4 of the Best Beaches to Visit in Europe in 2022

You may have decided to go on that incredible European vacation that you have been planning all along. Then, you are going to discover some wonderful places. You may not have decided yet on the beaches to visit in Europe while you are there. No worries. We are there to help you to chalk out your schedule. The continent is one of the most culturally diverse and historically rich places on the planet. So, finalizing a few beaches to visit in Europe is a complex task. But we have managed to shortlist some of the best beaches to visit in Europe that you must visit. 

Top Beaches to Visit in Europe

1. Nerja, Costa del Sol

You must now rethink some of the stereotypes associated with the overcrowded beaches of the Andalucía that are surrounded by cookie-cutter resorts. There is no doubt that this patch of the Mediterranean coast was overdeveloped in the beginning and served as an example of what could go wrong when a coastline was not properly developed. But in recent times, the local government has restricted further development. They have brought down the worst constructions. Further, they have reclaimed a lot of coastal stretches with beautiful new buildings and natural landscapes. The Costas del Sol now gives international-level Spanish experiences without hindering the good-time holiday environment.

You may like the sand in small stretches that are surrounded by villages and scenic cliffs. Then you should go east from Malaga to a location where the mountains dive into the sea. They contain several beaches below their cliffs. The small resort town of Nerja has top views of this coastline. The Balcon de Europa terrace looms over some of the beaches. These include Carabeo, Chorrillo, and Calahonda. They are tiny and can only be reached through a footpath. But these natural coves are near the town center and separated by rock formations and beautiful cliffs. The pristine waters make the area very attractive for scuba diving and snorkeling. La Caletilla is situated in the center of town in the West of Balcon de Europa. It is easy to access and has clear waters that are outlined by rock outcrops. Here, you will get cafes, parking, umbrellas, and sun chairs. 

The longest is El Playazo that is located west of the center. It is a Blue Flag beach with beachside restaurants, showers, and lounge chairs. Nearly all the beaches have cool drinks, snacks, people selling tapas and chiringuitos. The Cueva de Nerja is a series of caverns that is situated near the beach. There is a chamber that forms a natural theater. Frequent concerts are held here. Overall, the location is one of the top beaches to visit in Europe.

2. Puglia Beaches and Torre Guaceto

The newest trending beach resort area in Italy is Puglia. It is situated near the bottom of the country's boot shape. The peninsula is enveloped by sea and alternates between clear sand beaches and beautiful rock headlands. They are not as crowded as the ones that are present on the North of the Adriatic coast. But you can get even more solitude in Torre Guaceto, which is a natural reserve. The reserve's beaches go on for miles and are backed by olive groves, maquis shrubland, and dunes. The areas near the parking lot can be very crowded. But the further you move on, the fewer the crowds. There are loungers present which you can rent. But they do not cover the major spots as often as they do at other beaches in the country. For dining, you will have to go south or north outside the reserve. But there is a beach snack bar there also.

The visitor center has snorkeling tours, bicycle excursions, and nature walks. On these tours, you will receive the required snorkel gear and bikes. There are also paths to cycle or walk through the entire reserve. Here, you can spot migratory birds and flamingos. There are star-gazing talks also included in the tours. The warm and clean waters present offshore are a part of the marine reserve and are popular with kite-surfers and snorkeling. There are many other beaches on the coast. There are also seaside cities that are filled with great Baroque architecture. The Ionian Sea meets the Adriatic at the tip of the heel. Here, there is a very clear coast of rocky headlands that has small beaches and deep coves. The Parco Naturale Regionale Costa Otranto protects these. There are miles of incredible golden beaches at the west of the tip of the heel.

3. Portugal's Western Algarve and Costa Vicentina

This place in Portugal has hundreds of miles of golden beaches and sunshine for nearly ten months of the year. So, it is certain that the Algarve is one of the top beaches to visit in Europe. But you do not have to mix with the large crowd. When you head west, you will find some of the gorgeous coastlines of the continent. Here, multicolored and highly eroded cliffs surround the golden beaches with much room to maneuver around. Sagres is the far western point where the land suddenly ends in high cliffs. Here, Prince Henry, the Navigator, had together some of the top geographers and navigators nearly 600 years ago to create the nation's Age of Discovery. Here, you can go to their fortress and peek inside the whitewashed churches of Lagos to look at the altars filled with New World gold.

After that, the incredible Moorish castle at Silves gives a more luxurious side to a beach holiday. Beneath Sagres, the five-star Martinhal Sagres Beach Resort and Hotel mixes the landscape above the long line of golden sand. Here, you can learn paddleboarding or surfing. You may even rent kayaks to explore the south coast. In the North, there are vertical cliffs that the open Atlantic has shaped. Here, some of the continent's best and least crowded beaches are mixed with world-class surfing. The Costas Vicentina Natural Park protects them. You can watch surfing competitions from the honey-toned clifftops or the beaches. Go to the East of Sagres to choose one of the small villages below the high cliffs. You can rent a paddleboard at the Lux or search for colorful arches and caverns of Porto de Mos. The highly relaxed Sagres is a good choice as a base for these activities.

4. La Maddalena Archipelago, Sardinia

Very few locations shout out privilege, glitz, and glamour as much as the northeast coast of Sardinia in Italy. Here, Aga Khan and his mates constructed a premium enclave of resort villages situated along the clear beaches and the pristine waters that they named the Emerald Coast or the Costas Smeralda. The top beaches here are the private properties of resorts and hotels. But the even better ones are free to access for the public. These include the ones on the offshore Maddalena Islands. It is a swift ferry trip from Santa Teresa Gallura. The islands are national parks and are protected from the development of Costa Smeralda. It has nearly deserted and endless beaches enveloped by some of the planet's top sailing waters. The low islands are situated just offshore and are ringed by white and pink sand beaches that slide gradually into the very pristine water.

The beaches vary in features here. Some are small coves surrounded by rocks, while others are long strands. Cala Grana is situated on the Isola di Spargi. It is among the most peaceful beaches. There are clean sands surrounded by tropical foliage and palm trees. You can easily take a stroll from the ferry landing. Local boats can also take you to your private island and come back to fetch you later. Get your refreshments, sun protection, umbrella, and towels. This is because several of these beaches are not so developed. Even so, it is surely one of the top beaches to visit in Europe.

Conclusion

These tropics are very exotic. It becomes easy to forget that several of the best beaches to visit in Europe might only be a short distance away by a bargain flight. The continent has many charming islands, small fishermen villages, secret coves, great beaches, and long alluring coastlines. There are so many great beaches that you may get overwhelmed in trying to pick the best ones. We hope that our list of the best beaches to visit in Europe will satisfy your quest.