8 of the best beaches in Europe for summer 2025
It's difficult to pinpoint something quite so subjective as 'best beach'. Would your ideal iteration be sandy, pebbly, built-up, child-friendly or almost entirely footprint-free? Are shade or snorkelling key requirements, or do you need a soundtrack and cocktails? The conundrum gets trickier still when your options span an entire continent — and Europe is hardly short of brilliant beaches.
I've certainly spread my towel on some memorable shores in my 20-odd years as a travel writer, from the pebbles in my hometown of Brighton to the sands of Laganas Bay in Greece, where turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. These are just two favourites I've had to leave aside in the interests of limiting this list to the headliners. My selection is by no means exhaustive, but I've done my best to include options that might appeal to every taste.
And if I've missed your favourite? Share it in the comments below.
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Best for family holidays
Sandy beaches are commonplace on Portugal's south coast, but Martinhal is a standout among them. Located near the seaside village of Sagres (which, before the Age of Discovery, was considered to be at the edge of the world), this blue-flag beauty fills a sheltered bay within the unspoiled acres of Costa Vicentina Natural Park.
Atlantic breezes keep things cool on even the hottest summer days, as well as providing propulsion for blokarting (think sail-powered go-karting), windsurfing and other seaside sports. Day trips, available to book through local companies or platforms such as GetYourGuide, might take you dolphin-spotting or to Cape St Vincent's wave-beaten cliffs, or you can venture out along miles of well-marked coastal hiking and biking trails. Faro airport is less than a 90-minute drive away, and although you probably wouldn't be so keen on sea swimming in winter, it's pleasantly balmy here outside the main beach season, too. Loos and café nearby, lifeguards. Water quality: blue flag status
Martinhal Sagres Family Beach Resort has stylish rooms and family-friendly villas, beach access, and excellent facilities.
• Read our full guide to Portugal
Best for seaside chic (and surfing)
In 1854 Napoleon III built a summer residence for his wife Empress Eugénie beside La Grande Plage, the most famous of Biarritz's six beaches. The imperial palace still crowns the promenade, although the parasols and crinolines sported by strollers in Eugénie's day have long since been usurped by surfboards and wetsuits. What have survived are the rows of brightly striped 'beach tents' that stylishly provide shelter from the elements. Nearby, watch surfers at play on Côte des Basques' rolling waves, then return for sunset cocktails at the Casino Municipal. Like any European beach resort, it's at its very best in summer, when there are direct flights from the UK to Biarritz too. Loos, café, lifeguards. Water quality: excellent
The former palace is now the five-star Hotel du Palais, a grand Hyatt property providing lodgings fit for an emperor,with a spa and an outdoor pool.
Best for year-round sunshine
One of Gran Canaria's most popular spots has a staggering 400 hectares of sand dunes and a beach that stretches for several kilometres between the resorts of Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles. Parts of it feel wild, others have rows of loungers, and there are clothing-optional and LGBT-friendly areas too. Portions of the beach have lifeguards, making it a good family-friendly option. And the other perk? A climate that's summery all year round. Loos, café, lifeguards. Water quality: blue flag status
Stay at the (prettier) Maspalomas end of the beach, basing yourself at Seaside Palm Beach, a retro-chic, five-star hideaway situated in a palm grove.
• Read our full guide to the Canary Islands
Best for city slickers
Rhodes Town doesn't just have 2,000 years of history up its sleeve. A 10-minute walk beyond the walls of this medieval marvel lies sand-and-pebble Elli, one of Europe's loveliest urban beaches. Whether you choose to stretch out on the sand, relax on a lounger, have lunch at loud-and-lively Ronda Beach Bar or leap into the generally calm sea from the diving platform, you'll enjoy the cool, clear waters and smashing views towards Turkish mountains. If you're visiting on a ferry or cruise, Elli is walkable from the port.Café. Water quality: excellent
Marella Cruises features Rhodes in both its Aegean Gems and Grecian Discovery itineraries, among others.
• Read our full guide to Greece
Best for coolcationers
If you're not a fan of searing summers, a northerly beach might be more your thing. Like a Teutonic take on the Hamptons, Sylt (a North Frisian island near the border with Denmark) has long been a favourite for cashed-up Germans. Aim for Hörnum, the island's southernmost town, and its marvellously sandy Hauptstrand beach. Facing the North Sea, it has acres of space and excellent water sports. Hörnum's east-facing shore offers busier beaches; don't miss the seal who hangs out near the harbour in the hope of being thrown the odd fish. You, meanwhile, can dine out on local oysters at one of the many seafood restaurants in the town. Get there by train across a scenic causeway; Hamburg has direct connections to Sylt, taking around three hours.Loos, café, lifeguards. Water quality: excellent
The beachfront Budersand Hotel features golf, a spa and Michelin-starred dining.
• Read our full guide to Germany
Best for kiss-me-quick kitsch
The advent of foreign holidays was bad news for Britain's Victorian beach resorts, many of which fell into steep decline from around the 1960s. Of the few resorts that kept themselves current (Brighton and Blackpool spring to mind), Bournemouth shines the brightest thanks to its magnificent main beach: a generous drift of apricot sand backed by cliffs, a promenade and colourful beach huts. There are car parks and on-street parking nearby, but you may want to travel by train to avoid spending half your day searching for a space. Tick off its seaside essentials (ice cream, fish and chips, deckchairs and the pier's arcades and attractions), then seek out classier finds like the excellent Russell-Cotes gallery and museum, an opulent Victorian villa crammed with the original owner's art and treasures. Nearby WestBeach restaurant, right by the pier, has some of the best seafood in town. Loos, café, lifeguards. Water quality: variable, check local conditions
With its luxury spa and chic pool deck, the Nici brings an unexpected touch of Miami-meets-the-French-Riviera to Bournemouth's waterfront.
• Read our full review of the Nici
Best for adventure-seekers
As the name of its Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) suggests, jewel-toned shores are a thing in Sardinia, but head to the La Maddalena isles (by ferry or on a day-trip)and the colours get crazier still. This archipelago — with seven main islands near Sardinia's northern tip — is known for unspoiled shores and turquoise seas, but its most unique spot is Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach). This rose-coloured bay on Budelli is utterly extraordinary. Being part of a National Park, it's undeveloped and unspoiled, so the best way to experience this magical place is on an excursion, whether you're staying on neighbouring La Maddalena or over on mainland Sardinia (where there's a greater choice of hotels). Water quality: excellent
GetYourGuide provides island-hopping excursions by tour boat and catamaran from the north coast resort of Palau.
• Read our full guide to Italy
Best for party people
There's a genuine sense of escapism at this pale-sand Ibizan beach.Located on the south coast, less than half an hour by bus from Ibiza Town, it'shidden among pine-clad dunes and salt pans where wild flamingos reside, but this immersion in nature is balanced by lively, credible beach bars. Jockey Club is the most upbeat, Sa Trinxa feels more bohemian, and Chiringay (around the headland) is an LGBT favourite. Whichever you choose, expect to end up dancing barefoot in the sand to Balearic beats (although the beach is still family-friendly). At sunset, relocate to Experimental Beach for memorable cocktails and views. Loos (within café), café, lifeguards. Water quality: excellent, although there can be deposits of sea grass on the shore
Save yourself from schlepping into town by staying at Boutique Hostal la Curandera de Salinas, where the modest but stylish rooms are within walking distance of the shore.
• Read our full guide to Ibiza
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