The best beach holidays in Europe

21.07.2023 - 07:33 / roughguides.com / Ernest Hemingway / In Europe

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 of possible beach holidays in Europe can be tough, so here are a few places that will get you in the mood for lazy days in the sun.

The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guides guidebooks — your essential guides for visiting the world.

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 relaxing beach holidays in Europe. 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.

If you want to experience the Dalmatian coast from a whole different perspective, then this tailor-made Sailing Croatia trip is for you! Hop aboard a beautiful cruiser and sail along some of Croatia's most stunning islands.

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

It’s hard to find beach holidays in Europe 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.

Experience the picturesque lakes of Northern Italy, including Lake Garda, Como, Lugano and Maggiore; explore the charming Borromean Islands – former favourites of Ernest Hemingway – and stroll the romantic streets of Verona and Milan. All of this, and much more, with this self-drive tailor-made trip!

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Best beach holidays in Europe can be found in Tropea in Calabria © leoks/Shutterstock

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.

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

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