written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 13.12.2022
This article is inspired by our Rough Guides guidebooks — your essential guides for travelling the world.
Porthcurno, one of the more incredible beaches in the UK © Shutterstock
Find accommodation near Torre Guaceto reserve.
Italy is full of gorgeous places to visit. Why stop at the beach? Read our guide to the most beautiful places in Italy.
The secret beach of Torre Guaceto Reserve © Shutterstock
Ramla Bay is one of the best beaches in Europe © Shutterstock
Find your accommodation in Vik, Iceland.
The beautiful black sandy beaches of Iceland © Filip Fuxa/Shutterstock
Ready to see the most spectacular beaches that France has to offer? Our tailor-made trip service makes travelling easy by taking care of the planning and booking. Our French Riviera trip allows you to immerse yourself in the Mediterranean lifestyle with a five-day trip soaking up the sun. Our trips are crafted by local travel experts and are completely customisable.
Pink granite with a few pink sand beaches, Ploumanac’h, France © olrat/Shutterstock
Cala Turqueta. Menorca, one of the best beaches in Europe © Artyart/Shutterstock
Find accommodation in Formentera on any budget.
Platja de ses Illetes, one of the most heavenly secret beaches in Formentera © Laura PI/Shutterstock
Beach facilities at Falsterbo, a sublime beach located in Sweden © Tomas Lissaker/Shutterstock
Palanga is one of the best beaches in Europe © Dmitrii Iarusov/Shutterstock
Want to avoid the tourism of Southern Spain? Our tailor-made trip service makes travelling easy by taking care of the planning and booking. Our Northern Spanish trip takes you to beautiful beaches in the North Coast, away from the touristy southern areas. Our trips are completely customisable and crafted by local travel experts.
The blue lagoon of the heavenly beach in Playa de la Concha, Spain © Botond Horvath/Shutterstock
Find accommodations in Troia and experience the incredible beaches.
This paradise sandy beach is one of the best beaches in Europe (Troia, Portugal ) © Miguel Couto/Shutterstock
Find accommodations near Butterfly Valley in Turkey
The wild beaches of Butterfly Valley © Najdet Duzen/Shutterstock
Panorama of Lara beach one of the most beautiful of Cyprus island © Claudio Soldi/Shutterstock
Find a stay nearby Rabbit Beach in Sicily.
Lampedusa Island Sicily - Rabbit Beach and Rabbit Island Lampedusa © jackbolla/Shutterstock
Browse thousands of accommodations in Galicia.
View of Playa de las Catedrales in Ribadeo, Galicia, Spain © Carlos Sanchez Benayas/Shutterstock
France has many summer holidays to offer. Don't miss our guide to the best beaches in France.
Find the stay of your dreams and browse accommodations in Biarritz, France.
Biarritz Grande Plage, France © Thomas Dutour/Shutterstock
Find your perfect accommodation in Sylt, Germany.
Sylt at the North Sea, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany © Thorsten Schier/Shutterstock
With over 200 fantastic islands in Greece, it can be overwhelming to know which ones to visit. Our tailor-made trip service takes the stress out of planning and booking. Our Greek Island Hopping Honeymoon trip takes you through Milos, Naxos, and the best beaches that the Greek Islands have to offer.
© Shutterstock
Find your perfect stay in Golden Sands, Bulgaria.
Panoramic view of Golden Sands beach (Zlatni Piasci) in Bulgaria © Aleksandar Todorovic/Shutterstock
Curious to see what other beaches Croatia has to offer? Don't miss our guide to the best beaches in Croatia.
Brela beach, Croatia © lukaszimilena/Shutterstock
Find accommodation in the Gower peninsula near Rhossili Bay.
Rhossili Bay, Wales, UK © Steve Mann/Shutterstock
Plage de Saleccia, Corsica © Mathieu CRON/Shutterstock
Ready to visit the largest of the Greek islands? Our tailor-made trip service makes travelling easy by taking care of the planning and booking. Our Along the Coast of Crete trip takes you through Crete's best beaches and cultural sites.
Elafonsi, one of the best beaches in Europe © Shutterstock
Greece has so many fantastic beaches with crystal clear waters, we can hardly mention them all here. Don't miss our guide to the best beaches in Greece.
Porto Katsiki beach, one of the best beaches in Europe © Shutterstock
This list could truly go on. There are countless fantastic beaches to visit in Europe. Ready to start planning your trip? Check out the Rough Guide to Greece, Rough Guide to Spain, or any of our other Rough Guides. Read more about the best time to go, the best places to visit and best things to do in Europe.
If you prefer to plan and book your trip to Europe without any effort and hassle, use the expertise of our local travel experts to make sure your trip will be just like you dream it to be.
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Top image © Swellphotography/Shutterstock