Ready to discover the most beautiful coasts in Europe? We’ve compiled some top picks for relaxing, playing in the sand or partying the night away! Pack your beach bag everyone, it’s time to discover these heavenly beaches.
1. Our Lady Beach
The Notre Dame – or “Our Lady” beach is situated in Porquerolles – France. Hyères is the highly popular seaside resort on the stunning French Riviera. It offers charming and well-preserved beaches, clear water, and lots of sunshine. Whether you’re looking for shade, seclusion, or family fun, with over 40 kilometres of coastline, you’ll have a variety of lagoons to choose from for all your coastal activities.
Bordered by a beautiful pine forest, Notre Dame Beach is as spectacular as the other beaches of Porquerolles, but less crowded. The current vegetation restoration program requires everyone to take care of the environment, so you can count on the beach to be litter-free!
2. Navagio Beach
To feel the ambience of Ancient Greek legends and the breathtaking turquoise seawater, Zakynthos deserves a place on this list.
Navagio Beach, or Shipwreck Beach, is an open cove that’s sometimes called the “smugglers’ cove”, on the coast of Zakynthos in the Ionian Islands of Greece. It has been named so since the 80s when an alleged smugglers’ ship crashed on the beach while transporting cigarettes.
The area stands out for its limestone cliffs, white sandy beaches and clear blue waters that attract thousands of tourists every year. The beach strip can only be reached by boat, which makes it feel like an exclusive paradise. Regular beach tours depart from Porto Vromi to the south and from Agios Nikolaos and Cape Skinari to the northeast. Boats also arrive from the harbour of Zakynthos.
3. Zlatni Rat Beach
Have you ever heard of the coast of Brac island in Croatia?
Zlatni Rat is often translated from the local Chakavian dialect as the Golden Cape or Golden Horn. It looks like a strip of land located about 2 kilometres (1 mile) west of the port city of Bol on the southern coast of Croatia. The island of Brac is a popular place for holidaymakers and is one of the most exquisite coasts in Europe for sandy serenity. Enjoy the water of the Adriatic Sea and the cosiness of Croatian hospitality while looking at Golden Cape beach’s spectacular horizons.
4. Calo de Moro
The palm trees of Mallorca are so beautiful that they inspired poets and songwriters. Actually, Spain is home to a majority of gorgeous coasts in Europe, but this one is special because of its spirit of serenity.
The crystal clear waters, white sand, and chalk stones covered with wildflowers and red clay stripes make the coast feel magical. This charming place is only two nautical miles from the port of Cala Figuera Santanyi.
5. Praia Marinha
Praia da Marinha (navy beach in English) is one of the most emblematic and beautiful coasts in Europe, located on the Atlantic coast in Caramujeira. The Lagoa municipality in the Algarve area is filled with the spirit of old medieval traditions and outstanding nature.
In 1998, the beach coast was awarded the distinguished “Golden Beach” award by the Portuguese Ministry of the Environment because of its outstanding natural features. Furthermore, many pictures of this beach have often been used in promotional materials around the world. Clean Marinha Beach has often been used by international advertising agencies and by television producers in advertising campaigns.
There are tons more outstanding beaches to mention but these were at the top of our list! If you’ve been to any of these wondrous beaches, why not tell us about it in the comments?