Europe's Top 50+ Beaches

  • Vasiliki // Greece

    Vasiliki
    © spheeris / CC BY

    Vasiliki is a pleasant sunny holiday village on the south coast of Lefkada Island. There are a host of wonderful beaches around this little resort town, including Amouso Beach, Agiofili, Porto Katsiki, and the famous Egremni Beach, all of which make the village a great base for exploring. But you don't need to travel anywhere as… read more »

  • Mikros Gialos // Greece

    Mikros Gialos
    © chripell / CC BY

    Mikros Gialos means "small bay", and thatquite accurately describes the beach here. If you are looking for a quiet spot for a peaceful holiday, this could be the place for you. The bay is surrounded by undulating green hills and has white sand with clear, calm seas. The beach is considered part of the nearby village of Poros, which is… read more »

  • Megali Petra // Greece

    Megali Petra
    © spheeris / CC BY

    Megali Petra translates as "big rock", and when you arrive here you will understand how this beach got its name! It is a pebbly beach with a number of huge rocks dotted along the shore. Just down the coast from Kalamitsi you will find the same bluish green water which forms pools around the giant rocks on this wild… read more »

  • Pefkoulia // Greece

    Pefkoulia
    © www.mustseegreece.com / CC BY

    Pefkoulia is a wide open sandy beach that gives way to the clear, almost luminous blue-green waters of the Ionian sea. It is situated on the west coast about 10 kilometers southwest of Lefkada Town, near the village of Agios Nikitas. It is definitely one of the biggest beaches on Lefkada and also considered to be one of the best… read more »

  • Plakias Beach // Greece

    Plakias Beach

    Plakias Beach is situated on the south coast, around 36 kilometers south of Rethymno City. It is one of the most highly rated and largest beaches on Crete, with a beachfront that starts near town and runs 1.3 kilometers all the way to Cape Mouri. The beach has cool green waters with tamarisk trees running along the back of the… read more »

  • Kokkinos Pyrgos // Greece

    Kokkinos Pyrgos

    Kokkinos Pyrgos is located near Tympaki, the main port of this region which is about halfway along Crete's south coast. The name means "Red Tower", and it comes from the reddish soil that is found at the mouth of the Geropotamos River.

    The beach is large with sand and beautiful clear blue waters. The northern end of the beach, close… read more »

  • Voulisma beach // Greece

    Voulisma beach
    © Vadim Indeikin / CC BY

    Voulisma Beach is located on the eastern part of Crete near the small town of Istro. Set in a beautiful sheltered bay, one of three beaches, Voulisma Beach is the main beach. With beautiful turquoise waters whihc are shallow and calm it is often called the golden beach because it has fine-grained, golden sand.

    You will find plenty od modern… read more »

  • Seitan Limania Beach // Greece

    Seitan Limania Beach
    © Ellibah / CC BY

    Nestled between jagged white cliffs and seas with strong currents is Seitan Limania Beach. The name is derived from the Turkish for "Satan's harbor" due to the trechearous conditions encountered by early mariners here. Three stunning coves are located here in parallel to one another, all offering some degree of protection from the sometimes strong waves.

    Seitan Limania is 22… read more »

  • Kedrodasos Beach // Greece

    Kedrodasos Beach
    © Mafalda93 / CC BY

    Backed by Juniper Trees and sand dunes, Kedrodasos Beach is covered in white sand that reaches out into deep blue waters. This secluded beach is only one kilometer from the famous Elafonissi beach with its lagoon, and it is about 76 kilometers southwest of Chania.

    Kedrodasos beach draws visitors who appreciate the natural beauty of the Crete coast, and… read more »

  • Sweet Water Beach // Greece

    Sweet Water Beach

    Glyka Nera means "Sweet Water", and it is certainly one of the most impressive beaches in Crete. You will be in awe of the deep blue seas, near white pebbles and towering cliffs. You will need to travel to this beach by boat unless you dare to brave the hike down the precipitous cliffs. The views are incredible, but this… read more »

  • Borsh Beach // Albania

    Borsh Beach
    © Joergsam / CC BY

    Situated on the southern end of Albania's Riviera coast is the impressively long stretch of Borsh beach. There are around 7 kilometres of fine white pebbles facing into the turquoise-blue waters of the Ionian Sea.

    read more »
  • Jalë Beach // Albania

    Jalë Beach

    Call it Jale, Jali or Jala - whichever you choose - this certainly was one of the finest little beaches along the Riviera coast. The water here is crystal clear with a vivid azure hue. In fact it is said that this is some of the clearset water on the coast owing to the bay's currents which makes it perfect… read more »

  • Playa de La Cantería // Spain

    Playa de La Cantería
    MoveinBlue

    Facing north, Playa de la Cantería is Lanzarote's most northerly beach and has something of an edge of the world feel to it. Located close to the village of Órzola, it is a beach made of pale yellow sand, although at high tide it can look black because of a ribbon of loose volcanic rocks further back.

    Surrounded by a typical… read more »

  • Dunas de Corralejo // Spain

    Dunas de Corralejo
    Victor R. Ruiz

    While small by most standards, at 2.5 by 10.5 kilometres, Dunas de Corralejo Natural Park remains one of the highlights of the Canaries. Part beach and part volcanic landscape, it is named after the huge sand dune which sits at the park's northern end. It sees pale sands meet shallows the colour of turquoise. Meanwhile, its southern end takes on… read more »

  • Playa Famara // Spain

    Playa Famara
    Victor R. Ruiz

    Playa Famara faces out into the waters of Bahia de Penedo on Lanzarote's northwest coast. Part of the Chinijo Archipelago Nature Park, it offers excellent views of La Graciosa island, which sits off Lanzarote's northern tip.

    Stretching for an incredible five kilometres, Playa Famara's yellow sands never get crowded, though in places they are mixed with ancient volcanic pebbles from the… read more »