Summer in Europe is approaching, and with it many hopes for the gradual return of travel and tourism. Fittingly, Tripadvisor has announced its top beaches for 2021, ranked over a period of one year using visitor evaluations and ratings, as well as ‘saves’ from TripAdvisor users, given the lack of travel because of the pandemic. So, here are their 10 best beaches in Europe, from white sands to rugged coastlines and clear waters.
1. Spiaggia dei Conigli
Spiaggia dei Conigli on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, Italy, is the picture perfect beach. White sands, turquoise waters and a cooling sea breeze to keep you refreshed after the twenty minute walk to reach this paradise.
2. Playa de Cofete
Playa de Cofete on Fuerteventura island, of the Canary Islands of Spain offers miles of beautiful wild beach, with mountains one side and blue water the other.
3. Falésia Beach
Falésia Beach is in Olhos de Água, Albufeira, on the Algarve in Portugal. The spacious white sand beach is set against incredible red cliffs, with a green-blue sea which is warm but sometimes wavy. A series of restaurant services make it the perfect place to spend a day on the beach.
4. La Concha beach
La Concha beach in the seaside city of San Sebastian Donostia in Spain is a unique city beach. The arch of golden sand runs along the grand promenade, offering views out to sea one way, and the splendid front of the Spanish old town to the other.
5. Bournemouth Beach
Bournemouth Beach in the coastal town of Bournemouth on the south coast of England, is soft sanded and beautiful, stretching for miles and offering plenty of space to swim, sunbathe and play in the sand.
6. Balos Lagoon
Balos Lagoon in town of Kissamos on the Greek island of Crete, offers a lagoon on the one side and a beach on the other. A stunning place for a relaxing swim and sunbathe.
7. Elafonissi beach
Another beach on the Greek island of Crete, Elafonissi is actually an island, separated from the southwest coast of Crete by a shallow warm lagoon and a sandbar, forming Elafonissi beach. With remarkable pink sands, wildflowers in the dunes and strange rock formations it is beautiful.
8. Plage de Santa Giulia
Plage de Santa Giulia on the French island of Corsica offers a beautiful panorama of white sands, turquoise water and rounded boulders either end of the beach. A soothing site to relax and unwind.
9. Kleftiko Beach
Kleftiko Beach on the Greek island of Milos boasts incredible turquoise blue waters with unique rock formations in amongst them. Boat tours offer the chance to explore these, or you can simply laze n the beach in the beautiful surroundings.
10. Porthminster Beach
Porthminster Beach in the idyllic beach town of St Ives in Cornwall south England is a large and beautiful beach, with its white sands fringed with palm trees on one side and blue waters on the other.
