14 hours ago
Platja de Sa Riera — Beach Review
Give us the wide-angle view: what kind of beach are we talking about?
Sa Riera strikes that rare balance between civilization and isolation. The main dollop of sand provides everything a beach vacation demands: water suited to both tentative toe-dips and hearty plunges, a decent provision of speed-fueled water sports, and enough café terraces to tick off cravings for carbs, ice cream and crisp cervezas. Yet venture a few minutes north along the Camí de Ronda coastal path, and you'll find a wilder, less formulaic proposition. The heavy perfume of sun-baked pines gives way to clifftop drama: The daredevil spectacle of locals launching themselves into the sea from the giant rocky island of Illa Roja. Dare you watch?
How accessible is it?
There's roadside car-parking, an over-sand boardwalk, and a lovely flat gradient.
Decent services and facilities, would you say?
Want and you will find: be it showers, toilets, beach bars, jet skis, or sun-lounger hire. In high season, an assisted bathing service is offered, including an amphibious chair.
How's the actual beach stuff—sand and surf?
Peaceful and genteel—until your husband hires a jet ski.
Can we go barefoot?
The sand is golden, albeit a touch gritty, but nothing a flip-flop can't handle. If you plan to venture along the cliff path and scale the rocky steps down to quieter bays, bring sneakers.
Anything special we should look for?
It's not only the beach and bathing that put Sa Riera on the map. In spring 2025, the team behind Barcelona's five-star Majestic Hotel unveiled a coastal sibling just 10 minutes' stroll from the shore. Once an aristocratic family home, Finca Victoria taps into the breezy spirit of a 1960s Catalan beach house—then layers on the luxuries. There's a pool with cabanas, suites with outdoor showers, and live-fire cooking from Jordi Vilà, the two-Michelin-starred chef at Barcelona's Alkimia. It's one hell of a launch for the area, and quite possibly a launchpad for more to come.
If we're thinking about going, what—and who—is this beach best for?
Sa Riera is a family-friendly beach in Gemini form. Once you've completed the checklist of speed boats, seafood platters, and navigating sunbathers' limbs, slip up onto the coastal path to find its quieter, wilder alter ego.
