An establishment with 80 years of history on the beachfront of Badalona has become a filming location for Netflix, series, and advertisements. Its owner, Lluís Rejat, preserves the vintage essence of a space that has witnessed the transformation of the coastline.
On the Marítim promenade of Badalona, among the cobblestones, a small door hides a well-kept secret. There, Banys La Pista, a venue with eight decades of history, opens its doors to those brave enough to ring the bell. Its owner, Lluís Rejat, welcomes visitors with cold drinks and a space that seems frozen in time.
An improvised set for major productions
Film directors and platforms like Netflix have used this intimate terrace as a backdrop. Rejat recalls that Aina Clotet filmed scenes from her latest movie, 'Viva', here, and that the British series '¿Quién es Erin Carter?' (2023) also shot in the venue. "They used the terrace and then this building for a chase scene," details the owner.
The list of productions is long: from Maria Ripoll to fashion advertisements. "We have received countless directors," assures Rejat, who has seen his venue transformed into a set for series, movies, and music videos. The vintage charm of the space, with jukeboxes from the 60s and 70s, 80s pool club chairs, and colourful seats, has been key to attracting the audiovisual industry.
Eight decades of coastal history
Banys La Pista was born in the 1940s as tennis courts but soon transformed into a bathing space. Customers paid to rent a cabin and enjoy a private beach. Over time, the venue had a swimming pool, a bar with a terrace, and a pool club, adapting to the trends of each era.
Rejat, who grew up in the business, recalls how industrial pollution forced the construction of a swimming pool in the 70s. "My father contracted typhus cleaning the dirt from the water," he remembers. The arrival of the 1992 Olympic Games marked a turning point: the beaches were cleaned and opened to the public, forever changing the city's relationship with the sea.
A refuge for bathers and the curious
Today, Banys La Pista continues to rent spaces for bathers who want to leave their belongings while they swim. The terrace, with direct views of the sea, is an oasis of tranquility on the front line. "It's an intimate place where people can have a drink without being disturbed," explains Rejat.
The venue preserves relics such as a small carousel in the storeroom and the old lockers where bathers kept their clothes. For the residents of Badalona, it is a piece of living history that has survived the transformation of the metropolitan coastline. And for film lovers, a unique set that continues to host shoots.
If you want to visit, you just have to head to the Marítim promenade and ring the bell. Just don't expect to find a flashy sign: the secret is part of its charm.
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