out in front. It is urban, practical, local, relaxed, and full of the kind of lived-in atmosphere that makes Badalona feel very different from Barcelona.
I lived in Badalona for a little over a year and had two summers there. I’ve also lived in and around Barcelona for more than eight years, and I spend a lot of time walking, filming, travelling by train, and exploring the coastline.
So this is not a beach I only know from a map or a list of facilities. Platja del Coco sits inside my own mental map of local beach days, summer walks, train rides, supermarket stops, and afternoons where the plan is simply: get to the sea and let the day stretch out.
And honestly, if I’m having a local beach day, I am more likely to head to Badalona than Barceloneta.
Barcelona has the famous beaches. Badalona has the calmer rhythm.
Here is the useful version.
- A local-feeling beach near Barcelona
- Platja del Coco has a different atmosphere from the central Barcelona beaches. There are still visitors, of course, but the feel is more Badalona, more local, and less tourist machine.
- Easy by train, bus, metro, or car
- The official access details list urban buses BD-4 and BD-7, with Badalona Renfe/train station around 750 metres away. The metro is also possible, but from L2 Badalona Pompeu Fabra it is more of a walk all be it a nice walk.
- Good facilities
- The beach has showers, toilets, bins, cleaning service, lifeguard support in season, and beach services listed by official sources.
- Restaurants and supermarkets nearby
- There are plenty of bars and restaurants along the promenade, plus useful supermarket options nearby, including Mercadona near the southern end and a Carrefour Express if you walk from the town centre or Metro.
- A mixed beach with a naturist area near the southern end
- In my experience, the southern end near the marina side is where you are more likely to find naturist beachgoers. If that is not your thing, simply start a little further north.
- Family atmosphere further north
- The northern side of the beach feels more family-oriented, with large groups, kids playing, music, food, and a very relaxed local summer feeling.
- Water sports and beach activity
- Club Windsurf Badalona is based along this seafront and covers windsurfing, SUP, kayak, surf, wingsurf, and related water sports activities.
- A good beach for experiencing Badalona properly
- This is not just “Barcelona but a bit further up the coast.” Badalona has its own mood, and Platja del Coco is a good place to feel the difference.
Where is Platja del Coco?
Platja del Coco sits on the Badalona coastline, between Plaça dels Patins de Vela and Carrer Cervantes, according to Badalona’s official beach information.
In everyday terms, it is the stretch of beach just north of Port de Badalona and close to Hotel Marina Badalona. If you are coming from Barcelona, this is one of the first proper Badalona beach areas where the coastline starts to open into a more local rhythm.
Badalona is separated from Barcelona by the River Besòs. The name always tempts the “river of kisses” joke if you are reading it through Spanish eyes, but this is Catalonia, and the real story is more geographic than romantic.
Still, it marks a genuine shift.
South of here, around the river and towards Port de Badalona, there are beach areas that have been changing, closing, reopening, and being developed. North of the port, Platja del Coco begins the beach experience most visitors would recognise as Badalona’s usable urban coastline.
And that matters because once you arrive here, the feel changes quickly. The city is still behind you, the train line is still close, and the promenade is busy enough, but the beach atmosphere is looser, calmer, and much less like the centre of Barcelona trying to sell you a postcard.
How to get to Platja del Coco
You have several options: train, metro, bus, car, or walking from the centre of Badalona.
My own preference is the train.
Arriving by Renfe
If you are coming from Barcelona or travelling along the coast, Renfe is usually the best option. The official information places Badalona Renfe station around 750 metres from Platja del Coco, and that feels about right depending on exactly which part of the beach you are heading for.
The Badalona Renfe station is also a brilliant gateway to the wider coastline north of Barcelona. I have travelled this line a lot, especially in summer. The R1 coastal route opens up places like Ocata, Mataró, Sant Pol de Mar, Malgrat de Mar, and Blanes. Tickets are usually very reasonable, and if you are staying longer, a monthly pass can make summer wandering dangerously tempting.
That is one of the reasons I love this area.
Barcelona’s public transport system is excellent, but the coastal train line gives you something extra: the ability to turn “I might go to the beach” into “I might follow the sea for an hour and see where I end up.”
For Platja del Coco, arrive at Badalona station, then head towards the sea. You will be on the inland side of the tracks, so you need to cross under them. As you come out of the station facing away from the beach, take a right, walk a short distance, and you will see the steps leading down to the underpass.
That little underpass is part of the arrival ritual.
You go down, pass beneath the railway, and when you come out the other side, the beach and the Mediterranean are suddenly in front of you. It is not glamorous, exactly, but it is very satisfying.
Technically, you first emerge closer to Platja de l’Estació, and Platja del Coco begins further along to your right near the pier and continues towards the marina side. But for most visitors, the beaches blend into one walkable seafront, which is part of the charm.
Arriving by metro
You can also come by metro using L2 to Badalona Pompeu Fabra, but it is more of a walk.
That is not necessarily a bad thing. The walk from the centre of Badalona takes you through a more everyday part of the city, with shops, local streets, and places to pick up supplies. There is a Carrefour Express on the way if you want water, snacks, or the sort of practical beach provisions that prevent a casual day out from becoming a survival documentary.
Eventually, you will pass the Renfe station, find the steps going under the train lines and continue towards the sea.
If it is your first time in Badalona and you like seeing a bit of the town rather than just appearing beside the sand like a teleporting tourist, this is a nice approach.
Arriving by bus
Official listings mention urban bus lines BD-4 and BD-7 for Platja del Coco. Bus routes can change, so always check live transport information before relying on a specific route, but those are the structural lines most commonly associated with the beach.
Arriving by car
You can drive, and there is parking close to the beach area, but I would not build the whole plan around parking in peak summer unless you enjoy circling streets with the grim patience of a seagull looking for chips.
The generic access listings describe the beach as reachable by car and on foot, with the N-II as the nearest main road. In practice, public transport is usually easier and far less hassle if you are coming from Barcelona.
First impressions:
Badalona is not Barcelona
Badalona has a different feel from Barcelona.
That sounds obvious, but a lot of visitors think of the whole coastline around Barcelona as one continuous beach product. It is not. The change from Barceloneta to Badalona is not just a change of postcode. It is a change of tempo.
Barcelona’s beaches are bigger in reputation, heavier with tourists, and more cosmopolitan. They have energy, history, crowds, and spectacle. I enjoy them, and I film them, but they can also feel intense.
Badalona is calmer.
There is still a scent of tourism, but not the full-force tourist atmosphere of Barcelona. It feels more relaxed, more local, more like people have come to spend the day rather than complete a must-see attraction.
On a warm summer day at Platja del Coco, you are more likely to notice families setting up, groups settling in, kids running in and out of the water, and people making the beach part of everyday life.
That is the difference.
Barcelona beaches often feel visited.
Badalona beaches feel used.
The southern end:
Hotel Marina Badalona, Mercadona, and the naturist stretch
At the southern end of Platja del Coco sits Hotel Marina Badalona, a relatively new addition to this part of the seafront.
I stayed there for a few nights, and it is a nice hotel. It has a rooftop bar and an infinity pool looking out over the Mediterranean, which sounds like the kind of thing hotels say in brochure language, except in this case, it actually does the job rather well.
But this is not a hotel review. That said, if you want to see what the hotel looks like, check this video of the Hotel Marina out
For beach visitors, the more useful point is that this end of the beach has good practical support. There is a Mercadona nearby, which makes it a very convenient place to pick up supplies when you arrive, or to grab refills if you are spending a full day at the beach.
Water, fruit, snacks, sun cream, emergency crisps. The essential food groups.
This southern end is also the area where, in my experience, you are most likely to encounter naturist beachgoers. If you are comfortable with that, it is part of the relaxed local character of the area. If it is not your thing, just keep walking a little further north before settling on the sand.
That is the easiest and most respectful way to handle it.
Platja del Coco is a mixed public beach. Different people use different parts of it in different ways, and nobody needs to turn that into a drama.
The northern side:
families, music, food, and long beach days
As you move north from the southern end, Platja del Coco becomes much more of a family beach.
This is especially true around the northern side and the neighbouring beach areas. On summer days, it is common to see extended families set up for the day with tables of food, cool boxes, music, towels, umbrellas, and kids running in and out of the sea with the kind of wild battery life adults can only remember with suspicion.
The northern end of Coco and the nearby stretch can feel especially popular with Latino families and groups. That brings a very particular beach atmosphere: more music, more food, more social energy, and more of that full-day beach rhythm where nobody seems to be in a hurry to leave.
This is one of the reasons I love Badalona.
The beach feels sociable without being showy. People are there to enjoy themselves, not perform an idea of being at the beach. There is a difference, and you can feel it.
If you want silence, this may not always be your stretch. Just keep walking north, and you’ll find it.
If you want a real local beach day, it has plenty to offer.
The promenade:
bars, restaurants, and the smell of BBQ
One of the big advantages of Platja del Coco is the promenade.
There are more bars and restaurants along this stretch than you are ever likely to need in one visit. Some of the places around the area include Can Pizza, Brisa Sin Prisa, The Good Monkey tapas bar, La Terrassa del Pescador, L’Estupendu, and plenty of others, depending on exactly how far you wander.
The point is not that you need to plan a restaurant crawl. The point is that you do not have to overthink food here.
If you arrive near the Renfe station and come through the underpass towards the seafront, turn right and you will see Guingueta Karamba, a beachfront chiringuito. In summer, they are often cooking outside on a big BBQ next to the restaurant.
It smells so good.
That is not sophisticated food criticism, but it is honest. Sometimes the beach writes the review for you by throwing grilled smoke into warm air while you are already hungry.
The food is decent, and yes, you pay a slight premium for eating with a beach view. That is the arrangement. Nobody has been tricked. You are paying partly for the plate and partly for the Mediterranean sitting there doing its big blue performance in the background.
If you keep walking south, the path continues past more places to eat and drink, so it is very easy to build a full beach day here: arrive by train, walk the seafront, choose your patch of sand, swim, eat, wander, maybe come back for another drink later.
Badalona makes that kind of day easy.
The beach itself:
sand, slope, and sea conditions
Platja del Coco has better sand than many of the Barcelona beaches, at least to my feet.
Official sources describe it as a sandy beach with golden sand and generally calm waters. The Catalan Wikipedia entry also notes medium-grain sand and a slightly pronounced slope into the sea, which matches my own experience of the beach not being completely flat at the waterline.
Most of the time, the Mediterranean here behaves itself.
You get the typical gentle waves breaking onto the shore, the kind that make the beach feel easy and inviting. But the sea at Badalona can be a little less predictable than some of the more sheltered Barcelona beaches. At certain times of year, the break can be stronger than expected. Not dramatic in an Atlantic storm sense, but enough to knock someone off balance if they are distracted or trying to make a graceful entrance.
The sea does not always care about dignity.
So, as with any beach, watch the conditions. If the break looks strong, take it seriously. If the flags are up, pay attention. And if the water is calm, enjoy it, because Platja del Coco can be a lovely swimming beach on the right day.
Facilities at Platja del Coco
For a relatively short urban beach, Platja del Coco is well equipped.
- Badalona’s official information lists:
- lifeguard posts
- showers
- an adapted shower
- toilets
- litter bins
- cleaning service
- seasonal bathing-zone marker buoys
- sea-condition flag posts
These facilities are part of what makes the beach practical rather than just attractive.
Spain.info also lists toilets, showers, litter bins, cleaning service, and a sports area.
That matters if you are planning a longer day rather than a quick look. A beach can be beautiful, but if there is nowhere to rinse off, nowhere nearby to get water, and no easy food options, it becomes a logistics puzzle with sand in it.
Platja del Coco is much easier than that.
Beach activities:
volleyball, climbing frames, and water sports
Platja del Coco and the wider Badalona seafront have more going on than just sunbathing.
There are volleyball nets on the beach, climbing pyramid structures for kids and occasionally bigger kids who have decided their knees are still under warranty, and water sports activity along this stretch.
Club Windsurf Badalona is based on the seafront and describes itself as a club for windsurfing, wingsurf, kitesurf, surf, SUP, and kayak, located right by the beach on Badalona’s promenade.
That gives the beach an active but not overwhelming feel. It is not wall-to-wall sports, but there is enough going on to make the place feel alive.
For filming, that matters.
A beach walk is better when the scene has layers: people swimming, families eating, the sound of a ball hitting sand, kids climbing, someone carrying a paddleboard, a chiringuito cooking, a train passing behind the town, and the sea doing its steady work in front of everything.
Platja del Coco has those layers.
The Anís del Mono connection
One of the distinctive local details around this stretch of Badalona is Anís del Mono.
The famous Anís del Mono factory sits along this part of the coast, and near the pier there is a bronze statue of the Anís monkey sitting on a bench holding a bottle of Anis. It is one of those local landmarks that is odd, memorable, and absolutely worth stopping for if you are walking the seafront.
It also makes a good photo opportunity; the monkey is always happy to have a tourist take a selfie with him but don’t try to take his bottle off him, he might just object.
This is one of the things I like about Badalona. The coast is not just sand and restaurants. There are pieces of local identity scattered along the route: the pier, the factory, the railway, the port, the family beach scenes, the local businesses, and the places where the town still feels like itself.
Barcelona often overwhelms you with recognisable landmarks.
Badalona rewards you with smaller discoveries.
Walking from the station to Platja del Coco
If you arrive by Renfe, the walk to Platja del Coco is part of the experience.
Come out of Badalona station, orient yourself towards the sea, then take the underpass to the left of the station, pass beneath the railway. When you emerge, you are near the beach and the promenade. From there, turn right to move towards Platja del Coco, the chiringuitos, the southern beach stretch, and eventually the marina side.
You are technically starting around Platja de l’Estació, but the coastal sections flow into each other, and that is one of the pleasures of Badalona.
You do not need to treat every beach name as a hard border. Walk first. Label later.
That said, once you reach the pier and continue towards the port, you are in the Platja del Coco rhythm: restaurants behind you, sand in front, volleyball and family life nearby, and the southern end gradually becoming more open and naturist-friendly.
It is an easy walk, and I recommend doing it slowly.
This is not a beach to rush through for the sake of ticking it off.
Platja del Coco for families
Platja del Coco can work very well for families, especially around the northern and middle sections.
There is room to settle, places nearby to buy food and drinks, showers and toilets, beach activity, and generally manageable sea conditions when the water is calm. The family atmosphere is one of the things I notice most strongly here.
It is not sterile or over-managed. It feels like a real urban family beach, which means it can be busy, lively, noisy, and full of food, music, children, bags, towels, and people enjoying the day in their own way.
That may not suit everyone.
But if you want a beach that feels lived-in and social, rather than polished into a tourist brochure, Platja del Coco does that very well.
Is Platja del Coco good for visitors from Barcelona?
Yes, especially if you want to feel the difference between Barcelona and Badalona.
A lot of visitors stay in Barcelona and never really leave the central city beaches. That is understandable. Barceloneta is famous, easy, and right there. But if you have a spare day, Badalona is absolutely worth the short journey.
Platja del Coco is a good introduction because it is easy to reach, practical once you arrive, and close to the promenade, restaurants, supermarkets, and local landmarks.
You can come here without needing a complicated plan.
Take the train. Walk under the tracks. Find the sea. Turn right. Keep going until the beach feels right.
That is a pretty good itinerary.
Is Platja del Coco a naturist beach?
This needs a careful answer.
Platja del Coco is not only a naturist beach in the way some dedicated naturist beaches are. It is a mixed urban beach with different areas and different users. In my own experience, the southern end near the marina side is where you are more likely to find naturist beachgoers.
So if you are looking for that more relaxed, naturist-friendly atmosphere, the southern end is the area I would pay attention to.
If you are not comfortable with nudity, choose a spot further north.
The important point is that everyone should behave normally and respectfully. Do not stare, do not photograph people, and do not make someone else’s beach day into your private curiosity project.
Badalona’s beaches are relaxed, but relaxed does not mean careless.
Platja del Coco vs Barcelona beaches
The biggest difference between Platja del Coco and the main Barcelona beaches is the atmosphere.
Barcelona beaches, especially Barceloneta, can feel crowded, international, and high-energy. That is part of their appeal, but it can also be tiring. Platja del Coco feels more local and more relaxed. It is still urban, still accessible, still busy in summer, but the pressure feels lower.
I prefer the Badalona vibe for a normal beach day.
Barcelona is brilliant when you want intensity, landmarks, and the classic city beach experience. Badalona is better when you want to sit, relax, walk, eat, swim, and feel like you are part of a normal Mediterranean day rather than a tourist flow.
That is why I recommend setting aside at least one day to experience Badalona if you are visiting Barcelona for more than a quick weekend.
It gives you another version of the coast.
And for many people, that version may actually be easier to enjoy.
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Practical tips for visiting Platja del Coco
- Arrive by Renfe if you can
- It is easy, scenic, and connects well with Barcelona and the wider coastline.
- Use the underpass by Badalona station
- You need to cross beneath the railway tracks to reach the beach side.
- Pick up supplies before settling on the sand
- There are supermarket options nearby, including Mercadona near the southern end and shops in town if you walk from the centre.
- Choose your section of beach carefully
- The southern end is more naturist-friendly in my experience, while the northern side feels more family-oriented.
- Watch the sea conditions
- The water is often calm, but the break can sometimes be stronger than expected.
- Do not ignore the promenade food options
- The BBQ smell from the chiringuito near the station-side approach is dangerous in the best possible way.
- Make time for the Anís del Mono statue
- It is a small but memorable Badalona landmark and worth a quick photo stop.
- Consider making it part of a longer coastal day
- Badalona station connects well with other towns along the R1 coastal route, so this can be the start of a bigger beach-hopping day.
Who will enjoy Platja del Coco most?
Platja del Coco is best for visitors who want something more local than Barceloneta but still practical and easy.
It suits:
- People staying in Barcelona who want a different beach day
- Families looking for a relaxed urban beach
- Visitors who like beach bars and promenade walks
- People curious about Badalona’s local coastal culture
- Naturist-friendly beachgoers who are comfortable with mixed urban settings
- Anyone who enjoys arriving by train and walking straight to the sea
- Beach walkers who like the atmosphere more than polished perfection
It may not be the best choice if you want total quiet, remote scenery, or a beach without urban edges. This is still a city beach. You have the railway nearby, buildings behind you, restaurants along the path, and the usual movement of a lived-in coastline.
But that is also the point.
Platja del Coco is not pretending to be untouched nature. It is Badalona being Badalona.
Final thoughts:
Why Platja del Coco is worth your time
Platja del Coco is not the most famous beach near Barcelona, and that is part of why I like it.
It has practical facilities, golden sand, beach bars, restaurants, water sports, and good public transport links. But the real reason to come here is the atmosphere.
This is where you feel Badalona’s beach identity: family days, local groups, food on the sand, music drifting through the air, people walking the promenade, a naturist stretch near the southern end, the marina nearby, the Anís del Mono history, and the Mediterranean quietly tying the whole scene together.
- It is less polished than Barcelona.
- Less famous.
- Less crowded with expectation.
- And sometimes that makes it better.
If you are visiting Barcelona and want to understand the coast beyond the usual beaches, take the train to Badalona, walk under the tracks, turn towards Platja del Coco, and give yourself time to settle into the rhythm.
This is not just a beach to look at.
It is a beach to spend the day in.
Coco Beach FAQ section
Is Platja del Coco good for families?
Yes, especially the middle and northern sections. In summer, it often has a strong family atmosphere, with groups spending the day on the sand, children playing, and plenty of food and drink options nearby.
Is Platja del Coco a naturist beach?
Platja del Coco is a mixed urban beach. In my experience, the southern end near the marina side is more naturist-friendly, while the northern side feels more family-oriented.
Are there showers and toilets at Platja del Coco?
Yes. Badalona’s official beach information lists showers, an adapted shower, toilets, bins, cleaning service, and lifeguard posts.
Is Platja del Coco better than Barceloneta?
It depends what you want. Barceloneta is more famous and more central to Barcelona’s tourist beach scene. Platja del Coco feels more local, more relaxed, and more like a normal beach day in Badalona.
Can you do water sports at Platja del Coco?
Yes, the wider Badalona seafront has water-sports activity. Club Windsurf Badalona is based on the promenade and covers windsurfing, wingsurf, kitesurf, surf, SUP, and kayak activity.
Are there restaurants near Platja del Coco?
Yes. The promenade around Platja del Coco and the nearby marina area have many bars and restaurants, making it easy to combine the beach with food, drinks, or a longer day out.
Where is Platja del Coco?
Platja del Coco is an urban beach in Badalona, located between Plaça dels Patins de Vela and Carrer Cervantes, close to Port de Badalona and Hotel Marina Badalona.
How long is Platja del Coco?
Platja del Coco is officially listed as 170 metres long. Badalona’s council lists its average width as 60 metres, while Spain.info lists the width as 80 metres.
How do you get to Platja del Coco by public transport?
Official listings mention urban buses BD-4 and BD-7, and Badalona train station is around 750 metres away. You can also use the L2 metro to Badalona Pompeu Fabra, but that involves a longer walk through town.
Where to go next
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