Spain

Badalona Beach

Glass can be found all along the beaches. Head for Pont del Petroli and look around the rocks, walk along the sandy beach and search the pebble drifts, and just look on the surface of the shoreline sand. Good findings come after a storm but I've found plenty just on a nice stroll.

Azkorri

Quite a hill to get down and back up from the parking area/bus stop. Definitely best at low tide, high tide leaves mostly sand uncovered. Searched on the far right side in the rocky areas, but there were plenty of rocky areas along the very wide beach to share. Bit gross and smelly but look in the seaweed that washes up on shore, pieces hide in there and get stuck to the weeds, but no one else wants to look there! Watch out for human nudity and jellyfish washed up on shore!!

Paseo de la Barrilla, Puerto del Carmen

The rocky shore under the promenade in the old town, right below Bar Playa. Walk along the wall and go down the steps at low tide. Not the raked sand of the resort beaches, which is probably why the glass is still there. Lots of lilac and aqua, a few multis and some grey. They fine you for taking sand or pebbles off a beach here, so stick to the glass.

Playa de la Muralla, Puerto Sherry

The small rocky strip west of Puerto Sherry marina, under the ruined wall of the Santa Catalina fort. Go at low tide: that is when the water drops far enough to let you walk out through the rocks and the fallen towers, and when the beach joins up with neighbouring La Calita. It is not a long stretch, and a local who has combed this coast for years reports getting caught by the returning tide before finishing it. Browns, greens and whites are the everyday find; this is also the corner she rates for deep teal and turquoise. Watch the tide table, not the clock.

Praia dos Cristais, Laxe

Collecting is prohibited here. The signs say so, and the council means it. This tiny cove below the Laxe cemetery is made of sea glass: a municipal tip spent decades pushing bottles into the water off the Baleeira, and the Costa da Morte swell has been rolling them back, tumbled, ever since. In 2004 the Xunta began carting the glass away as a clean-up; neighbours and environmental groups stopped the work three months in, and what you see is what survived. It is a beach to look at.

Platja de Sant Miquel, Barcelona

Whites, greens and browns, small and well frosted. It is a city beach (metro, sand, sunbeds), so work the coarse strips where the pebbles gather rather than the groomed middle. Barcelona re-sands these beaches constantly, so what is productive moves from year to year.

Cabo de Gata pueblo

Not as good as it was about 12 years ago but that could be due to the popularity of beachcombers. What I find here is always jewellery quality but small.

Somorrostro.

The amount you find varies from day to day. Sometimes, there are lots, others, very little, but all the glass will be perfectly cooked.

Las Negras

Left side is good for pottery and right side good for sea glass. Also the most beautiful, totally round shaped stones.

Almuñecar central

Quite a pebbly beach. If you like sea pottery there is loads.

Perla Blanca

Playa de Las Americas

Loads of small pieces in the gravel/ rocky areas. Beer bottles I assume!

Javea Port End