The 3 best beaches in the world are in the EU

At least, according to Trip Advisor’s users and these guys know their stuff

Summer is definitely some time away so for the moment all we can do is dream about its vibes. Just in time to help with this lovely task Trip Advisor has published its annual ranking of the Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Beaches for 2024. And the awesome news is that the three sandy strips to snatch the top spots are all located in Europe.

The Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best are based on the volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community published over the past year. So, check out these eye-catching coastal slices of natural delight and spend a day at the beach this summer there if you have the opportunity. Remember to avoid overcrowding, and also, leave no trash behind!

Not all the best beaches are in the Mediterranean

Without further ado, TripAdvisor users picked the Praia da Falésia in Portugal as the best in the world. Interestingly enough, that coastal strip is both iconic and kind of not-too-known, depending on the type of tourist you are.

Located in Olhos de Aguas in the southern tourist magnet of the Algarve, it’s been well-known and respected by the Portuguese, yet it has somehow managed to escape global fame. Praia da Falesia is rather spectacular thanks to the red-coloured cliffs crowning its backdrop and providing a dramatic vista that is suitable for sun-tanning, surfing, walking or practising your photography skills.

The second-best beach in the world, according to travellers, is the Spiaggia dei Conigli off the island of Lampedusa (Italy). Its name translates to the Rabbits’ Beach and its appearance, even from a photo, is able to transport you directly into a Caribbean mindset thanks to its pretty white sand and transparent azure water forming a shell-shaped cove. The beach itself is part of the tiny Rabbit islet.

For the third spot, we swing back to the Atlantic Ocean, but this time in the Basque region of Spain and its iconic Playa de la Concha. That beach is quite well-known not only because of its shell shape that gives it its name but also because of the fact that it is the main beach of the city of San Sebastian-Donosti.

At this point, it’s hard to even say whether it was the beach that made the city famous or vice versa, but it shouldn’t matter. Next time, you head there bring your surfboard or a camera and make sure to visit the small islet of Santa Clara which serves as the pearl of the “shell” bay. You can swim to it year-round and you can hike to the lighthouse crowning its top.