The most sublime beaches are not always necessarily where you think. Follow our recommendations and discover the 15 most beautiful beaches in Europe for guaranteed wonder!
With its historical monuments, lively cities, natural landscapes, sporting venues and cultural venues, Europe abounds in excursions and experiences that are just as interesting and unmissable as each other. But if you’re looking for a place to relax and rejuvenate, nothing beats the beach. And if for you, this automatically rhymes with sun, fine sand and oil sea, you will quickly realize that the splendor of the coastline of the most beautiful beaches in Europe can take many other forms.
Organized or wild, very busy or secret, southern or northern, European beaches stand out with their variety. Whether you are looking for a beach to spend the day with the family, to observe the fauna and flora, to swim and relax in the sun, to practice water sports, to party or to walk, you will necessarily find what you are looking for in our ranking of the 15 most beautiful beaches in Europe.
1. Cala Goloritzé Beach, Sardinia (Italy)
Located in the center-east of Sardinia, the small cove of Cala Goloritzé is a place as secret as it is magnificent. Framed by towering rocky cliffs and verdant forests, this polished white pebble beach with transparent waters is one of the least crowded on the island. You can get there by boat or on foot, but we recommend the local option instead: reach Cala Goloritzé by mule from the high plateau of Golgo.
2. Curonian Spit Beach, Nida (Lithuania)
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Curonian Spit is a long wilderness stretching 100 kilometers from the Baltic Sea to the Curonian Lagoon.
Surrounded by verdant flora in the heart of a national park, this beach with fine sand dunes will delight bird watchers, lovers of authentic landscapes and lovers of sunsets whose golden colors reflect on the sea. Escape and change of scenery guaranteed on one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.
3. Fig Tree Bay Beach, Protaras (Cyprus)
The most popular beach in Protaras, Fig Tree Bay is popular with families due to its many facilities and infrastructure. Very lively from nightfall, its gold-colored sand and clear waters are ideal for swimming and snorkeling during the day.
Named after the lone fig tree that sits at the far end of the beach, it is one of the cleanest and most unspoiled beaches in Cyprus thanks to the eco-friendly programs in place in the country.
4. Cala Macarella Beach, Menorca (Spain)
Located in the southwest of Menorca, in the Balearic Islands, the secret and secluded beach of Cala Macarella offers you fine, sparkling white sand and calm azure waters on a small stretch of 105 meters. Shaped like a horseshoe, it is bordered by cliffs and green oak forests, making it one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. Plan mask and snorkel to snorkel in this place that is the pride of Menorcans.
5. Sandwood Bay Beach, Kinlochbervie (Scotland)
Located at the northern tip of Scotland, Sandwood Bay beach is a deserted and sumptuous place where land and sea meet in perfect harmony. Surrounded by cliffs, these 2 kilometers of sand with rather cool waters offer you a breathtaking view of the large limestone needle of Am Buachaille and typically Scottish maritime landscapes. You can access the beach via a long path that winds between grassy dunes and colorful heather bushes.
6. Rondinara Beach, Bonifacio (France)
Cradled by deep waters and lined with red rocks, La Rondinara is one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. Despite the high influx of travelers throughout the year, it is very well preserved and particularly appeals to families, due to its small waves which make it an ideal place for swimming. In the shape of an arc, it is almost closed by its two points which are lost in the Mediterranean.
7. Norte Beach, Nazaré (Portugal)
Located north of Sitio, the famous promontory of Nazaré, Do Norte beach has authentic charm and landscapes. With its lighthouse, striped tents and small fort, the beach is surrounded by fine sand dunes which protect the surrounding vegetation.
Very calm, the beach is mainly frequented by surfers, who come to try to tame the spectacular waves that break there throughout the year. If you are lucky, you will be able to see the groups of dolphins which sometimes swim offshore.
8. Zlatni Rat Beach, Bol (Croatia)
Both beautiful and singular, Zlatni Rat is one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe and welcomes you in a real postcard setting. With its unique pointed silhouette, it stretches on each side of a magnificent forest of hundred-year-old pines.
Covered with fine white gravel, it regularly changes shape depending on the winds and currents. It is easily accessible and you can see many kitesurfers and windsurfers there.
9. Kleopatra Beach, Alanya (Turkey)
Emblematic of the city of Alanya, Kleopatra Beach is a 2 kilometer long stretch of soft golden sand and is one of the busiest spots in the area. Very close to the city center, it is bordered by many hotels, restaurants and colorful shops.
Take advantage of the sunbeds and parasols that dot the beach to relax and let yourself be charmed by the calm and friendly atmosphere that reigns there.
10. Vik Beach, Vik I Myrdal (Iceland)
At the antipodes of paradisiacal beaches where the blue of the water meets the gold of the sand, the beach of Vik is a place as fascinating as it is exotic. Located 190 kilometers from Reykjavik, at the southern tip of Iceland, this volcanic black sand beach offers almost unearthly misty seascapes.
In the distance, you can see the basalt peaks that form the Reynisdrangur. As you wander this charcoal-colored expanse, you can explore a few lava caves and spot puffins (sea parrots) on the surrounding cliffs.
11. Voutoumi Beach, Antipaxos (Greece)
Located on the island of Antipaxos, Voutoumi beach is covered with fine sand and small pebbles of a sparkling ivory color. Its turquoise and indigo waters are a real invitation to swim and relax.
In this half-moon shaped bay, the somewhat wild environment gives Voutoumi beach a singular authenticity specific to the Greek islands. Its place among the most beautiful beaches in Europe is therefore more than justified. To avoid the crowds, choose a visit very early in the morning or at the end of the afternoon.
12. Cala Violina Beach, Scarlino (Italy)
Easily accessible by a stony path descending through the woods, it takes its name from the screeching sound, similar to the sound of a violin, produced when your feet tread on the sand containing very small grains of quartz. For that alone, this cove nestled in the heart of a typical Mediterranean environment is worth the detour.
13. Bantham Beach (England)
Among the most beautiful beaches in Europe, that of Bantham is undoubtedly one of the most eclectic. Located near Plymouth, on the southeast coast of England, this wild and beautiful place is very popular with families during the summer.
Its waves attract many surfers and the curious come to swim in its natural pools dug into the rock. You can also walk along the long coastal path that borders the beach and hike in the surrounding area. Let yourself be seduced by its colorful landscapes and its picturesque English atmosphere.
14. Sao Jacinto Beach (Portugal)
Located in a nature reserve near the Barra canal, Sao Jacinto beach is surrounded by huge dunes and stretches like a long wild beach by the sea. You can admire unique and perfectly preserved fauna and flora, in an enchanting silence disturbed only by the soft sound of the waves. Little known to tourists, you just have to cross the pine forest and then the dunes to reach this beautiful natural setting.
15. Jaz Beach, Budva (Montenegro)
A modern beach typical of Montenegrin seaside resorts, Jaz is a long stretch of pebbles enclosed in the cliffs and lively all year round. You can practice many water sports there, admire its colorful underwater fauna while snorkeling or simply relax in the sun on a deck chair.
Surrounded by lush Mediterranean vegetation, it often hosts outdoor festivals, concerts and performances and therefore deserves its place among the most beautiful beaches in Europe.
