Platja de Pals, the Platja Gran and the Grau

What it is

The coast at Pals is a long, open stretch of sand, inside the Montgrí, les Medes i el Baix Ter Natural Park. It has two beaches side by side: the Platja Gran, 1,681 m long and 62 m wide, and to the north the Platja del Grau, 1,027 m long and 97 m wide. Behind the sand there is a protected dune system, fenced off so that it is not trampled. For decades the Platja Gran was home to the aerials of the radio station Radio Liberty. It is the beach of the village and of the campsites in the area, free, with facilities in summer.

The two beaches

• Platja Gran: natural coarse-grained sand. It is semi-urban and fills up quite a lot in summer. Its front part has a naturist tradition. To the south it continues as the Platja del Racó, already in Begur.
• Platja del Grau: medium-grained sand. It has sailing schools and sunbed hire. To the north it is closed off by the Rec del Molí, which separates it from the Fonollera beach, in Torroella de Montgrí, and feeds the lagoons of les Basses d'en Coll. Càmping Platja Brava describes it as having fine sand and shallow water: it is the most comfortable with small children.

Facilities

On both: lifeguards from 15 June to 30 September, a buoyed swimming area and a channel for boats, showers, bins, adapted toilets, daily sand cleaning from 1 June to 30 September, access walkways and an amphibious chair (two at the Grau). The Platja Gran also has beach bars and a tourist information point. The Catalan Water Agency rates the water quality as excellent.

Getting there and parking

The beach is a few minutes by car from the old town of Pals, following the signs for Platja de Pals. There is a car park by the Platja Gran, unattended; the Grau has its own too. In July and August they fill up by mid-morning. The walkways let you reach the sand with a wheelchair or pushchair.

When to go

June and September are the months with the best balance: water already warm, lifeguards and fewer people than in August. On tramontana days the north wind blows hard and kicks up sand. Out of season it is a huge, almost empty beach for walking.

Water safety

Swim within the buoyed area and respect the lifeguards' flags. The Platja Gran is open to the sea and can have swell; the buoyed channel is for boats, not for swimming. Outside lifeguard hours and the season there is no supervision.

With children and dogs

With small children, the Grau is better, because of the shallow water. For teenagers, the Platja Gran and the sailing schools at the Grau. Visit Pals does not say whether dogs are allowed: check the municipal rules before you go, because in the bathing season Catalan beaches often restrict them.

Where to sleep and eat

Near the sand you have Interpals Eco Resort, 450 m from the beach, and Càmping Platja Brava, with direct access to the Grau. To eat, go up to the village: La Vila has its kitchen open all day.