The 10 best beach holidays in Europe

updated 8/30/2021

For a relatively small continent, Europe has some extraordinary coastlines. Their variety is dizzying, from sheltered rocky coves fringed with olive trees to vast stretches of soft sandy beaches. Whittling down the list for possible beach holidays on this continent can be tough, so here are a few places that will get you in the mood for lazy days in the sun.

1. Find paradise in Rab, Croatia

Sandy beaches are a rarity in Croatia, but on this small island in the Kvarner Gulf, you’ve got 22 to choose from. Rab’s aptly named Paradise Beach on the Lopar peninsula is a good place to start for a relaxing beach holiday. It's got a 1.5km sweep of sand and clear shallow waters. Or take a half-hour hike through woods to reach Sahara Beach in a sheltered inlet – a popular spot for naturists.

Tower in Rab City. Rab Island, Croatia © Marcelino Macone/Shutterstock

2. Take the plunge in Tropea, Italy

It’s hard to find a beach with a more dramatic backdrop than Tropea’s steep cliffs, where brightly coloured houses cling on, seemingly in defiance of gravity. Down in Italy’s toe, Calabria’s prettiest town hovers over several sandy beaches as well as a rocky promontory topped by the church of Santa Maria dell’Isola. Calabria is one of Italy’s least developed regions, and its warmth comes not just from the southern sun and the famously spicy cuisine, but from the people too.

Best beaches of Italy and beautiful town- Tropea in Calabria © leoks/Shutterstock

3. Find peace on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast

Just north of Bulgaria’s border with Turkey are some of the country’s least developed beaches. Start in the small village of Sinemorets and work your way down the indented coast, where quiet golden-sand beaches are surrounded by protected nature reserves and pine forests. Bring your own picnic to the secluded sands of Lipite Beach and Silistar Beach, as you won’t find the bars and clubs that dominate the resorts further north.

Veleka beach in the Sinemorets town in Bulgaria © trabantos/Shutterstock

4. Spin those wheels in Ile de Ré, France

Everyone’s on a bike on this chilled-out French Atlantic island, where 100km of cycle trails wind past sandy beaches, vineyards, salt pans and pine forests. Head inland where oyster beds hint at the gorgeous seafood on offer at the food market in the village of La Flotte. After a day on the dunes at Sainte-Marie-de-Ré’s beach, try one of the quayside cafés in St-Martin-de-Ré.

Plage de la Conche situated at Ile de Re, France © trabantos/Shutterstock

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5. Chill out in Paxos, Greece

Paxos island, Greece © IM_photo/Shutterstock

6. Go back in time in Norfolk, England

Norfolk’s North Sea coast might not have the balmy climate of its Continental counterparts, but the 6km of Holkham Beach’s soft and often empty sands are very tempting all the same. Rent a bike and check out the Norfolk Coast Cycleway along the coast to Wells-next-the-Sea, where rustic beach huts give the area an old-fashioned charm.

Sands Dunes on Holkham Beach, Norfolk © Margaret Clavell/Shutterstock

9. Lose yourself in Languedoc, France

The windswept coast of France’s Languedoc region seems to go on forever as it stretches from the Camargue to the Spanish coast (when it technically becomes Roussillon). Even in the height of summer, there’s plenty of sandy beach to go round. On the western fringe of the Camargue is Plage de l’Espiguette, nearly 10km of untamed dunes and, refreshingly, not much else. If it’s beach bars you’re after, head to nearby Le Grau du Roi or La Grande Motte.

Plage de l’Espiguette

© Pixelheld/Shutterstock

10. Go wild in Galicia, Spain

The Costa da Morte in Spain’s northwestern tip might be known as the Coast of Death – thanks to a few too many nineteenth-century shipwrecks – but its beaches are heavenly. Carnota is the longest beach in Galicia, a wild 7km stretch of white sand backed by marshland, dunes and mountains. Stroll along the wooden walkways that cross the marshes and catch glimpses of herons and other wildlife.

Explore more of Europe with The Rough Guide to Europe on a Budget. Compare flights, find tours, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to buy travel insurance before you go.

written by Mary Novakovich

updated 8/30/2021

Mary is an award-winning travel journalist with a particular interest in France, Italy, Croatia and Serbia. When she's not writing about food and culture, she's on a mountain somewhere writing about skiing and hiking. Follow her @mary_novakovich on Twitter and @marynovakovich on Instagram.