Barinatxe, Golden sand nude beach in Sopelana, Spain

Barinatxe is a wide sandy beach in Sopelana's bay along the Cantabrian coast, covered with fine golden sand throughout. Tall rock cliffs frame the shoreline, and regular waves roll in from the open sea.

Barinatxe, long known as La Salvaje because its surroundings stayed unbuilt, lies between Sopela and Getxo. Its back dune, about 20 m high, has been recolonised by dune vegetation in recent years. Since 1999 the Patxi Ros Trophy nude race has been held here every summer, organised by the Basque Naturist Association (ENE).

The beach's nickname, La Salvaje, comes from its undeveloped setting. Nudism is customary on the Getxo side, though bathers go nude along the whole beach. Since 1999 the Patxi Ros Trophy, a nude race of 5,000 m for adults and shorter for children, has been held in summer, organised by the Basque Naturist Association.

The beach has a parking area regulated by OTA in summer, sometimes with restricted access for campervans. In summer a free bus runs from the metro to the Barinatxe car park. The right third of the beach has a flysch rock bottom, while the rest is sand, making it suitable for learning to surf.

The place attracts both naturists and surfers since the waves are consistent and the bay is sheltered enough for both groups. This mix creates an unusual meeting point for two very different visitor communities.