Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com
Now that the summer holidays are in full swing, it’s time to take a look at some of Europe’s best seaside resorts. Here’s where everybody is headed this year.
Makarska, Croatia
Croatia is a C-shaped country that shares a border with Italy and Albania. It’s more famous as a drinking and a football destination that for its seaside resorts. But it does have a coastline with the Aegean, making it a great place for finding beaches and turquoise waters. Perhaps the best example of a great beach in the entire country is Makarska Riviera. The Riviera is a strip of crag and beach that runs between Split and Dubrovnik. And it’s a favourite among tourists.
It’s actually quite a large area, about 38 miles in length. But Makarska itself is built around a natural, bay area. What’s more, the whole place is overlooked by some of the most majestic peaks in the country. Mount Biokovo sits behind Makarska, soaring to over 5700 feet. This is why Makarska is a great place to go for people who want an adventure, as well as a beach holiday. The coast and the mountains are both crisscrossed with tracks, so it’s ideal for hiking.
Ribadesella, Spain
Spain is a huge tourist destination, especially for Brits. But most people make their way to the Spanish Riviera, Spanish islands or Barcelona. Fewer people venture to the northern coast of the Iberian peninsula. But they should. Here are some of the country’s best kept secret coastal resorts. One, in particular, Ribadesella stands out from the rest. Ribadesella is at the junction of the might Picos de Europa and the Bay of Biscay. Here jagged rocks meet the swirling waters of the coast, whipped up on their journey through the Atlantic.
Ribadesella is famously unspoiled. And it’s unapologetically Spanish. This area hasn’t become a generic tourist hub. There’s still bags of charm here. But it’s also where the Spanish themselves come to relax and chill out during the summer. There are something like 200 gleaming, white sand beaches around the town. And they’re all dotted around the otherwise unfussy fishing town of Ribadesella.
Corfu, Greece
Corfu has been an exciting holiday destination ever since Edward Lear painted the island. Since then, cruise companies like the Bolsover Cruise Club, as well as tourists have been stopping there. Perhaps the biggest appeal of the island is that it remains largely unspoiled. Tourists are contained in a few coastal resorts. But the rest of the island is relatively unchanged since Lear’s visit in the 1850s.
What’s funny about Corfu is that we think of it as a sunny tourist paradise. But the island takes a break from being an idyllic location from September to June. During these months, it endures bouts of torrential rain. The good news is that all this rain means that it has some of the most impressive olive groves in the Mediterranean.
Despite the regular flow of tourists, the island holds on to many of its ancient traditions. One tradition is the summer and autumn even of panegyri. This is a mixture of a religious pilgrimage and a traditional country fare. Here you’ll find market stalls, games, music as well as celebrations. Panegyri is usually very well advertised, so watch out for posters dotted about the island’s many towns.
Cies Islands, Spain
The Cies Islands have a distinctly Caribbean feel. The island’s beaches are white. And the sea sits between their many outcrops. But, of course, this is still the northern Spanish coast. And the water is still refreshingly cool.
Visitors and tourists are brought to the island from the Rias Baixas.
Cala Gonone, Sardinia
Cala Gonone is a Sardinian town nestled into the rocks overlooking the Mediterranean. In the past, the town was only accessible by sea. And, as a result, it has a distinctly maritime culture. Now you can access it through a road bored through the mountain under which the town is nestled. As you emerge from the tunnel, you’re immediately confronted with a steep street that runs all the way down to the sea.
On either side of the town are rugged, beautiful and undeveloped coasts. To the north, there’s just a huge cliff face that seems to go on forever. To the south, there are rocky sections and sandy beaches. The brave can attempt to walk from Cala Gonone into the mainland over mountain trails leading from the town.
Monsul, Spain
Is there such a thing as a totally unspoiled beach in Spain? The answer is a resounding, yes. Monsul is one among many unspoiled beaches encompassing the southern coast of Spain. Thanks to the Cabo de Gata-Nijar national park, this coastal region is undeveloped. And so it has a very different feel to other coastal areas only a few miles along the coast. The geology of the area is particularly unusual, for those who are interested. The coast is overlooked by many different coloured peaks, thanks to a series of different eruptions. There are mustard, bronze, black, grey and mauve mountains. And they’re all coloured by the different volcanoes that were once active in the area.
If you’re an environmentalist, you’ll love the area too. Here’s you’ll find some unique wildlife, protected by the national park status of the area. You’ll also be treated to beaches that have experienced no development whatsoever. Wealthy people have spent a lot of money bribing the government not to allow development in the area. And so far, their efforts have paid off.
Finally, Monsul is a great place for historians and people interested in history. Because it is located at the mouth of the Mediterranean, the area was once of strategic importance. Thus, there are dozens of castles and forts built in the area. These tell a rich history of pirate incursions and Arab invasions over the last 1,000 years.
Ile de Porquerolles, France
The French government has cracked down on development on the Ile de Porquerolles. And so for tourists, the area is relatively unspoiled. There aren’t burger vans, cranking out food. There’s just the gentle smell of pine and eucalyptus from the island’s flora. Beaches here are small, but it’s perfect for cycling.