Arenal or Granadella: which beach should you choose?

What is the key difference between the two?

The Arenal is Jávea's only sandy beach: four hundred and eighty metres of golden, fairly coarse sand running along a promenade full of restaurants. Granadella is a hundred-and-sixty-metre pebble cove, its bed a mix of gravel, pebbles and rock between pine-covered slopes. One is urban and easy to reach, the other more natural and compact, with water running from turquoise to deep blue.

Both beaches carry the Blue Flag, so you cannot go wrong on water quality or facilities at either. The difference lies in the atmosphere around them. Behind the Arenal runs a long promenade lined with terraces and shops, the picture-postcard image of a classic seaside resort. At Granadella, the buildings stop at the car park above the bay; what follows is a path through the pines down to the water, with only two places to eat right on the beach itself.

Which beach is better with children?

With children, the Arenal wins almost every time. The water is shallow and the beach shelves gently, there is a dedicated playground with shade and toilets close by, and from Holy Week onwards the beach is watched over by the Red Cross, with first-aid posts at the northern and southern ends. Granadella can work too, but it asks more of small legs and more patience with parking.

Wooden walkways also make the Arenal practical with a pushchair, and at the southern end there is an adapted bathing point with amphibious chairs, crutches and adapted toilets; in summer it is staffed daily by the Red Cross, by appointment. At Granadella, the mix of gravel, pebbles and rock is less forgiving on bare little feet, and there is no playground; water shoes are no luxury there.

Where is the best place to snorkel?

Granadella wins convincingly for snorkelling: the water runs from turquoise to deep blue, is a favourite among snorkellers and serves as the starting point for guided kayak trips to sea caves such as the Cova del Llop Marí. At the Arenal the water is shallow and calm, fine for splashing about, but without the clear depth that snorkellers look for.

Stand-alone kayak rental does not exist at Granadella: what is on offer is guided trips run by licensed operators, including a family trip for children aged six and up. Our Kayaking to the sea caves page has the complete guide, including the booking button. At the Arenal, snorkelling is not an obvious reason to come; the beach is set up mainly for wading in without a worry.

What about parking and arrival in high season?

This is the biggest practical difference. Behind the Arenal sits a public car park that is open around the clock. At Granadella a barrier controls access: from June to early September there are around a hundred and thirty paid parking spaces at roughly nine euros a day, none of them bookable, and once the car park fills up the road closes.

In high season arrive early, ideally before nine, because once the car park is full the access road closes; along the way, real-time signs, including one at the Consum roundabout, show how many spaces are still free. An alternative that spares you the search for a space is the little tourist train, which in summer leaves roughly every hour from the La Guardia Park car park, for six euros return per adult and four euros per child up to age twelve. At the Arenal this problem does not arise: there is no barrier and no access system, just the car park right behind the promenade. Anyone who would rather not drive can take the Toscamarbus, the local bus line linking the old centre, the port and the Arenal for 1.65 euros a ride.

Food and facilities at both beaches

The Arenal has the widest choice: a whole promenade of restaurants and terraces right behind the beach. At Granadella the offering is smaller but concentrated: Restaurante Sur for fresh fish and paella, and chiringuito La Bandideta for rice dishes and wood-fired pizzas, both close to the sand.

At Granadella the town council installs two portable toilets for the summer season, and there are points to rinse sandy feet; over that same period a Red Cross lifeguard and rescue service is on duty. Booking ahead at Restaurante Sur is wise, especially around midday. At the Arenal there is no need to wait for anything: the promenade is large enough for spontaneous choices, from simple to more elaborate.

Decision guide: who should choose what?

Choose the Arenal if you are travelling with young children, do not want to plan your day around parking, and want facilities such as a playground and an adapted bathing point. Choose Granadella if snorkelling, nature and a kayak trip to the sea caves come first, and you are willing to leave early or take the little train. Combining both within a single holiday is easy, at around twenty minutes' drive apart.

The two lie closer together than the contrast in atmosphere suggests: less than ten kilometres apart, about twenty minutes along a narrow, winding road. A morning at the Arenal with children and an afternoon at Granadella for those who want to snorkel fits comfortably into a single day, as long as you take the arrival time at Granadella seriously.

If the road to Granadella is closed because the car park is full, there are two alternatives nearby. Cala Portitxol works under the same barrier system but has even fewer spaces, fewer than sixty, and can also be reached beautifully on foot via the Creu del Portitxol mirador. Cala Blanca, with its two small coves, has no facilities and no lifeguard, but is a quiet alternative for anyone still after a pebble cove that day.