{"id":2399,"date":"2025-11-27T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upscoreapp.com\/properties\/?post_type=news&#038;p=2399"},"modified":"2026-02-02T18:55:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:55:36","slug":"5-best-beaches-in-spain-for-expats-holidaymakers","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/upscoreapp.com\/properties\/news\/5-best-beaches-in-spain-for-expats-holidaymakers\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Best Beaches in Spain for Expats &amp; Holidaymakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Spain actually boasts more Blue Flag beaches than any other country in the world &#8211; 642 at the last count &#8211; so picking just five here is no mean feat. Throw in the fact that <a href=\"https:\/\/socialnewsroom.spain.info\/british-spending-in-spain-up-30-in-2024\/\">British travellers spent over \u20ac2.2 billion here<\/a> in the first two months of 2024 alone, and you can see why the coastline gets busy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But to narrow things down for would-be expats or anyone just looking for a holiday, we\u2019ll be focusing on details like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Natural beauty<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Year-round livability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easy links for a weekend or day trip from major airports<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-playa-de-la-concha\">1. Playa de la Concha<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s really nowhere better to start than in San Sebasti\u00e1n, with la Concha beach. This is the classic postcard view of the Basque Country. You\u2019ve got roughly 1.3 km of coastline, and it\u2019s bookended by Monte Urgull and Monte Igueldo.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For UK expats eyeing the north, this Atlantic Ocean gem gives you an almost London-style buzz &#8211; pintxos bars double as neighbourhood hang-outs, and there\u2019s a decent car park just behind the promenade, though you\u2019ll need sharp elbows in August.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ve got surfing opportunities just a short stroll away at Zurriola, so you can combine beach time with city life without even moving the car. But other than that, families here love the sheltered water, and there are plenty of caf\u00e9s on Calle Zubieta that stay open late, which digital nomads rave about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-quick-takeaways\">Quick Takeaways<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Plenty of lockers and accessible ramps, so it\u2019s one of Spain\u2019s most famous beaches for all ages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Beach bars range from upmarket terraces to \u20ac2 coffee kiosks &#8211; grab a table early on Sundays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Even in winter, runners circle the paseo at dawn.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The lack of personal income tax up here is a bit of a myth, but the cost of living is still way lower than in London.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-playa-de-la-barrosa\">2. Playa de la Barrosa<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Drive twenty minutes south of C\u00e1diz city and you\u2019ll hit Playa de la Barrosa in Chiclana de la Frontera, which is a long strip of soft sand that\u2019s full of low dunes and pines. It\u2019s consistently listed among Spain\u2019s best beaches, but it still feels local once you leave the hotel zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The breeze you\u2019re getting from the Atlantic keeps the temperatures bearable in July, and there are plenty of low-key <em>chiringuitos <\/em>(beach bars) nearby, so a cold cerveza is never far away &#8211; what else is there to say?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s ample parking near the Novo Sancti Petri golf course, but it can get a bit more intense in the evenings as people turn up to watch the sun set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-takeaways\">Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Blue-Flag water quality makes it a safe bet for any kids learning to paddleboard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cyclists can follow a seaside bike path all the way to Sancti Petri port and its castle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Property prices here sit well below Marbella\u2019s, so many expats pick Barrosa for full-time living.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-palaya-de-bolonia\">3. Palaya de Bolonia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Want dunes without any ugly tower blocks nearby? Playa de Bolonia in C\u00e1diz province is your ticket. It\u2019s set inside El Estrecho Natural Park, and the beach looks straight across the Strait of Gibraltar. In fact, on clear days, you\u2019ll actually spot North Africa.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a 30 metre shifting dune at the western end that\u2019s basically begging for a barefoot clamber, while the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia sit just behind the sand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The facilities here are admittedly a bit basic &#8211; single car park, a few beach bars powered by generators &#8211; but that\u2019s half the charm. And Bolonia is ideal as a day trip from Tarifa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-it-stands-out\">Why it Stands Out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Protected status keeps hotel development away, which preserves the raw natural beauty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Kitesurf schools operate frequently.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Come prepared because there aren\u2019t any cash machines and your phone signal will be patchy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-playa-de-las-teresitas-nbsp\">4. Playa de las Teresitas&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This one\u2019s based right on Tenerife\u2019s northeast coast &#8211; Playa de las Teresitas. While black sand beaches cover much of the archipelago here, we feel like Teresitas actually has more Caribbean vibes than Canary, and it\u2019s only a ten-minute bus ride from Santa Cruz.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a breakwater here that keeps the waves calm, so it\u2019s a great place for novice swimmers on a family beach day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then you\u2019ve got plenty of snack kiosks that serve fresh seafood, and the promenade\u2019s free parking rarely fills before 11 AM.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-aiguablava-on-the-costa-brava\">5. Aiguablava on the Costa Brava<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lastly, we want to talk about the opposite side of <a href=\"https:\/\/v2.app.upscoreapp.com\/onboarding\/passport\/es\">Spain<\/a> and the Mediterranean Sea, where we\u2019ve got Cala Aiguablava. This is a tiny little cove near Begur that proves the Costa Brava is far more than mass-market resorts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re getting everything from stunning turquoise water to cliffs covered with pines. There\u2019s a tidy little car park that sits a bit further uphill (we\u2019d suggest arriving by around 9 AM in August), and a couple of nice beach bars that let you get stuck into some arroz caldoso while the kids build sandcastles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This one\u2019s a lot smaller than some of the other entries on this list, but it\u2019s absolutely still worth a look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-little-extras\">Little Extras<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a well-marked coastal path that links out of season, the cove is near-empty, which is definitely a perk for semi-retired expats avoiding school-holiday crowds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-you-choose-the-right-spanish-beach-for-your-lifestyle\">How Do You Choose the Right Spanish Beach for Your Lifestyle?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you\u2019ve probably noticed throughout this list, Spain\u2019s coastline is pretty varied. You\u2019ve got everything from Atlantic options in the north and south-west and Mediterranean vibes on the east to island micro-climates further afield.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are always the popular tourist destinations like Marbella or Benidorm, and while they certainly have their perks, the five picks above have both the liveability and wow factor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you\u2019re still a bit unsure what you\u2019re looking for, we\u2019d recommend starting by asking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Commute and Connections<\/strong>: Are you within an hour of an airport or high-speed rail link? <a href=\"https:\/\/v2.app.upscoreapp.com\/onboarding\/passport\/ae\">Dubai<\/a> International Airport\u2013style connectivity isn\u2019t a must, but you\u2019d ideally want somewhere with regular flights to the UK so you don\u2019t get homesick.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Schooling and Healthcare<\/strong>: Does the local town offer British-style education or an international baccalaureate track if you have kids? How far is the nearest clinic for comprehensive medical care?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Budget Reality Check<\/strong>: It\u2019s free to just chill on the beach, but beach bars and parking tickets are not. You\u2019ll need to factor in everything from energy bills and car hire to property taxes if you\u2019re staying long-term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-upscore-can-help\">How Upscore Can Help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Upscore\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/upscoreapp.com\/contact\/\">Finance Passport<\/a> puts your UK and Spanish financial history in one secure place, which makes it far easier to open a local account and secure that seaside rental without the usual admin slog!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/upscoreapp.com\/finance-passport-tm\/\">Sign Up for Upscore\u2019s Finance Passport Today!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spain actually boasts more Blue Flag beaches than any other country in the world &#8211; 642 at the last count &#8211; so picking just five here is no mean feat. Throw in the fact that British travellers spent over \u20ac2.2 billion here in the first two months of 2024 alone, and you can see why [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2400,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","news-category":[22,28],"class_list":["post-2399","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-moving-to-spain","news-category-property"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v26.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>5 Best Beaches in Spain for Expats &amp; Holidaymakers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Planning a beach day - or a whole new life - on Spain\u2019s coast? Discover five of the best beaches and what makes each one special throughout this article.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Best Beaches in Spain for Expats &amp; Holidaymakers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Planning a beach day - or a whole new life - on Spain\u2019s coast? 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