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This Greek beach is the best in the world: Top 10 best beaches, according to Tripadvisor

This Greek beach is the best in the world: Top 10 best beaches, according to Tripadvisor

USA Today18-02-2025

This Greek beach is the best in the world: Top 10 best beaches, according to Tripadvisor
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Get your beach vibe on this winter with these year round destinations
Discover the top all-inclusive family resorts with amenities for every season
Tripadvisor has released its annual Travelers' Choice Awards, ranking the top 10 beaches in the world.
The list includes beaches from various countries, including Greece, Cuba, Portugal, and Thailand.
Elafonissi Beach in Crete, Greece, claimed the top spot for its pink sands and shallow lagoons.
A beach vacation is one of the best ways to relax and recharge.
From feeling the sunshine on your skin to swimming in crystal-clear waters, spending time at the beach can have a healing impact on your wellbeing. Just hearing the waves rhythmically lap against the sand has been found to be soothing. It's no wonder beaches remain the most popular travel destinations for Americans.
What better place to reap these benefits than at one of the most beautiful beaches in the world? Tripadvisor released its annual Travelers' Choice Awards 2025 on Monday, sharing the top 10 global beaches.
"Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards uniquely reflect the voices of millions of global travelers and help guide people to plan their best trip yet. In my family, beaches aren't just for sunbathing - we like to get out and explore!" said Tripadvisor President Kristen Dalton in a press release. "The diversity of this year's winners really showcases everything that a beach trip can have to offer."
Spanning Greece, Cuba and Portugal, these stunning beaches are the perfect travel inspiration for your next trip.
Here are the best beaches in the world.
10. Myrtos Beach – Kefalonia Island, Greece
Nestled below a mountain range, Myrtos Beach is at the end of a steep and curvaceous road. It's an incredibly scenic beach, with cerulean blue waters of the Ionian Sea and a beach made of white pebbles and sand.
9. Kelingking Beach – Nusa Penida, Indonesia
Getting to Kelingking Beach beach requires some leg work, including a ferry from Bali to Nusa Penida, a drive down a winding road, and then a steep hour-long hike. At the end, beachgoers reach the pristine cove tucked into dramatic limestone cliffs with white sands and electric blue waters.
8. Playa de Muro Beach – Mallorca, Spain
Located on the northern coast of the Spanish island of Mallorca, Playa de Muro Beach is a white sand dune beach with calm, shallow waters. Beachgoers who seek out an adrenaline rush can spend their day paddleboarding, windsurfing and sailing.
7. Bavaro Beach – Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Clear Caribbean waters and white sand lined with palm trees make Punta Cana's Bavaro Beach an idyllic beach vacation locale. An offshore barrier reef helps keep the beach's water gentle and calm and also makes for an exciting snorkeling spot.
6. Playa Varadero – Varadero, Cuba
Stretching for 13 long miles, Playa Varadero looks as if it came right off of a postcard. Beachgoers can enjoy the calm turquoise waters and white sand, or jump on a catamaran for an adventurous day at sea.
5. Praia da Falesia – Algarve, Portugal
Situated along the Algarve coastline, Praia da Falesia is a visual treat, with 130-foot-tall red cliffs, golden sand and azure waters. It's no wonder this Portuguese shoreline was named the best beach by Tripadvisor last year.
4. Siesta Beach – Siesta Key, Florida
Tiny quartz crystals comprise the fine, powdery white sands of Siesta Beach, earning this Florida beach the title of the fourth best in the world. As Siesta Key's biggest beach, there's plenty of space to camp out for the day.
3. Eagle Beach – Oranjestad, Aruba
Aruba has an abundance of gorgeous shorelines to enjoy, but Eagle Beach is one of the island's best. The four-mile-long stretch of sand is often uncrowded, boasting a quiet atmosphere for ultimate relaxation.
2. Banana Beach – Phuket, Thailand
HBO's "The White Lotus" may be bringing attention to Thailand, but its beaches truly deserve the recognition. Located on Coral Island off Phuket, Banana Beach makes for an idyllic daytime trip, offering vibrant coral reefs – after all, it's part of a national park and marine preservation – and soft white sand.
1. Elafonissi Beach – Crete, Greece
Climbing 23 ranks to score the top spot, Elafonissi Beach on the Greek island of Crete is the best beach of 2025. Travelers are drawn to its gentle turquoise waters and uniquely pink sands created by eroded shells. The protected nature reserve offers not only shallow lagoons perfect for wading and frolicking but also hiking trails for when you need to stretch your legs.

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Sweat, tears, devotion: Pilgrims cross the wilderness to honor the Rocío Virgin in Spain
Sweat, tears, devotion: Pilgrims cross the wilderness to honor the Rocío Virgin in Spain

Yahoo

time14 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Sweat, tears, devotion: Pilgrims cross the wilderness to honor the Rocío Virgin in Spain

EL ROCIO, Spain (AP) — Their faces, hats and flamenco dresses caked in dust, hundreds of pilgrims gathered around an ox-driven carriage with their icon of the Virgin Mary after slogging on foot, horses and wagons through dirt roads for nearly 12 hours. The festive flamenco music stopped, the ubiquitous beer bottles and wine glasses were put down, and the Catholic faithful prayed an evening rosary by pine trees in the wilderness a few miles from the hamlet of El Rocío. 'One can drink and hang out. Our best friends are here. But it's essential to pray,' said Meme Morales, who's been doing this pilgrimage since the early 1990s, this year with her two grown daughters. 'The Virgin is something that forms part of our life.' Venerating the Rocío Virgin has been a tradition since the main icon was discovered near this village in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia around the end of the 13th century. It has grown into one of world's largest, most unique Catholic pilgrimages. For days before Pentecost weekend, about a million people do the 'romería del Rocío' in swirling clouds of dust that's as pervasive and natural as the faithful's devotion. Feast and faith as pilgrims make their way It looks like a rolling, wild party, even among the religious brotherhoods, more than 130 of whom participate, taking different paths from around the region and as distant as Brussels. Morales' group is the Triana brotherhood. From when they break camp around dawn until well into the night, they sing flamenco songs, many specific to each brotherhood — accompanied by guitar and rhythmic clapping. Homemade food and copious amounts of water, beer and sherry are shared with friends and strangers alike. But there are prayers at every break along the country paths, priests to hear confession at day's end, conversations about the pope, mission trips and social outreach, even solemn Masses in the fields. 'Without that, this wouldn't make any sense. It would be a picnic,' said Patricia Rodríguez Galinier, who oversees liturgical celebrations for the Triana brotherhood. Based in a neighborhood by the same name in Seville, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) away, it's one of the largest and oldest, founded more than 200 years ago. Rodríguez had just helped set up Mass by the Triana 'simpecado' — meaning 'without sin.' It refers to their version of the icon of the Virgin, carried by an ox-driven cart covered in silver and fresh flowers. At each night's camp, wagons are set in a circle and people gather to worship through the night. With the oxen tied to small trees and some riders still on horses in the 90-degree weather (33 Celsius), more than 700 faithful listened to the homily by their spiritual director, the Rev. Manuel Sánchez. He quoted Pope Leo XIV 's first public words about God's love for everyone — adding, to laughter, that love included those at that moment receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation behind the wagon still grasping their beer bottles. 'There's a profound sense of spontaneity in El Rocío … just like in the Gospel when Jesus goes to have dinner with folks,' Sánchez said later. 'We have a lot of time to come to God crying in life, but that's not El Rocío.' Popular devotion rooted in a place at the margins One reason for the pilgrimage's down-to-earth nature is El Rocío's location, in the wetlands and sand dunes of the Guadalquivir River's estuary, said Juan Carlos González Faraco, a University of Huelva professor who has studied the pilgrimage. Until the last few decades, when large-scale greenhouse farming and natural protected areas have taken over, it was a malaria-prone wilderness frequented mostly by cattle and horse ranchers. That's allowed the centuries-old pilgrimage tradition to continue without the strictness of other places of devotion to Mary. It has stayed in the hands of the brotherhoods instead of the institutional church, said González. He's a member of the main brotherhood from Almonte, the closest town to the sanctuary that manages its white church filled with golden images and orange sand from the pilgrims' footsteps. Its president, Santiago Padilla, spent hours at the sanctuary's doors Saturday, solemnly welcoming each brotherhood as they arrived. 'They come laden with intentions, supplications, prayers. And it's the moment we shake their hands, we hug and we give thanks to the Virgin for this pilgrimage they made,' said Padilla, whose family has been pilgrims for generations. A return to countryside roots Padilla wore an impeccably white jacket and formal riding kit, like many members of the brotherhoods who do the pilgrimage on horseback. Women wear shawls and long, flaring dresses or skirts — to better ride sideways on horses and protect themselves from the brush and the sun. Such outfits might look like Spanish stereotypes, but they pay homage to the working traditions of many families from the area. 'Everything that has a good presence takes us a bit closer to God,' said Ignacio Sabater Wasaldúa, the Triana brotherhood leader. He rode horses this year alongside his son, helping lead the dozens of wagons and thousands of pilgrims on foot. The brotherhoods stress that their commitment to Christian life transcends one yearly pilgrimage — though it draws inspiration from it and they wouldn't consider missing it. 'El Rocío should be a model for society, with affection and solidarity,' Sabater said. Triana, for instance, maintains a chapel with daily Masses and brings nearly 200 youth from marginalized backgrounds to the brotherhood's house in El Rocío for a summer camp. 'I'm a rociera the whole year,' said Macarena Ruíz, who started participating in the late 1980s and whose three children are camp counselors. Despite Spain's growing secularization, youth remain involved in the pilgrimage, whether to maintain a family tradition, make new friends or live out their faith. This year, Triana's youth group organized Eucharistic adoration late into the second night at camp. 'That's the assurance that this will not be lost,' said Esperanza García Rivero, whose grandfather took his wagon on the pilgrimage in the 1940s. Sweat and tears before Mary, mother of God Hidden beneath the traditions and the festivities, many pilgrims are motivated by promises they made to the Virgin. After a double mastectomy for breast cancer, Paloma Maria had a large Mary tattoo designed between her shoulders. 'It's her who takes care of me. My Rocío Virgin is everything for me,' said the young woman from Cordoba. Maria Mendoza also came to give thanks when, together with García and her close Triana friends, she walked into the sanctuary Saturday after the brotherhood was formally received in front of it. More pilgrimage events awaited, culminating in Sunday night's final procession of the Rocío icon to visit every brotherhood in town. It's a massive scrum that lasts hours, after which the faithful make their long return journeys, on foot, horses and carts. But this was the first moment when the women were finally face to face with their Virgin. Tears quickly mixed with sweat and dust on their faces. 'So many thoughts swirling, for you, for your friends … it's just an explosion,' Sara de la Haza whispered. Then someone in the crowd intoned the Triana's salute to the Virgin. The friends wiped their eyes and started joyfully singing — 'You are the white dove, you are what I've loved the most since the day I was born.' ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

An Airbnb for backyard pools? With this app, you can rent them by the hour.
An Airbnb for backyard pools? With this app, you can rent them by the hour.

USA Today

time35 minutes ago

  • USA Today

An Airbnb for backyard pools? With this app, you can rent them by the hour.

An Airbnb for backyard pools? With this app, you can rent them by the hour. Show Caption Hide Caption Summer rentals: Where to rent pools, boats, tennis courts Spice up your summer by renting out amazing pools and boats with these websites. Years ago, startups called Uber and Airbnb changed the way Americans thought about taxicabs and hotels. An app named Swimply is attempting another paradigm shift. This time, the subject is swimming pools. Swimply allows users to rent backyard pools by the hour. Launched in 2019, the company now hosts 15,000 private pools in more than 150 cities, according to Bunim Laskin, its 28-year-old CEO. He says business has doubled in the past year. Renting a neighbor's swimming pool is 'a brand-new behavior that's objectively healthy for people in every conceivable way,' Laskin said. 'It's the one app that lets you put your phone away and spend time with the people you love.' Renting a backyard pool: How does that work? And if you own a backyard pool, you might be wondering how, exactly, an app like Swimply would work. How might it feel to have a carload of strangers show up and jump into your pool? What would the neighbors think? Who supplies the towels? Just like Uber and Airbnb before it, Swimply has inspired bureaucratic puzzlement in some local governments. Remember the days when Uber threatened the nation's taxicab fleet, and when cities mobilized to ban Airbnb rentals? Similar skirmishes have erupted over Swimply. In Rockland County, New York, officials are investigating whether private pool rentals violate public health codes. Regulators in Minnesota and North Carolina are treating Swimply rentals as 'public pools,' with all that the term implies about licensing and regulation. Affluent D.C. suburbs have struggled with Swimply. Laskin said the regulatory challenges have affected 'less than 0.2%' of pool hosts. 'Pools are very dangerous things' Questions swirl, too, about potential liability. Swimming pools are, after all, filled with water. People can drown in water. Many homeowners go to great lengths to keep strangers out of their backyard pools, rather than lure them in. 'Pools are very dangerous things,' said Matthew Alegi, a real estate lawyer outside Washington, D.C. 'There's no lifeguard sitting at these Swimply pools.' Of course, the idea of renting a backyard pool is nothing new. Many vacation rentals come with pools. Home-sharing and vacation rental sites Airbnb and Vrbo offer liability insurance. Some insurers offer short-term rental coverage. With Swimply, however, you're only renting the pool. In the home insurance world, that's a less familiar scenario. 'The issue is that these homeowners are not doing the research to make sure their policy is going to cover it if something goes wrong,' said Khalil Farah, a personal injury attorney in Jacksonville, Florida. Laskin, Swimply's CEO, said the app offers every pool-rental host $1 million in liability coverage, a provision patterned on Airbnb. All pool guests sign waivers. Farah worries, though, that Swimply's insurance policy has 'a ton of exclusions.' If pool renters drink alcohol or violate the rental agreement, he said, Swimply will deny coverage. Farah said pool hosts would be wise to contact their home insurer, explain the situation and ask for a policy addendum that covers the liabilities inherent in renting out a backyard pool. 'You need to make sure the insurance agent knows what you're using it for,' he said. More: Rising cost of homeowners insurance is scaring away millions of Americans As for families thinking of renting someone else's pool, Alegi said they, too, should know the potential risks, especially if they rent outside their own community. 'You don't know the people,' he said. 'You don't know the location. You don't know how many ring cameras there are.' Pool hosts must set ground rules with neighbors Swimply has taken a cautious approach to pool rentals, Laskin said, fully aware that not everyone on the block will welcome random strangers in swimsuits. Pool hosts are required to reach out to neighbors to establish ground rules about parking cars, pool hours and other items of etiquette. 'And we give neighbors a way to report when it doesn't work out,' Laskin said. All new pool listings "go through a 24-hour verification process by our trust and safety team" to ensure they are safe and secure, Laskin said, followed by an ongoing "review and reporting system." Any pool rental with a one-star review is removed from the app. Laskin said he dreamed up Swimply in 2018. He was the oldest of 12 children in a Lakewood, New Jersey, household. A neighbor had installed a swimming pool. Eying the pool, Laskin offered to help the neighbor with her expenses if she allowed the Laskin kids to use it. The neighbor reluctantly agreed. Within two weeks, she had five families renting her pool, each paying some of the costs. Inspired, Laskin set about building a business. 'I went on Google Earth, found 80 swimming pools, knocked on everyone's doors, got four people to agree, and just plastered my phone number around town,' he said. From four pools to 15,000 Laskin started out with four Lakewood pools for rent. By summer's end, 20 more pool owners had signed on. By the summer of 2019, the list of hosts had grown to 40. Laskin dropped out of school, raised $1 million and launched Swimply. The app grew from five cities in 2019 to 35 in 2020. Business boomed in the pandemic, as families searched for uncrowded pools. Swimply is based in Venice, California, not far from its competition: the ocean. Between 2024 and 2025, Laskin said, the number of Swimply hosts doubled from 7,000 to 15,000. He thinks inflation helped. 'People are looking for additional sources of revenue more than ever, and people are looking to stay local,' he said. Swimply is inordinately popular with stay-at-home moms, a population always looking for healthy outdoor activities. Roughly 70% of Swimply guests are families, Laskin said. Others are lone adults looking to swim laps. A few are larger groups seeking pool parties. Nearly all guests rent pools in their own communities. Pool hosts are allowed to exclude large groups, children or pets. You can also invite pets. The pet-friendly pool has surged in popularity, Laskin said. Hourly fees can top $300, for palatial pools with ocean views. Nine out of 10 rentals happen in summer, but some owners turn a big business in winter with indoor pools, hot tubs and other warm options. Some hosts toss in extra services. Laskin and his wife have rented pool packages that came with chef-prepared dinners, magic shows and pickleball lessons. 'The goal was for your backyard pool to make you a couple hundred bucks, maybe a thousand bucks in summer,' Laskin said. 'And now we have folks earning $100,000 a year. The goal was to have it pay for your pool. Now it's paying for people's mortgages.'

With Just 40% of Urban Pet Parents Calling Their Neighborhoods Pet-Friendly, Mars Expands BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ to Help People and Pets Thrive
With Just 40% of Urban Pet Parents Calling Their Neighborhoods Pet-Friendly, Mars Expands BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ to Help People and Pets Thrive

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

With Just 40% of Urban Pet Parents Calling Their Neighborhoods Pet-Friendly, Mars Expands BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ to Help People and Pets Thrive

First of its kind program catalyzes a global movement of pet-friendly and climate-resilient cities fit for future generations A new partnership with C40 Cities empowers mayors to increase access to pet-friendly and climate-resilient green spaces with an initial focus on London, Los Angeles, São Paulo, Bengaluru, and Bangkok An expansion of its collaboration with Tripadvisor will foster more pet-friendly places and communities across new countries LONDON, June 9, 2025 /CNW/ -- Mars, Incorporated, a global leader in pet care products and services, is expanding its BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program around the world—helping more cities become pet-friendly and making it easier for people to enjoy life with their pets. The expanded program invests more than $1 million focused on increasing access to more green spaces and pet-friendly places, aiming to benefit 10 million people and pets around the world by 2030. This global initiative is powered by a strategic partnership with C40 Cities, one of the world's largest networks of mayors focused on climate action. In addition, Mars is expanding its partnership with Tripadvisor to help connect people with more pet-friendly places to make travel easier. Since 2017, BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ has supported cities, focusing on key features pet parents need and want in their community. Through its expanded global focus, Mars is putting pet parents at the heart of urban life, fostering vibrant, pet-friendly cities that are not only kinder to the planet but also uplift thriving pet-friendly businesses in communities around the world. The benefits of owning a pet are undeniable. Globally, 83% of pet parents say their pet has had a positive impact on their mental well-being1, and more than half (54%) say their pet has improved their social life—sparking conversations, connections, and even new friendships. Pets play a powerful role in strengthening community bonds and enhancing city life. Ikdeep Singh, Global President of Mars Pet Nutrition, comments: "With the urban pet population set to rise by almost 10% by 2030, Mars is more committed than ever to improving city living for millions of pets and pet parents around the world. Giving pet parents a voice in how our cities are designed for the future won't just benefit our pets – it will contribute to healthier communities and a better planet for all. Because a better city for pets is a better city for all." More pet-friendly, resilient green spaces: Together with C40 Cities, the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program has the ambition to drive a global movement toward pet-friendly, climate-resilient cities designed for future generations. At the heart of this partnership is the launch a first-of-its-kind Urban Nature Playbook for People, Pets and the Planet. Designed to inspire and equip city leaders, the playbook offers practical guidance for greener urban spaces—from tree-lined sidewalks to parks and public squares—that support biodiversity, improve mental and physical health, and strengthen climate resilience. Mars and C40 Cities will work hand-in-hand with cities, starting in London, Los Angeles, São Paulo, Bengaluru, and Bangkok, to bring the playbook to life through local initiatives that enhance green spaces for pets, people, and the planet. Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, comments: "Green space in cities is vital to ensuring people's well-being. Places to walk, relax in and enjoy are critical. They're also vitally important in the face of increasing climate disasters like flooding. This partnership with Mars will accelerate support to cities to build resilience and improve access to green space for people and their pets. Our Urban Nature Playbook for People, Pets and the Planet provides tangible actions for cities to design people and pet-friendly urban environments." Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Co-Chair of C40 Cities, said: "Everyone should be able to enjoy safe, green spaces – including with our pets. London is proud to be one of Europe's most pet-friendly cities, where people and their pets can relax and enjoy a healthy, green environment. I'm happy to support this funding to keep making life better for both people and their pets here in London, and to help other cities do the same." More pet-friendly places: 11% of global urban pet parents feel owning a dog limits where they can go2, highlighting the need for more pet-friendly places in cities. After a successful pilot in the U.S., Mars is also expanding its Tripadvisor and CESAR® partnership to the UK and Italy, and with MY DOG® in Australia, encouraging more pet-friendly businesses across the globe. This builds on the 5,000 new pet-friendly places identified on Tripadvisor in the past year. 1 Mars x Calm Research 20252 Mars Global Pet Parent Study 2024 ABOUT MARS: Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $50bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M's®, SNICKERS® and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH™ offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles—Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom—inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet. For more information about Mars, please visit Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. ABOUT C40 CITIES: C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world's leading cities working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to limit global heating in line with the Paris Agreement and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. We work alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to support mayors to halve emissions by 2030 and help phase out fossil use while increasing urban climate resilience and equity. The current co-chairs of C40 are Mayor Sadiq Khan of London, United Kingdom, and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown, Sierra Leone; three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board. C40's work is made possible by our three strategic funders: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children's Investment Fund Foundation and Realdania. To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. ABOUT TRIPADVISOR: Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use Tripadvisor's website and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than a billion reviews and contributions, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby. Tripadvisor LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP). The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps. * Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, May 2025** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files Photo - - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mars View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

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