Playa de San Juan, Alicante
The verdict
- Best for: Anyone wanting a long, free, full facility beach with space to spare, reached cheaply by tram from Alicante with no parking battle.
- Best spot: The central stretch by the promenade for facilities, or the quieter northern end toward El Campello for the most free space.
- Know this: This is the better value full day than the cramped city beach. Take the tram, bring your own shade, and you have kilometres of free sand.
Published 13 February 2026. Last reviewed 27 February 2026
San Juan is the beach locals actually choose when they want a full day on the sand, and it is the best value beach near Alicante by a clear margin. Running for several kilometres northeast of the city toward El Campello, it is wide, soft and golden, with the same calm, shallow Mediterranean water as the city beach but a fraction of the squeeze. Even in high summer you can find room here, which is the single thing the famous Postiguet beach cannot offer.
The promenade behind it is lined with cafes, restaurants and seasonal beach bars, and there is sunbed hire, watersports and full facilities for those who want them. None of it is compulsory. The beach is free and so vast that the cheapest plan is also the most pleasant one: ride the TRAM out from the centre, walk a little way along until the crowds thin, lay your own towel and shade, and you have a kilometre of free Spanish coast for the price of a tram ticket.
It suits families, long stay visitors and anyone who finds the city beach too cramped. The honest caveat is modest. San Juan is a residential resort strip rather than a scenic cove, so the backdrop is apartment blocks and hotels, not cliffs and pine. If you want drama and clear water for snorkelling, head north to the coves around Javea instead. But for a free, easy, spacious beach day reached without a car, San Juan quietly beats almost everything else on this stretch of coast.
Clubs on this beach
San Juan runs on a spread of seasonal beach bars and balnearios rather than glossy clubs. Names and terms change through the year, so check the current options in our Costa Blanca beach clubs directory.
San Juan beach bars and balnearios
The long promenade carries a wide spread of seasonal beach bars and balnearios with drinks, snacks and sunbed hire, more choice than the city beach. Specific operators, opening status and terms change through the year and are to be confirmed before you visit.
Smarter clubs north of the city
For a more polished beach club day, the resorts and coves further north toward El Campello, Altea and Javea hold the better addresses. Operators and minimum spend vary by season and are to be confirmed.
San Juan lies northeast of central Alicante, reached easily on the TRAM light rail, which runs from the city out along the coast and costs a fraction of driving and parking near the sand in summer. Local buses serve the area too.
If you drive, there is street and car park space back from the front, busy on summer weekends, so the tram is usually the easier choice. Bring sun cream, water and your own parasol, and walk a little way from the stop to find the most free space on this very long beach.
Reserve a day at Playa de San Juan
Tell us the date and party and we will match you to a beach bar or club on or near San Juan and pass on your request. No charge to enquire.
Common questions
Is Playa de San Juan free?
Yes. San Juan is a free public beach. The only costs are an optional hired sunbed and parasol or food and drink along the front. Bring your own towel and shade and a full day on the sand is free.
Is San Juan better than Postiguet?
For a proper beach day, yes. San Juan is far longer and wider than the central Postiguet beach, so there is space even in summer, and the water is calm and shallow. Postiguet wins only on being right in the old town. Take the tram to San Juan when you want room.
How do you get to Playa de San Juan from Alicante?
The TRAM light rail runs from central Alicante out to San Juan and is cheap and frequent, which saves the cost and hassle of parking near the beach in summer. Local buses also serve the area.
Is Playa de San Juan good for families?
Yes. The wide sand gives children plenty of room, the water is typically calm and shallow, and there are seasonal lifeguards, showers and accessible ramps. It is one of the easier family beaches near Alicante. Conditions are typical rather than guaranteed.
When is the best time to visit Playa de San Juan?
May, June, September and October bring warm, calm water and a beach with room to spare. Because it is so long, San Juan handles crowds better than the city beach, but spring and autumn still give the best value and the quietest sand.
