Why so many Spaniards have come to hate the beach
Crowds, rip-off prices and an August nobody wants to relive: Spain's growing dislike of the beach has solid economic grounds.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Why some Spaniards hate the beach (and it's not the sun)
Spain boasts one of Europe's longest coastlines and a climate that practically begs for a towel on the sand. And yet, a growing share of the population has turned the beach into a symbol of everything they loathe about summer. It's not a groundless whim: August crowds, peak-season prices and the towel-and-tupperware routine have turned paradise into an endurance test.
The August nobody wants to remember
Those who criticise the beach are usually not taking issue with the sea, but with its most commercial version. The one you get on an August Saturday: sand in every crevice, other people's children, the neighbour's music and murky water. There is an alternative: May, June and September offer more bearable weather, fewer people and far better value for money. Anyone who has tried both versions rarely goes back to the first.
The economics of free
The beach is public and free, but enjoying it comes at a cost. Travel, parking, the beach bar charging ransom prices and, in many spots, the surprise of paid sun loungers. For locals, dodging the fair is easy: within a fifteen-minute walk you can avoid stepping on sand all year long. For anyone coming from inland, a day at the beach becomes an investment with dubious returns.
The awkward question remains: did you hate the beach, or just the one you peine to try? Now that the facts are on the table, the answer no longer seems so simple.
Spain boasts one of Europe's longest coastlines and a climate that practically begs for a towel on the sand. And yet, a growing share of the population has turned the beach into a symbol of everything they loathe about summer. It's not a groundless whim: August crowds, peak-season prices and the towel-and-tupperware routine have turned paradise into an endurance test.
The August nobody wants to remember
Those who criticise the beach are usually not taking issue with the sea, but with its most commercial version. The one you get on an August Saturday: sand in every crevice, other people's children, the neighbour's music and murky water. There is an alternative: May, June and September offer more bearable weather, fewer people and far better value for money. Anyone who has tried both versions rarely goes back to the first.
The economics of free
The beach is public and free, but enjoying it comes at a cost. Travel, parking, the beach bar charging ransom prices and, in many spots, the surprise of paid sun loungers. For locals, dodging the fair is easy: within a fifteen-minute walk you can avoid stepping on sand all year long. For anyone coming from inland, a day at the beach becomes an investment with dubious returns.
The awkward question remains: did you hate the beach, or just the one you peine to try? Now that the facts are on the table, the answer no longer seems so simple.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (14 replies).
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