Baths and swimming clubs

Going for a swim in the open sea was a real adventure for Barcelona people a century ago and not always looked on favourably. Consequently, the well-off opted to spend the day at the baths and sports clubs that sprang up at that time.

The swimming baths, which have long gone, had pools and solariums. They were private and reserved for wealthy families. On the Sant Sebastià and Barceloneta beaches were some very popular swimming baths, among them the Senyora Tona, Sant Sebastià, Orientals and Neptú baths. They all offered users the chance to enjoy the water in an appropriate manner, as social conventions regarding bathing in public at that time were very restrictive. Despite that, Sant Sebastià Beach saw the first mixed bathing area, where men and women could swim together.

It was here that the city’s two most important swimming clubs were founded as well. They are still going but they have merged to form the Club Natació Atlètic-Barceloneta, a centre that has been a pioneer in water sports for a century.

21st century beaches

In the run-up to the 1992 Olympic Games, the beaches were cleaned up and modernised. As a result, Barcelona gained kilometres of beaches and reclaimed a large public space accessible to everyone.

Sant Sebastià is easy to get to by metro and bus, as well as the Bicing bike-hire service. It is fully equipped for people with disabilities or reduced mobility to enjoy the sea without risk, with specially-adapted facilities like showers, toilets and access points, touch signs, and so on.