The beaches along the northern coast of Spain are packed with spectacular highlights and dramatic scenery. You’ll find some truly stunning stretches of coastline along the endless cliffs – best explored on a Northern Spain road trip. To make your choice a little easier, here are our favourite beaches in Northern Spain.
Last updated: May 2026
Northern Spain Beaches – Quick Facts
Best time to visit: June–SeptemberCoastline: A Coruña to San Sebastián
Water temp.: 18–22°C in summer
Catedrales tickets: playasdecatedrales.es
Highlights
Playa de Catedrales – Spain’s most spectacular rock formationsPlaya de Silencio – hidden gem surrounded by steep cliffs
Playa Barayo – wild natural beach with forest trail
Playa de la Concha – city beach of San Sebastián
Best Beaches in Northern Spain – 7 Stunning Picks from the Northern Coast
Northern Spain is a remarkable region full of natural highlights. Between A Coruña in the west and San Sebastián in the east, you’ll find truly spectacular beaches – the kind we’ve only seen elsewhere along Portugal’s west coast or the Algarve.
We’ve put together our favourite and most spectacular beaches along the northern Spanish coast, listed from west to east for easy reference.
Praia Cristina
Praia Cristina stretches for several kilometres and goes by a number of different names along its length. The section called Praia Cristina sits at the eastern end and is therefore the least visited. It’s located near the Faro de Punta Frouxeira lighthouse and there’s no proper car park – you’ll need to park on the roadside or on a small gravel area. From there, a well-built wooden boardwalk leads down to the beach and opens up a beautiful stretch of sand.
We camped here with our campervan overlooking the beach and were treated to a spectacular sunset. The beach is also great for long walks along the shore.
Praia de Vilarrube
Praia de Vilarrube looks especially stunning from above – drone footage here is breathtaking. The access road is a bit bumpy, but there’s an official car park and even a small beach bar. The sand is incredibly fine and the water crystal clear. At low tide, huge sandbanks appear that are perfect for a long beach walk.
As the beach is slightly off the beaten track, it rarely gets too crowded – a real hidden gem in Northern Spain.
Playa de Catedrales
Playa de Catedrales is arguably the most spectacular beach in Northern Spain – and quite possibly in the whole country. It’s an absolute must on any Northern Spain road trip.
What makes it so extraordinary are the countless rocks and arch-like formations along the shore, and the fact that almost the entire beach is submerged at high tide. You can only explore the beach and its incredible rock formations at low tide.
Because it’s so beautiful, you’ll never have it to yourself. Playa de Catedrales is extremely popular and always busy – so much so that in peak season you’ll need to book (free) timed-entry tickets in advance to visit.
For details on where to park, how to get tickets and everything else you need to know, check out our dedicated guide:
Playa Barayo
Playa Barayo is tucked away near the city of Oviedo and isn’t the easiest beach to reach – which is exactly why it stays refreshingly uncrowded. There’s a large free car park, but you’ll need to walk almost 30 minutes downhill through a beautiful dense forest to get to the beach. From the car park there are two different paths down, so you can take a different route each way.
Once you arrive, you’ll find lovely soft sand and several caves hidden in the limestone cliffs. There are no lifeguards or services of any kind – but dogs are welcome. On overcast days, you’ll practically have the place to yourself.
Playa de Silencio
Playa de Silencio is without doubt one of the most beautiful beaches in Northern Spain. Access is via a very narrow one-way road, and parking is no easier – there’s no proper car park, just around 20 spaces along the narrow approach road.
Once you’ve parked, you’ll follow a steep path down and then descend a flight of steps to reach the crescent-shaped pebble beach. The tricky access and lack of sand mean it’s rarely very busy.
But make no mistake – the beach itself and the dramatic cliffs surrounding it are absolutely spectacular.
Northern Spain Coast – Playa de la Arnia
Playa de la Arnia sits near the city of Santander, surrounded by several other beaches that can get extremely busy in good weather. The proximity to Santander means that finding parking in peak season or at weekends can be a real challenge.
That’s true here too – especially since the beach is tucked right in the middle of a residential area. But once you’ve found a space and made your way down (a roughly 200-metre walk along a rough, uneven path), you’ll quickly see why the beach draws so many visitors.
The fine sandy beach is framed by large limestone rocks, with more scattered across the beach itself.
The real highlight, though, is hidden on the far side of the beach behind a cluster of rocks. Here you’ll find a limestone shelf stretching for several hundred metres, filled with natural pools of all sizes. Some areas are dry enough to lie on, while others are deep and long enough to actually swim in – without any waves or current to worry about. It’s almost always quiet over here, and you can wander across the jagged limestone formations to your heart’s content.
Playa de la Concha
The city beach of the beautiful San Sebastián is a wonderfully curved stretch of sand, just a short walk from the old town. It measures nearly a kilometre in length and sits within the stunning Concha Bay. Given its central location, it’s always busy – something to keep in mind when planning your visit.
That said, there are few beaches in the world where you can stroll out of a charming old town and be on a turquoise sea within minutes. There’s no parking directly at the beach, and finding a space in San Sebastián itself can be tricky – we’d recommend parking a bit further out and walking in.
For more highlights and tips for San Sebastián, check out our guide:
Frequently Asked Questions about Northern Spain Beaches
Do you need tickets for Playa de Catedrales?
Yes, during peak season (June–September) you’ll need to book free timed-entry tickets for Playa de Catedrales. Visitor numbers are limited, so it’s essential to book in advance online. Outside of peak season, you can visit without a ticket. For full details on tickets and parking, check out our Playa de Catedrales guide.
What’s the best way to get to the beaches in Northern Spain?
Most beaches along the Northern Spain coast are only realistically accessible by car or campervan – public transport simply doesn’t reach many of these more remote spots. A Northern Spain road trip is by far the best way to explore the coastline, giving you the freedom to stop spontaneously and find hidden gems like Praia de Vilarrube or Playa Barayo.
Is wild camping allowed at Northern Spain beaches?
Wild camping is officially prohibited in Spain, but it tends to be tolerated at more remote beaches. We spent a night with our campervan at Praia Cristina and had no issues at all. As a general rule: the more remote the beach, the more relaxed the situation. For everything you need to know about wild camping and free parking in Northern Spain, check out our Northern Spain camping guide.
We hope you’ve found our guide to the best beaches in Northern Spain useful. If you have any questions or tips about the Northern Spain coast, feel free to leave a comment below.