URBAN BEACH 4

04 – Barcelona, SPAIN

Barcelona set the standard by which every modern city in search of a beach-front makeover would like to be measured when it created a brand-new swath of sand on the Med, Barceloneta, for the Olympics in 1992. Today it bristles with flashy restaurants, jumping bars and a shimmering Franky Gehry-designed fish, no less.
A little too on the stag-and-hen circuit by night, unless you’re lucky enough to have nabbed a table at the chic Agua (pictured) on Pg Marítim de la Barceloneta (+34 93 225 12 72; www.aguadeltragaluz.com) but by day, this coast-hugging stretch may not have the softest sand, but it is definitely the best place to grab some rays if you’re in the mood for some tanning.