Are These Europe’s 10 Best Beaches? New ranking puts Cyprus’ ‘golden sands’ beach in first place, claims Bournemouth has the UK’s finest stretch of sand
A new study has revealed the ’10 best beaches in popular European holiday destinations’, with Nissi Beach in Cyprus taking the top spot, while a beach in the UK beats Corsica.
Listing the top beaches is a popular pastime – and now travel insurance company Quotezone has thrown its hat into the ring with this ranking. First, 10 sandy stretches were chosen based on their popularity and location, then rated on five factors – average sea and air temperature in June, number of five-star reviews, average daily cost and wave height.
Each beach was given a score from 1 to 10 in these categories and then ranked based on an overall score from 1 to 100.
According to Quotezone, Ayia Napa’s golden beach is known for its sparkling turquoise water, golden sand and warm sea and air temperatures.
It continues: ‘This ultimate beach destination has been awarded the Blue Flag for cleanliness and offers a budget-friendly daily rate of €103 (£87), which includes everything you need for a day trip, including meals, transport and even accommodation.
The ‘best beaches in popular European holiday destinations’ have been revealed, and Nissi Beach in Cyprus takes first place (pictured)
In second place is Mellieha Bay Beach in Malta (above), which offers ‘crystal clear waters for snorkelling and swimming’
Portoroz beach in Slovenia (pictured), a ‘hidden gem of Europe’, ranks third
In second place is Mellieha Bay Beach in Malta, with ‘crystal clear waters for snorkelling and swimming’.
The research found that the average sea temperature was 22.5 degrees Celsius, there were more than 1,500 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor, the daily cost was €117 (£126) and the waves were just 0.13 metres high.
Portoroz Beach in Slovenia, a ‘hidden gem in Europe’, comes in third. ‘This destination is in the top three because of its combination of low costs, warm temperatures and gentle waves, making it a safer beach for young children,’ according to Quotezone.
In fourth place is Elafonissi Beach in Crete. It has over 10,000 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor, although visitors looking for a place to stay should note that the average daily cost is higher, at €184 (£155).
Zlatni Rat in Croatia comes in fifth place, with a total of 1,378 top reviews on Tripadvisor and an average daily price of €96 (£80).
In fourth place is the beautiful Elafonissi beach in Crete (above)
The photo shows the Croatian beach Zlatni Rat, which is ranked fifth in the ranking
La Pelosa beach in Sardinia is ranked sixth on the list of best beaches
La Pelosa beach in Sardinia is in sixth place, in seventh place is the Portuguese beach Praia da Falesia in the Algarve and in eighth place is Playa de Maspalomas in Gran Canaria.
England’s Bournemouth Beach is in ninth place.
Quote zone said: ‘Bournemouth beach offers stunning sea views and a pier packed with attractions for all the family, but England’s cold sea and air temperatures put it in second-to-last place.’
Plage de Palombaggia in Corsica, France, rounds out the top ten. According to travel experts, this is ‘largely due to the high cost of food, hotels and transport, which means travellers here pay more than twice as much as in the cheapest destination, Slovenia’.
In seventh place is the Portuguese beach Praia da Falesia in the Algarve (above)
Playa de Maspalomas in Gran Canaria is in eighth place on the list (photo)
England’s ninth Bournemouth Beach (above) offers ‘stunning sea views and a pier full of attractions’
Plage de Palombaggia, ‘an incredibly beautiful beach’ in Corsica, France, is ranked 10th on the list
| Beach ranking | Average sea temperature (June) | Number of 5 star reviews | Average temperature in the warmest month | Average daily cost | Wave height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa, Cyprus | 24.4C | 4,334 | 30.5C | €103 (£86) | 0.25m |
| 2. Mellieha Bay Beach, Malta | 22.5C | 1,580 | 29.2C | €117 (£98) | 0.13m |
| 3. Portoroz Beach, Slovenia | 23C | 148 | 21.7C | €93 (£78) | 0.3m |
| 4. Elafonissi Beach, Crete, Greece | 22C | 10,499 | 25.6C | €184 (£154) | 1.05m |
| 5. Zlatni Rat, Croatia | 22C | 1,378 | 23.8C | €96 (£80) | 0.27m |
| 6. La Pelosa Beach, Sardinia | 21.5C | 6,768 | 24.2C | €166 (£139) | 1.05m |
| 7. Praia da Falésia, Algarve, Portugal | 19th century | 4,042 | 24.4C | €137 (£115) | 0.6m |
| 8. Playa de Maspalomas, Gran Canaria | 21.3C | 4,971 | 24.6C | €151 (£127) | 1.06m |
| 9. Bournemouth Beach, England | 14.7C | 5,987 | 17.2C | €180 (£151) | 0.17m |
| 10. Plage de Palombaggia, Corsica, France | 21.8C | 3,394 | 22.8 | €233 (£196) | 0.48m |
Greg Wilson, CEO of Quotezone, said: ‘Travellers looking for the perfect summer holiday are looking for destinations where they can soak up the sun and relax on the beach, without having to worry about high waves and low temperatures.
‘Our team looked at ten popular summer holiday destinations in Europe and ranked them based on factors such as water and air temperature, waves and 5-star ratings.
‘Another factor we took into account was the average daily cost in each destination, including meals, transportation and hotels, as many families are looking for a budget-friendly vacation that doesn’t cost too much.
According to our 2024 European Beach Index, Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, is the number one beach destination with excellent scores in every category.
Nissi Beach is ranked higher than other popular European holiday destinations due to its warm sea and air temperatures, and is also one of the most affordable beaches in terms of daily expenses.
‘Plage de Palombaggia is an incredibly beautiful beach in Corsica, France. However, it is ranked last, largely due to the expensive prices in the area.
‘We encourage anyone still planning their summer holidays to explore Europe’s hidden gems, including our top three beach destinations: Cyprus, Malta and Slovenia.’
The independent research was conducted without Tripadvisor’s permission.
