Besides sunbathing and lounging about on the sand, Costa Barcelona offers a wide range of activities for you to make full use of your free time. On its beaches and in its marinas, you can take part in sports like kayaking, windsurfing and sailing. And very close by, you will find excellent facilities to play football, volleyball and basketball, go swimming or do athletics. The desire to promote sport is so strong that three coastal municipalities have managed to achieve 'Sports Holiday Destination' status. Do you know which ones?

If you are a keen golfer, you will be delighted to discover that less than an hour from the centre of Barcelona there is an excellent range of internationally-recognised golf courses. With views of the sea or the mountain tops, located near charming villages and offering innovative cuisine with firm roots in gastronomic tradition, what are you waiting for to discover new greens?

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys combining cultural visits in cities with nature excursions, here are four of the routes favoured by Barcelona locals, who also like to get away from it all and enjoy the outdoors, especially when these beauty spots are so close to home. These routes offer something for everyone and, like almost every other route in the country, can be enjoyed all year round.