Filenews 30 May 2025
Lara Beach in the Paphos district is ranked by the Telegraph among the 40 best beaches in Europe for 2024, rewarding its natural beauty and ecological importance. The British newspaper published the list of the top coasts of the Old Continent, selecting locations that stand out for their authenticity, tranquility and environmental value.
Lara Beach, part of the Akamas Peninsula, is known as a protected sanctuary for sea turtles and attracts nature lovers and travellers looking for untouched landscapes and clear, sandy waters. The Telegraph singles out the beach for its wild beauty and low degree of tourist exploitation.
The list of 40 includes beaches from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Scandinavia, with Greece occupying five places.
Among the beaches from Spain is La Concha, the magnificent bay of San Sebastian. "Probably the most elegant city beach in the world, with a long, winding promenade and locals who actually use it. The strip of sand is wide and clear, the water is calm and the background looks like something out of a 1930s travel poster," reports the Telegraph. Other Spanish beaches on the list are Bolonia in Andalusia and Platja de Treumal in Catalonia.
But what about the north? The Telegraph chose to include Blokhus Beach in Denmark, a 100-meter-wide stretch stretching from Rødhus Beach in the south to Saltum Beach in the north, with beautiful sand dunes in the background. Also on the list is Haukland Beach, in Norway's picturesque Lofoten archipelago.
The 5 Greek beaches on the Telegraph's list
It's no surprise that several beaches from Greece are included in the list, such as Fteri beach, a dazzling spot on the island of Kefalonia with clear, shallow, serene waters and shiny white sand. It is accessible either by hiking or by water taxi, so it is more secluded than other beaches on the island.
Elafonisi may be Crete's "showcase" when it comes to beautiful beaches, but if you're willing to take a seven-hour winding drive to the southeastern tip of the island, the dazzling golden sandy beaches of Xerokampos with its crystal clear waters are just as impressive – only (thankfully) they attract far fewer people.
For a completely deserted feel, nothing beats Sharia, a tiny, uninhabited islet near Karpathos, filled with vaulted ruins of houses where pirates lived in the Middle Ages. A paradise for snorkelers, the main beach with its light-coloured, buttery sand leads to waters so clear that you can see starfish walking on the seabed.
The blond strip of sand, bathed in waters as blue as those of the Indian Ocean, perfectly corresponds to the name Seychelles in Ikaria.
With the honey hues of the sand embracing a circular bay, Voidokilia is one of the most impressive beaches on the Greek mainland. Framed by affordable taverns, this luxurious strip of land is a pole of attraction for nature lovers, who come to observe the migratory birds in the neighbouring lagoon of Gialova.
The island of "Captain Corelli" has many breathtaking beaches, but few can compete with Fteri, with the successive series of sandy bays, framed by pine-trees, white limestone cliffs and waters the colour of peacock blue.
These are the 40 best beaches in Europe, according to the Telegraph:
Spain
Bologna, Andalusia
Praia de Rodas, Cíes Islands, Galicia
La Concha, San Sebastian
Playa de Poo, Asturias
Praia As Catedrais, Galicia
Platja de Treumal, Catalonia
Platja de Formentor, Mallorca
Portugal
Porto Santo
Praia da Adraga, Sintra
Praia Fluvial de Monsaraz, Alentejo
Barril Beach, Algarve
Praia do Cabedelo, Viana do Castelo
France
Plage du Coz-Pors, Brittany
Calanque de Figuerolles, Côte d'Azur
Plage de Wissant, Hauts-de-France
Plage de Gatseau, Île d’Oléron, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Plage de Roccapina, Corsica
Dune du Pilat, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Plage des Fosses, Côte d'Azur
Italy
Baia del Silenzio, Sestri Levante, Liguria
Colellungo, Alberese, Tuscany
Calamosche, Vendicari, Sicily
Porto Selvaggio, Nardò, Puglia
Alberoni, Venice, Veneto
Greece
Xerokampos, Crete
Sharia, Karpathos
Seychelles, Ikaria
Voidokilia, Messinia
Fteri, Kefalonia
Croatia
Zlatni Rat, Bol, Brač, Croatia
Punta Rata, Brela, Croatia
Sahara Beach, Rab, Croatia
Elsewhere in Europe
Kraljicina Plaza (Queen's Beach), Sveti Stefan, Montenegro
Binz, Germany
Haukland Beach, Lofoten, Norway
Phaselis, Türkiye
Blokhus Beach, Denmark
Sandhamaren, Sweden
Ramla Beach, Gozo, Malta
Lara Beach, Cyprus
