Europe’s most-loved beaches revealed – with UK destinations beating holiday hotspots in Spain and Greece

By BENJAMIN PARKER

Published: 12:11 BST, 19 June 2025 | Updated: 12:11 BST, 19 June 2025

Europe is jam-packed with incredible beaches that come alive in summer – but some of the most popular shoreline spots are right here in the United Kingdom.

A new study has found that of the five most-loved seaside destinations across Europe, four are in Britain – with Welsh locations performing particularly well.

The UK beaches are ranked higher than any of the coasts in popular holiday haunts such as Spain, France and Greece.

Barafundle Bay Beach in Pembrokeshire was ranked in second place in the analysis from Holidu, an online holiday rental portal.

The Welsh bay has a stretch of golden sand and clear water – it is often compared to a beach in the Caribbean.

The beach is only accessible via a half-mile walk from the nearest car park, which gives it a true sense of seclusion.

Continuing to fly the flag for Britain in third place is the charming Traeth Mwnt on the west coast of Wales, known for its white sand and scenic coastal paths.

Woolacombe Beach in Devon is England’s first entry in the rankings, coming fourth.

The sand and clear water of Barafundle Bay Beach in Wales mean it’s often compared to Caribbean shores

Traeth Mwnt on the west coast of Wales, left, and Woolacombe Beach in south-west England found themselves in third and fourth place in the rankings

Italy’s Spiaggia dei Conigli, or Rabbit Beach, was named Europe’s most-loved coastal spot

The West Country spot is popular with families and surfers.

Fifth place returns to Wales, with the accolade going to Dunraven Bay in Glamorgan.

It offers a mix of sand and rocks beside dramatic cliffs, with low tides exposing rock pools.

In the full list of 25 beaches, 10 are in the UK.

At the very top of the rankings is Spiaggia dei Conigli – or Rabbit Beach – on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

It is famous as a nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles and is protected as a nature reserve, meaning it remains relatively untouched and calm.

The Mediterranean beach can only be reached by boat or on a 15-minute trail from the main road.

Closing out the top 10 most-loved beaches was Cala Mariolu in Sardinia, Italy, Playa de Cofete in Fuerteventura, one of Spain’s Canary Islands.

Dunraven Bay,on the south coast of Wales, is popular for fossil hunting and coastal walks

Cala Mariolu in Sardinia is Italy’s second entry in the top 10 list after Spiaggia dei Conigli

 Praia da Adraga is around 35 minutes by car from Sintra in Portugal, or an hour from Lisbon

They were followed by Simos Beach in Greece’s Attica region, Praia da Adraga, not far from Sintra in Portugal, and Playa de Matalenas in northern Spain.

The full list can be found on Holidu’s website.

The list was compiled using data from Google Maps, analysing thousands of reviews and ratings.

Earlier this month, Europe’s sunniest beach was named as Oludeniz Beach in Fethiye, Turkey.

Visitors can expect highs of 32 degrees and nearly 10 and a half hours of sunshine a day.

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Europe’s most-loved beaches revealed – with UK destinations beating holiday hotspots in Spain and Greece

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