Spain’s popularity in recent years means its beaches are overflowing with tourists, meaning fighting for inches of sand can be a stressful and challenging experience.
But one local has revealed his secret to bagging the best beach spot in Spain to avoid hoards of tourists this summer.
London-born travel writer Leon Beckenham lived in Spain for 10 years, and has revealef the best way to avoid crowds on the beaches.
In an article for the i newspaper, he wrote: “I’ve learnt to follow the example many locals employ: head to the beach in the late afternoon when most tourists are leaving, the fierce summer heat is abating, and you still have a few hours before sundown.”
With the scorching conditions engulfing much of southern Europe this summer, such a tactic means playing it safe while enjoying more than a patch of sand.
Leon warns that he simply can’t spill the specific locations.
He said: “Hidden spots are now far more jealously guarded among residents, even among friends. Genuinely secret spots are too precious to share, even by word of mouth.”
Heading to the beach first thing in the morning might also be a way to find a quiet beach.
Separately, a record number of passengers travelled to the 46 major airports in Spain in July – despite locals continuing to protest against overtourism in the popular country.
All AENA airports in Spain closed the month with a historic record of passengers and aircraft movement – more than 31.9 million people in a single month, an increase of 7.2 percent.
This is despite locals in major Spanish cities and towns protesting against overtourism, which they say has pushed up rent and caused residents to suffer with skyrocketing prices.
In July, thousands of locals in Barcelona marched through the streets holding signs, many of which said ‘tourists go home’.
Some even carried water pistols and squirted tourists as they went by.