Playa de los Bateles

Playa de los Bateles is the main town beach — a broad, gently curving bay of fine pale sand running north from the edge of the old town. It is wide enough that even at peak summer, when the beach is at its busiest, you can find space by walking a few minutes north of the lifeguard stations and beach bar clusters. The Atlantic swell here is moderate, good for bodysurfing and swimming without being intimidating.

The beach backs onto the cliff promenade (Paseo Marítimo) where a string of beach bars operate in season from around noon until late at night. The cliff above gives shade in the late afternoon for those who want to watch the sun dropping towards the sea. At the southern end, near the old fishing quarter, a few restaurants serve food directly from the port's morning catch.

things to do beaches swimming
A story
"Bateles" refers to the flat-bottomed boats once used by local fishermen to work close inshore. The beach was their launch point before the fishing industry consolidated at the new port to the south. The name preserves a way of life that largely ended in the mid-20th century when motorised deep-sea fishing replaced the inshore tradition.

Other places in Beaches