While the beaches closest to the city center are generally very crowded and not necessarily picturesque, you’ll find more peaceful terrain and better photo ops as you move east along the coast. While we know you want to show off those washboard abs in your swimsuit, you’ll really have to struggle to resist the freshly grilled and fried local seafood, or the steaming paellas, restaurants lining the boardwalks.
Playa de Pedrogalejos. While it may require a little extra travel to get there, the quick bus ride is definitely worth the trip down to Playa de Pedrogalejos. This lengthy, 1200m strip of beach has finer sand and finer views along the small, curled up, w-shaped set of coves that protect you from the bigger waves and colder water. You can rent a lounge chair (€2.50-3.50) and enjoy a free drink or snack with the rental, or just picnic like a local under the clusters of colorful beach umbrellas. The boardwalk is packed with restaurants of varying prices, grilling up fresh fish right on the sand out of old tin boats converted into fire pits. You can even burn off those paella calories with some pickup soccer on the enclosed, sand pitches. As you make your way further east toward Playa de Palo-Pedrogalejos and Playa Palo, you’ll encounter the caseta (canvas booth) flea market, selling everything from Dora the Explorer towels to fresh fruits and discounted underwear—Christmas shopping, anyone? (> Take bus #11 or 34 to Avenida Juan Sebastián Elcano and make a right onto any side street down to the beach. * Information kiosk, showers, and bathrooms available. ` Lounge chairs €2.50-3.50. ~ Lifeguards on duty 11am-8pm. Lounge chair rentals 9:30am-8:30pm.