Europe Best beachs Travel InformationShort
of shelling out outrageous sums for a private beach, most of us are resigned to
sharing our sand with the sun-seeking masses. A bit of local knowledge, however,
can go a long way in helping you find a secluded beach that hasn't yet been discovered
by the bucket-and-spade brigade.
Below, with the help of national tourist
offices and beach lovers in the know, we've compiled Europe's top ten loveliest
hidden beaches. Just keep them under your (sun) hat!
1. Mwnt beach, Cardigan
Bay, Wales
Secluded, horseshoe-shaped cove on the rugged Ceredigion coast
in Wales. Mwnt (pronounced Munt) has the protective eye of the National
Trust watching over it and a Green Award - the Blue Flag of rural beaches - to
its credit.
Stretch your calf muscles on a walk up to Mwnt's 15th century
cliff-top church or don your binoculars for a spot of porpoise-watching. 2.
Zlatni rât beach, Bol, Croatia
Croatia's necklace of Adriatic islands
boasts a string of fantastic beaches. On the island of Brac, an hour from mainland
Split, lies Zlatni rât (the Golden Cape). Day-trippers happening
upon nearby Bol, Brac's oldest town, are left wide-eyed at the dazzling triangle
of beach that lies beyond the shops and restaurants. Watch out for naturists swaying
in the wind. The mountain range behind Bol makes for fantastic sunset viewing.
3. Smuggler's Cove, Zakynthos, Greece
The Ionian island of Zakynthos
(or Zante) has its fair share of remote beaches. Set off on a mini-adventure
to the most secluded of them all, Smuggler's Cove. There are boats and private
charters circling south to the cove - allowing plenty of time for turtle-spotting
on the way. When you arrive, explore the 25-year-old shipwreck that sits
in the middle of the beach and climb the precarious cliff-top platform above it
for a spectacular view of the surrounding Mediterranean. 4. Skagen, Denmark
Miles and miles of untouched white sand dunes lie on the tip of Denmark's North
Jutland region. Stand at the 'Greenen', the point where the two Baltic waters
- the Skagerak and the Kategatt - meet and watch the waves lap in opposite directions.
The town of Skagen is also worth a look for the art museum. The entire
area is a former artists' retreat - painters flocked to Jutland for its brilliant
light. 5. Calgary Bay, Island of Mull
A surprisingly pretty
beach considering the wind-lashing it gets, Calgary Bay lies west of the town
of Tobermory on Mull's north coast. Heather tops the surrounding hills
and a 13th century abbey now houses local wildlife including puffins and golden
eagles. 6. Es Migjorn, Formentera, Balearic Islands
Who needs
the Caribbean when you have the Baelearics? Formentera is the smallest and least
developed of the islands - quite a different prospect from its high-living neighbour
Ibiza. Es Migjorn is blessed with miles of fine, white sand ensuring beach-goers
can find their own spot in the sun. Take advantage of the breeze and try your
hand at wind-surfing. 7. Poltu di Li Cogghj, Sardinia
On the
celeb-magnet Emerald coast in Northern Sardinia, beaches like Poltu di Li Cogghj
are suprisingly cheap to reach thanks to the arrival of Ryanair in Alghero. Costa
Smeralda has been an eco-friendly luxury paradise since Prince Karim Aga Khan
IV famously arrived in the sixties. Poltu is characterised by a row of pinkish
rocks that splits the alabaster sands. Watch out for Italian paparazzi lurking
in the rugged Mediterranean scrub. 8. Paradise Bay, Malta
Overlooking
the Maltese islands of Comino and Gozo - Paradise Bay, on the northern tip of
Malta overlooks Cirkewwa and requires some effort to reach but is undoubtedly
worth the trek. At the bottom of a flight of stone steps, be wowed by a
beach surrounded by dramatic cliffs and ultramarine waters. Hire a deckchair and
soak up the beautiful view before bracing yourself for the walk back up. 9.
Noirmoutier, Western Loire, France
Linked to the French mainland via a
bridge the island of Noirmoutier has some of the Western Loire's most unspoilt
beaches. All of Noirmoutier's 40km fine sandy beaches are crowd-free and
clean, making it a great place for unleashing kids. Head to the west coast for
the wide, dune-filled beaches or north for rockier coves. 10. Praia
da Ingrina, Algarve, Portugal On the southwestern tip of the Algarve,
in the heart of the Costa Vicentina, self-styled swimming beach Praia da Ingrina
is also one of Portugal's most beautiful nature reserves. Sea eagles and
falcons soar overhead and sheep graze in the surrounding grasslands. The environmental
value of the area has also meant hotels are kept at a minimum which in turn has
kept the beach deserted. Grab a pew at the beachside restaurant and watch
local fishermen coming back from the morning catch Croatia:
Kolocep Island [Adriatic Sea]
Kolocep is one of the Elafiti islands which
lie along the Adriatic coastline, opposite Dubrovnik at the southern end of the
country. It has some of the loveliest, secluded beaches in Europe.
The most
famous beach in Croatia is Zlatni Rat [Golden Horn] beach on the Dalmatian island
of Brac.
The down side: the standard of facilities are not as high as western
resorts, and despite the area's rich fishing industry [shellfish of the Adriatic
are said to be some of the best in the world], the cuisine does not have a high
reputation.
Best May-Sept, though July-August can be crowded and swimming
in the sea is only comfortable from mid-June to late September. Egypt:
Sidi Abdel Rahman or Mersa Matrouh
Long stretches of white sand beaches
along the Mediterranean coast from Alexandria and around Mersa Matrouh are still
undeveloped and uncrowded. The atmosphere is relaxed and people are fun and friendly.
Good selection of small hotels.
Best May-Oct. Avoid winter time and Ramadan
[Oct 15 - Nov 14 '04, Oct 5 - Nov 4 '05] and beware the Khamseen [desert wind]
around April. England:
Cornwall [not the Med, but close...]
If you don't mind cold, rough water and erratic weather then Whipsiderry, at Porth
is one of England's best beach contenders. Huge amounts of hard and soft sand,
scenic cliffs and plenty of rock pools and caves for kids to explore. Just north
of Newquay's famous surf beach. Best May-Sept France:
Corsica island
This French island is sophisticated, flashy and one of the best places for
water sports in the Mediterranean. Corsica's 600 miles of coastline has numerous
deserted shores and secluded coves.
St Restitude, near Calvi [North West]:
St Restitude is the place for a peaceful hideaway. A secluded small beach backed
by pine woods, with soft sand and clean water.
Palombaggia Beach, Santa-Giulia
Beach, Golfe di Sogno Beach, near Porto-Vecchio [South East]:
Port Vecchio
is an upmarket resort town spread over a rocky hill with its own beach, a yacht
marina, lively streets, and good range of accommodation, cafes, and restaurants.
The best beach is Palombaggia Beach, southeast of the town, a perfect crescent
of white sand sandwiched between an azure sea and a cluster of dunes, with an
excellent beach restaurant; other pristine beaches are Santa Giulia Beach [good
for watersports] a few miles to south, and around Golfe di Sogno to the north.
For more isolation take a boat or have a very long walk from St Florent across
to either Saleccia Beach or Loto Beach. Neither have facilities or many visitors,
just lots of soft yellow sand - including a mini-desert - and clear water. Saleccia
has a camp site beside the desert. See France Travel Corsica.
Best May-June,
& Sept. OK July-Aug , though hot and crowded like the rest of Europe. Italy:
Lampedusa island
This small island is more African than European.
It has clear sea and superb shores, and it offers some of the best swimming and
skin-diving in the Mediterranean. Most of hotels are within a short walk of the
beaches ; there are campsites as well. It's essential to book ahead in July-Aug.
Getting there: by ferry from Port Empedocle, or by air from Palermo. In summer
time you can fly directly from Milan. Best May-Sept, but avoid July-Aug if possible.
Italy:
La Costa Verde, Sardinia island [Tyrrhenian Sea]
Sardinia is quite wild and less developed than many islands, and has a lovely
coastline. One of the prettiest stretches in the Meditterranean is the Costa Smeralda,
the island's best-known resort area with 5 star development.
If you want to
get away from the crowds, La Costa Verde is a superb beach area. Also Santa Teresa
di Gallura [ a daily ferry service goes there from Palau] has stunning coves and
beaches.
Best May-June, & Sept. OK July-Aug , though hot and crowded. Italy:
Abruzzo [Adriatic Sea]
Fine sand, clear water and classic Italian
hospitality in Silvi Marina, with lots of after-beach sightseeing in Abruzzo's
mountains and medieval villages. Spain:
Costa Brava [far north-east
coast]
Cap de Begur is a charming area about 40 mins from Girona offering
plenty of Spanish culture old and new [Dali's weirdness lurks nearby at Figueres
or Cadaques], but also a collection of superb little beaches, ranging from Aiguablava
to nudist L'Illa Roja or family-oriented Llanfranc and Platja de Raco. Spain:
Murcia
Calblanque is an isolated 1.5km long, unspoiled, uncrowded
nudist beach with calm, clear water and firm yellow sand backed by hills. Facilities
are very limited. Spain:
Costa de la Luz
800 metres of fine,
white sand and low key developement make Agua Amarga village - embedded in the
Cabo de Gata National Park - a classic, relaxing beach resort, with excellent
wild walks in the Park too
Tarifa is another popular, attractive, low-key
beach area with few hotels but lots of activities. Due to it's location on the
most southerly tip of Europe winds are usually pretty strong which is great for
wind/kite surfers but can be irritating for swimmers or tanners.
Bolonia beach,
near Tarifa, is a 3 km long nudist beach, unspoilt and unsophisticated but a little
breezy and coarse sand, with all major services are provided. If it's too busy
for you try towards Cadiz, there are even less visited beaches along the road... Spain:
Ibiza island
Benirras, NW Ibiza, is a small, gorgeous, sandy beach
in a bay surrounded by rocks and pine trees. There are a couple of good, low cost
restaurants on the beach, but no hotels in the area, just a few villas. Access
Benirras via Sant Joan by car or bike. Best May-June, & Sept. OK July-Aug
, though hot and crowded.
Es Cavallet, in south Ibiza, 10km from Ibiza town
or 6km from Playa d'en Bossa, is 1km long, 30 metres wide, with soft sand backed
by dunes. The beach has character and is well provided with services including
music bars. Nudity is permitted and the dunes provide a gay hunting ground in
the summer. Best May-June, & Sept. OK July-Aug , though hot and crowded.
Salinas beach, next to Es Cavallet, also offers good size, soft sand, clear water
and full services, but in addition a pine border and adjacent Wildlife Conservation
Area for those who can't handle 8 hour tanning/drinking. Salinas caters for a
wealthier, more fashion-conscious clientele. Best May-June, & Sept. OK July-Aug
, though hot and crowded. Spain:
Majorca island
Relatively
quiet, 15m from Palma, Portals Vells is a pretty little cove with soft sand and
clear, shallow water.There are no hotels nearby, but there is an excellent beach
café. Best May-June, & Sept. OK July-Aug , though hot and crowded.
Es Trenc, a 3km long nudist beach offers white sand, dunes, trees and clear, calm
water, but can get very crowded. facilities are limited. <<
Back to World Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe. | 
