‘Golden sands meld into the clear turquoise sea’: readers’ favourite beaches in Europe

A half-moon of golden sand in Sicily

Forty miles east of Palermo, the magnificent Sicilian resort town of Cefalù juts out beneath dramatic cliffs. The town has a perfect half-moon beach of golden sands melding into the gorgeous clear turquoise sea. Medieval lanes of stones in a diamond pattern lead up to a lively square offering great Italian food. It’s fronted by a beautiful Norman cathedral with twin towers and Byzantine mosaics inside.
David Innes-Wilkin

A calm lagoon in Portugal

‘Accessible but blissfully remote’ … Fuseta, in Ria Formosa natural park, Portugal. Photograph: Tamas Gabor/Alamy

From Faro, head east away from the more touristy haunts and, between Olhão and Tavira, you’ll find the charming fishing village of Fuseta. This whole stretch of coast is a natural park protected by sand spits and islands, which make for miles of calm lagoon waters. Take a water taxi to a range of completely deserted spots and get picked up at a prearranged time, or you can call when you’re ready to return to civilisation. Highly accessible but blissfully remote.
Julia

Atlantic rollers on Algarve shores

Porto de Mós beach, near Lagos, in Portugal. Photograph: Olena Buyskykh/Alamy

The mile-long Porto de Mós beach near Lagos in the western Algarve is true heaven. Watching the Atlantic rollers hitting the beach is awesome and mesmerising. After a dip or surf, a pint or two at Campimar beach shack is well earned. It’s also a great restaurant in the evening for local seafood, wine, and enjoying views of scudding clouds and hypnotic waves.
Philip Webster

Greece’s Fourni islands are unsung bliss

Petrokopio beach, on Fourni, is the site of ancient marble quarries. Photograph: Hackenberg-Photo-Cologne/Alamy

The Fourni islands in the north Aegean are a long-favoured holiday destination of Athenians. They have many coves and beaches and appear to be popular with wild campers. Petrokopio beach was one of our favourites – it’s the site of ancient marble quarries and has wonderful white stones. Kampi is one of the most popular beaches and is backed by tamarisk trees. Here, visitors can laze in a Fellini-like tableau. For solitude, take a trip in a fishing boat to Thimena island and visit Paralía Kerameidioú bay with its quiet, relaxed restaurant. Fourni is still relatively cheap to visit and there are plenty of places to stay. It can be reached from Piraeus on the ferry to Samos.
Jake Blay

Riga’s perfect ribbon of sand

Jūrmala, on the shores of the Baltic, in Latvia. Photograph: Peter Schickert/Alamy

A few miles west of the Latvian capital of Riga, the beach from Jūrmala to Bigauņciems is a perfect ribbon of sand running along the shores of the Baltic. The pine forests of the Ķemeri national park run right up to the sand, and offer an extensive network of trails. We walked for hours, savouring the soundtrack of calling cuckoos and singing wood warblers. Visit in early and late summer for long daylight hours and comfortable temperatures.
Dylan Miller

Winning tip: cider by the sea in northern Spain

San Lorenzo beach, in Gijón, Spain, is popular with surfers and promenaders. Photograph: Blanca Saenz de Castillo/Alamy

As an alternative to the scorching Spanish south, head to Gijón in Asturias. San Lorenzo beach has a lovely promenade for strolls and a vibrant surf scene, whereas Playa de Poniente offers tranquil waters and rock pools where you can search for crabs. While at Poniente beach, have lunch at Tierra Astur, which serves typical Asturian dishes and has lovely good-value local cider. Don’t miss the aquarium nearby. Visit in late July for an amazing airshow over San Lorenzo – just remember the earplugs!
Oksana Memedova