A remote stretch of coastline boasting pastel pink sand, turquoise water, and a layered history on the southwestern tip of Crete has been named Europe’s best beach, topping TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Beaches for 2025.
Elafonisi Beach earned this coveted title by consistently receiving outstanding ratings over a 12-month period.
Split by the sea at its tip, the small Elafonissi Peninsula offers pink-tinged sands, cedar groves, and crystal-clear waters. To the north is a natural lagoon, and to the south, the open Libyan Sea. The beach’s distinctive blush colour comes from the crushed shells of foraminifera, microscopic crustaceans whose remains mingle with the sand to produce what locals describe as an iridescent shore.
In 2025, Elafonissi not only topped Europe’s ranking but also featured among the world’s best beaches. Ultimately, however, it was edged out globally by Mexico’s Isla Pasion. Other global favourites include Banana Beach in Phuket, Eagle Beach in Aruba, and Siesta Beach in Florida.
The global ranking analysed reviews spanning six continents, 50 countries and over 100 beaches.
TripAdvisor’s European top ten features other Mediterranean favourites: Balos Lagoon and Falassarna in Crete; Praia da Falésia in Portugal’s Algarve; La Pelosa in Sardinia; Platja de Muro in Mallorca; Paleokastritsa in Corfu; Spiaggia dei Conigli in Lampedusa; Playa de Maspalomas in Gran Canaria; and Palombaggia in Corsica.
Kristen Dalton, President of TripAdvisor’s core business, told Travel + Leisure that the awards reflect ‘the voices of millions of travellers worldwide’. She added that in her family, ‘beaches aren’t just for sunbathing – we like to get out and explore!’ She says that the diversity of this year’s winners ‘showcases everything that a beach trip can offer’.
At Elafonissi, the contrast is geographical. The eastern side is the most accessible, with sunbeds, umbrellas, a beach bar, showers and parking. To the north, shallow waters form a natural, knee-high lagoon providing calm conditions that are well suited to families with children. At low tide, a sandbar emerges, linking the shore to the small islet opposite. Visitors can walk across it, and even when the sandbar is submerged, the water rarely exceeds knee depth.
@creteunlocked Elafonisi Beach has been crowned best beach in the world by tripsadvisor 🏝️ #crete #greekislands #summervacation #vacationdestination ♬ original sound – 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬
Beyond the channel, the setting changes again. More secluded bays line the southern edge, offering a quieter alternative to the main beach. Trails wind through protected cedar groves which are marked off to preserve the fragile ecosystem. A small chapel and a lighthouse, rebuilt after the original was destroyed during the Second World War, add historical texture to the area. The area also attracts birdwatchers, as it serves as a resting point for migratory species travelling between Europe and Africa.
While the beach may have found fame in the age of Instagram, its history runs far deeper. In ancient times, the surrounding area was associated with the Moussagorai Islands, where it is believed that a sanctuary dedicated to Apollo Mousagetes, the leader of the Muses, once stood. Over the centuries, the islet was also reputedly used as a pirate hideout.
The name likely derives from elafos (deer) and nisi (island). Although deer no longer roam Crete, except for the dama dama species which is now only found on Rhodes, palaeontological evidence shows that deer once inhabited the island, including an extinct Cretan species dating back to the Pleistocene.
The best months to visit are May and September, when it is warm but not too crowded. By peak summer, the word has well and truly got out.
