The San Juan marsh, the only one in the region with a blue flag beach, is in the news again this summer thanks to the fresh look of an unexpected visitor. Catalan tiktoker Bruno (@Kingbruu), used to the coves and cliffs of the Costa Brava, has shared his amazement after spending the day at this Madrid reservoir, and his reaction has gone viral: “This could be the Costa Brava,” he exclaims in the video, gracefully, while showing the water and the pine landscapes surrounding the reservoir.
The video, recorded during a hot day, begins with the content creator expressing skepticism about the fame of the San Juan reservoir. Bruno’s moods change like a roller coaster in this video: from afar the sailing area, the canoeists and the crickets bring him closer to the Mediterranean landscape he knows, but as he gets closer the water seems green to him and he doesn’t dare to swim in it at all. Because despite his attempt to look for good inland beaches, the tiktoker does not go to the Virgen de la Nueva or the Muro, the most recognized and one of the few with fine sand.
Madrid’s beach
The San Juan reservoir, located between San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Pelayos de la Presa, is the only reservoir in the Community of Madrid where bathing and motor boating are allowed. Every summer, thousands of locals and visitors seek here a respite from the heat, enjoying its sandy beaches, hidden coves and water activities.
The video also captures the lively atmosphere of the beach bars and the diversity of the public: families, groups of friends, couples and athletes share space in a natural environment that, as Bruno himself points out, “is pretty cool”. His reaction, a mixture of surprise and derision, has connected with hundreds of users who have left comments adding to the perplexity.
Beyond the anecdote, the experience of this Catalan visitor highlights the recreational potential of the San Juan reservoir, a place that, for many, is still a discovery. “These people have come up, they have said: if we don’t have a beach, we’re going to make one,” he says in the video, making it clear that Madrid can also boast of its aquatic side and landscapes that have nothing to envy to the Mediterranean coast.