Europe's 15 Greatest Beach Cities | The Mediterranean Traveller

Can’t decide between a beach break or the buzz of a big city? Why choose between the two? There are plenty of coastal cities in Europe where you get the best of both worlds. Ideal for a beachy weekend break or even a long term base.

San Sebastian

Along the Spanish Atlantic Coast is a contender for Europe’s best city beach: the stunning shell-shaped Concha Bay in San Sebastián (also known by Donostia, its Basque name).

La Concha boasts 1400km of beautiful sand that arcs around Santa Clara island.

This classy city is a famed foodie haven with its Belle Epoque waterfront and is backed by green mountains which protect it from the worst of the winds.

Alicante

Many tourists heading to Spain bypass the city of Alicante and head straight for one of the beach resorts of the Costa Blanca.

But it’s an excellent city break destination in its own right, something local tourists have known for years.

Its star attractions are the Santa Barbara castle and surrounding old town, and the wide palm-lined sands of Playa del Postiguet.

Nice

The French city of Nice was one of the Mediterranean’s original tourist resorts.

Its colourful streets and well-served international airport make a popular city break destination today.

Nice is known as the gateway to the French Riviera – but with its large pebble beach, old town, tasty food, and excellent art galleries, there’s little reason to leave the city.

Barcelona

The Catalan capital is the destination that has it all: plenty of fine sandy beach – the most famous being Barceloneta – as well as world-class food, art, architecture, and nightlife.

Little wonder this Spanish beach city is one of the most popular destinations in Europe.

Malaga

Another underrated Spanish city is Malaga, the capital of the Costa del Sol.

Andalucian culture is alive and well in the narrow streets of Malaga’s old town, where you’ll find the Alcazaba – an 11th-century Moorish citadel, Roman ruins and the new Picasso Museum.

Also named after the city’s most famous son is the promenade that runs alongside its many kilometres of sandy beach which is but a stone’s throw from the city centre.

Dubrovnik

The popular Croatian city of Dubrovnik attracts crowds of tourists for its immaculate medieval old town (and Game of Thrones filming locations).

But it also makes a great beach break. The most famous beach is Banje, which is located just outside the city walls so you can easily combine your sightseeing with a spot of sunbathing.

But you can also turn your trip into a beach break by staying in the Lapad area of Dubrovnik which is home to many resort hotels. The coastline and islands immediately surrounding the city are full of charming smaller resorts such as Cavtat which are linked to the city by boat in high season.

Valencia

Spain’s third largest city – gorgeous Valencia – rivals Barcelona for beach and culture.

It’s often overlooked by tourists in favour of the big two, but it has unrivalled modern architecture as well as a medieval old town, superb beaches, and paella of course.

Biarritz

The French Basque city of Biarritz is a surfer favourite thanks to its big rollers and sandy Grand Plage.

But Biarritz was also once a spa resort town favoured by the rich and royal, who flocked here for its cooling Atlantic winds and glitzy vibes. Come here for the waves, the pleasure-seeker vibes and the delectable pintxos.

Lagos

The beach is within easy reach of most of Portugal’s big cities – in Porto and Lisbon, it’s a short ride on the train or bus.

But likeable Lagos, in the popular Algarve coastal region, not only has sandy city beaches but is close to some of the Algarve’s truly spectacular cliff beaches including the famous stairs of Praia do Camilo.

The historic city centre is a maze of whitewashed buildings and patterned cobbled streets.

Athens

Not many people think of Athens for a beach break, but hitting the beach is the number one summer activity for those living in the Greek capital.

Athens is located right by the sea, and you can hop on the coastal tram from Syntagma Square and alight at any beach which takes your fancy. During the summer the city’s nightlife decamps to its many beach clubs.

If you’re looking for accommodation by the beach rather than in the city have a look at suburban seaside towns such as Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Voula and Varkiza.

Palma de Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca is the premier city of Spain’s Balearic islands and is also one of the best destinations for a beach and city break that you can find in Europe.

The 13th-century Le Seu cathedral and Serre de Tramuntana mountains provide a spectacular backdrop to the golden sands of C’an Pere Antoni beach.

The Palma area is a popular beach resort destination so you’ll find plenty of beach hotels and apartments along the coast.

Benidorm

Much-maligned Spanish coastal city Benidorm is often associated with boorish drunken Brits. But the lager louts have moved on and Benidorm is full of surprises: it’s now a popular beach destination for Spaniards and has an excellent tapas scene.

Once a tiny fishing village, its three Blue Flag beaches are now lined with skyscraper apartment blocks – but it’s also home to some of the continent’s most forward-thinking sustainable tourism policies.

For fun in the sun at an affordable price, Benidorm is hard to beat.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Las Palmas is a city on the up. Located in Spain’s Canary Islands, Gran Canaria’s climate is pleasant year-round.

Surfers and digital nomads come for the pleasant year-round climate and big city beach Playa de las Canteras and end up staying for the unique Canarian culture, colonial architecture, excellent hiking, sub-tropical flora and crazy Carnival celebrations.

Sarande

Albania is a whole country on the up, particularly when it comes to beach destinations.

And one of the most popular is the seaside city of Sarandë (or Saranda), which is easily accessed by ferry from the Greek island of Corfu and shares the same beautiful blue Ionian sea and fabulous beaches. It’s a lively modern city in the summer – with plenty of beach bars – and the area is also known for its historic sites.

Santander

One beach city which might not spring to mind immediately is Santander on Spain’s northern coast.

The Cantabrian capital has a lively nightlife thanks to its student population and also scores highly in the food and architecture stakes.

El Sardinero is the end of town where you’ll find the beaches.

A FEW MORE IDEAS

Alghero and Cagliari in Sardinia both have big town beaches with fine white sands
Ok so it’s not technically Europe, but Turkey has lots of great beach cities – Izmir, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Antalya, Alanya
Durrës and Vlorë serve up similar charms to Sarandë but further north in Albania
Montpellier and Sete in France are close to some vast dune beaches
Rimini is Italy’s most popular resort city thanks to its huge sandy beach, and don’t forget Venice also has beaches
Split is a worthy contender to Dubrovnik, and so are smaller coastal cities like Zadar and Sibenik
In Montenegro, you’ll find the large resort towns of Budva, Bar, and Ulcinj along the coast