This Hospital Takes ICU Patients to the Beach

• 2:49 pm August 21, 2026
• Yashvi

At Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, doctors are helping ICU patients recover in an unexpected way: by taking stable patients outside to the nearby beach. For people who have spent weeks or months inside, those few minutes outdoors can become unforgettable.

Doctors Take ICU Patients Outside

Hospital del Mar has a special program that allows stable ICU patients to leave their rooms and visit the nearby beachfront promenade. Patients are carefully taken outside on their hospital beds, with doctors and nurses monitoring them and emergency equipment close by. The program began before COVID-19 and grew during the pandemic as doctors looked for ways to “humanize” intensive care.

Just 10 Minutes Can Make a Difference

Doctors have noticed that even a short time outside can have a positive effect. Patients can feel the sunlight, breathe fresh air, and look out at the Mediterranean Sea after spending long periods inside the hospital. Many return appearing happier and more positive.

For Some, It Becomes a Moment They Never Forget

For patients who have spent weeks or months in intensive care, the beach trips can feel like a return to normal life. Francisco “Paco” España spent 52 days in the ICU before going outside and called it “one of the best days I remember.” Another patient, Joan Soler Sendra, had his first outdoor trip after 114 days in intensive care. For them, the simple experience offered a brief feeling of freedom, hope, and connection to the world beyond the hospital.