Spanish ‘beach' in lesser-visited city is one of Europe's warmest with average highs of 31C
THE hottest and sunniest European beaches have been revealed - and an honourable mention goes to one that isn't even on the coast.
Saga Holidays has put together a list of Europe's sunniest beaches, and has revealed that Valdearenas Beach in Córdoba is one of them - despite being nowhere near the sea.
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Valdearenas Beach is in the landlocked city of Córdoba - which was one of the top trending European destinations in 2025.
The beach is completely man-made, sits on the banks of the Iznájar Reservoir and has sandy shores.
But the best part is that in the high season, average temperatures reach up to 31C.
According to Saga Holidays, Valdearenas Beach outperforms two coastal competitors in Badajoz, Playa de Cheles and Playa de Orellana, by 1C.
One visitor on Tripadvisor described it as being a "great lakeside beach with lovely lake for swimming or kayaking or pedaloing! Not crowded or touristy."
Another said: "The views are incredible. Some mornings it is just so quiet, you feel like the only person on earth."
Anyone wanting a dip will be happy to know that you can enjoy swimming, rent kayaks and pedal boats, or try paddleboarding.
During the summer months, the water turns a vibrant blue and the golden sands become a sunbathers paradise.
Some visitors remarked it can appear even hotter as there is no shade apart from some provided by the sun umbrellas that pop up during the summer.
The beach is about an hour inland from the southern coast of Spain.
The Spanish beach resort named the best in the country
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As for the city of Córdoba, it is known for having the most UNESCO sites in the world.
These include the Mosque-Cathedral, the historic city centre, the Festival of the Patios (Courtyards), and Medina Azahara.
The culture capital is popular for anyone wanting to take a close look at history with the Mosque-Cathedral being built in the 8th century.
For anyone who wants to see something particularly spectacular, schedule a visit to Córdoba during the Festival of the Patios.
The event is held during the first two weeks in May - and has been since 1921.
This annual event showcases the city's most beautiful and historic courtyards, which are decorated with flowers and are opened to the public.
Córdoba is an hour's drive away from Seville where Sun Travel found cheap wine and beautiful royal palaces.
Down towards the coast is also this underrated Spanish beach destination that's popular for winter sun.
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The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Are cruises the ultimate family bonding holiday?
What does a travel writer in his mid-thirties, habitually chained to his laptop, drowning in deadlines, have in common with a bass player from a 'new wave' powerhouse who's since forged a successful acting career? It turns out, it's a similar taste in holidays: a splash of neon Florida morphing into the carnival rhythm of the Caribbean – all of it unfolding while afloat. Earlier this year, I embarked with my curious and spirited little one – who was fast approaching his first birthday – on a voyage around the Caribbean with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). We joined Norwegian Encore – the 3,958-capacity moving playground – in Miami, swapping the city's steamy sidewalks and traffic for a seven-day itinerary that spanned beaches blazing under winter sun, storied old towns and lush hillsides across four ports. 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According to the latest 'Holiday Habits' report from Abta, a UK-based trade association for travel agents and tour operators, families continue to go on more holidays than any other 'age group or life stage'; the research also found that cruises are gaining in popularity among holidaymakers with children – those travelling with under-16s said that they are most attracted to the 'opportunity to visit multiple destinations in one trip', value for money and the 'safe and secure travel experience' that a cruise offers. For Martin, his getaway on the other side of the Atlantic was a far cry from his childhood breaks. 'The first time I ever went abroad was on a Freddie Laker jet to Benidorm,' he told me. 'I'd grown up with Butlins and Pontins, the holiday camps, with my parents and brother. Getting to do anything like going on a cruise, going around the Caribbean, with family – that to me is luxury.' 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Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The 10 best beaches in Santorini
Santorini is famous for its strikingly photogenic volcanic caldera lined with glitzy hotels, snow white villages and picturesque blue domed churches. But the Greek island also has a handful of spectacularly lovely beaches, perfect for cooling off after a long day's sightseeing. From black sand strands framed by towering cliffs, to brick red beaches lapped by translucent turquoise waters, gently curving bays lined with laid back bars or crowd-free secret coves that can only be reached by boat, this sun dazzled Cycladic island has something for every taste. All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best beaches in Santorini. Find out more below, or for more Santorini inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants, bars and things to do. Perissa Framed by Mesa Vouno, the island's highest mountain, Perissa's black sand, Blue Flag-awarded beach is a magnet for families, and wheelchair-users will find ramps for easy sea access. Back from the beach a seafront promenade is lined with tavernas, bars and souvenir shops. Getting there: A 20-minute drive or 35-minutes bus-ride from Fira. Insider tip: Feeling energetic? Hike from here to the ruins of Ancient Thera, up on Mesa Vouno hill. Vlychada On the island's southern tip, Vlychada's low-key beach is surprisingly little-known, perhaps because, apart from a diminutive fishing port and a few tavernas and departure point where catamarans leave for sunset tours, there are few facilities here. Its pretty grey and pebble beach is backed by a line of rugged cliffs, making it a well-kept local secret. Getting there: It's a 20-minute drive from capital Fira. Insider tip: Escape the heat in Vlychada's quirky Tomato Industrial Museum and find out more about one of the island's staple crops. Kamari Packed with feet-in-the-water tavernas, souvenir shops and bars that morph to lively clubs as soon as the sun goes down, this easy-to-reach beach with its sweep of black volcanic sand is one of the island's most cosmopolitan seaside haunts. With several watersports centres there's plenty of fun for activity lovers, too. Getting there: It's a 15-minute drive from Fira; in summer there are buses every half hour. White Beach Less visited than many other beaches because of its difficult access, this blissfully secluded beach derives its name from the creamy white cliffs that sweep down to a succession of coves. Dotted with chalk-coloured pebbles, they provide a startling contrast to the turquoise waters below. Getting there: By boat from Ammoudi Bay or hike from Red Beach. Mesa Pigadia After a thrilling swim from White Beach – through a small sea cave – you will find the clear sheltered waters of this lesser-visited black pebble strand. Backed by brightly painted huts that fishermen once used to store their boats, the area is perfect for snorkellers. Getting there: It's a 25 minute drive from Fira (partly via a dirt track). Boats also leave from Akrotiri. Insider tip: Wear watershoes (there are sea urchins). Red Beach Backed by ochre cliffs descending to a small bay with rust-coloured sands, this is the island's most striking strand. Dramatic rock formations make perfect platforms for leaping into the blue waters beneath. Getting there: It's a perilous cliff hike from Akrotiri's Minoan archaeological site; there are also boats from Ammoudi Bay. Insider tip: Although the beach is currently safe, there have been landslides in the past – check with your hotel before going. Thermes This hidden gem beach is a peaceful haven where you can laze on red and black volcanic sands, swim in mirror clear water or explore the beach's ancient rock-carved chapel with only gulls for company. It's remote, reached via an hour-long hike from the pottery stores and family-owned tavernas of Megalochori. Getting there: A way-marked trail leaves from the Boutari Winery in Megalochori. Insider tip: There are no tavernas or beach bars, so bring food, water and sunscreen. Agios Nikolaos Tucked in a cove beneath Oia's cobbled alleys and blue-domed churches, this hard-to-find beach on the far side of Ammoudi's taverna-lined bay is popular with locals, who come here to escape the summer crowds. Getting there: Follow the scenic 300-stepped path from Oia. Insider tip: Join fellow swimmers to sip thick and syrupy elleniko coffee in one of Ammoudi's waterside tavernas afterwards. Monolithos Named for its single, sentry-like white rock (mono lithos), this narrow windswept beach standing in the airport's shadow is another popular spot with Santorinians, come here to kick back on the sands or feast on freshly made local treats in a handful of family-run tavernas. Getting there: A 10-minute drive from Fira. Riva Easily reached from Ammoudi's fishing port, the tiny island of Thirasia was part of Santorini before the volcanic eruption in 1600BC. Just opposite the volcanic atoll Riva's black-pebble beach has striking views of Oia. Getting there: In summer there's a ferry that makes the ten-minute crossing from Ammoudi Bay. Insider tip: Riva's only taverna is one of the island's best – order their Greek salad made with local chloro cheese. How we choose Every beach in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We consider a range of needs and styles, from lively bar-lined beachfronts to quiet coves – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest developments and provide up to date recommendations. About our expert Based in Greece for more than a decade, Heidi Fuller-Love is Telegraph Travel's Santorini expert. Endlessly wowed by those captivating caldera views, she loves visiting in winter when she has the famed volcanic island all to herself.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The perfect holiday in Santorini, Greece's most romantic island
Favoured by honeymooners from around the world, there's no denying the romance of Santorini 's volcanic crater with its sheer black and red walls rising steeply to a sugar-sprinkling of white villages where blue-domed churches rub shoulders with gourmet restaurants and boutique hotels – many of them carved out of the kanaves that were once used for storing wine. Nourished by volcanic ash from the c.1600 BC eruption that decimated the island's Minoan population, Santorini's fertile soil is used to grow grapes that make inimitable wines, along with sweet cherry tomatoes, unique white aubergines and the yellow split pea fava that star in the island's distinctive dishes. The caldera-side capital Fira, with its shop-lined streets, and Oia's castle sunset spot and are, understandably, the main draw for many travellers. From ancient kalderimi hiking paths to lost-in-the-past hamlets and family-run vineyards, however, Santorini also has another more authentic side that's well worth discovering. For more Santorini inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, restaurants, bars, things to do and beaches. How to spend your weekend How to get there and how to get around When to go Where to stay Know before you go How to spend your weekend Day one: morning Pack swimwear and set out before sunrise to explore the top end of the island, stretching from Oia in the north to Akrotiri in the south. From 10am onwards when the cruise hordes arrive, Oia is jam-packed, but in the early morning, the island's famed white village is far more manageable, making it the perfect time to get photos of sunrise spilling its pink-orange glow over the caldera from Oia's celebrated 15th-century castle.
