Port des Torrent: The Quiet End of San Antonio Bay

If you head fifteen minutes west from the neon-soaked center of San Antonio, the concrete blocks eventually give way to low pine trees, and the volume dial finally drops. Port des Torrent sits at the very end of the bay. It is a deep, horseshoe-shaped cove where the water stays flat even when the wind whips up the sea outside the headlands. I usually come here in late July or August when the rest of the island feels completely overrun and I just want to read a book without hearing a thumping bassline.

The Vibe and the Water

The atmosphere here is decisively low-key. The shoreline curves aggressively inward, creating a natural breakwater that turns the bay into a massive saltwater wading pool. You can walk out twenty meters and the water still barely grazes your knees. Because there is no sudden drop-off, it is packed with local families and toddlers splashing around in the shallows, alongside couples sleeping off the night before.

The sand is fine and golden, though you will usually have to step over a dried line of posidonia sea grass at the water’s edge. A pair of sun loungers and a straw parasol will set you back about €20 for the day. If you want a front-row set during the peak summer months, you need to claim it by 10:30 AM before the sand fills up.

Transport and the Annoying Logistics

Getting to Port des Torrent is cheap and relatively easy, provided you know the quirks. The L2 bus from the main San Antonio bus station drops you a short walk from the sand and costs around €2.10. Alternatively, you can catch the water taxi from the San Antonio marina. It is supposed to run every half hour, but in my experience, it is almost always fifteen minutes late. Still, for a €4 ticket, it beats sweating in the back of a standard cab.

If you are driving a rental car, there is a dusty dirt parking area right behind the beach. It is free, but by midday in August, it turns into a chaotic, dusty game of Tetris.

A quick warning about cash: avoid the standalone ATM next to the mini-market on the main road just up from the beach. It hits foreign cards with a ridiculous €4.50 withdrawal fee. Bring your euros from town instead.

Things to Do (Besides Lying Down)

Because the water is so placid, paddleboarding actually works here without you constantly fighting the chop. A stand-up paddleboard or a kayak rents for about €15 to €20 an hour from the small shack on the sand. For peak nostalgia, you can also rent one of those brightly colored pedalos with the plastic slides bolted to the back for about €20.

Eating by the Water

The back of the beach is lined with a handful of unpretentious restaurants and classic wooden chiringuitos. You aren’t getting avant-garde gastronomy, but you can get a completely respectable plate of grilled calamari or a classic seafood paella. Expect to pay around €22 to €26 per person for the rice dishes, and maybe €9 for an Aperol Spritz.

If you want to keep your lunch budget intact, walk a few minutes up the road to the local supermarket, grab a few cold Estrella Damms, a fresh bocadillo, and eat on your towel.

Planning Your Visit

• Best for: Parents who don’t want to worry about strong currents, and anyone looking for a cheap, quiet afternoon.
• Facilities: Lifeguards are on duty from June through September. There are public showers to rinse the salt off before you jump on the bus.
• The Sunset: Stick around until 8:30 PM. The cove looks straight out toward the western horizon, meaning you get the exact same vibrant orange skies as the famous Sunset Strip, but you can watch it sitting on the cool sand with a €2 beer in hand.