The 10 loveliest cities with beaches in Europe
Get a hit of city life and a toes-in-the-sand slice of the beach all in one with a visit to these European cities
ity break or beach holiday? There’s no need to choose – here are the best city breaks in Europe that offer both: buzzy urban life right next to stretches of sand where you can plonk your towel and nap to a soundtrack of crashing waves, from the Michelin stars of San Sebastián to the Twenties trams in Porto that lead straight to the ocean.
1. Copenhagen, Denmark
BEST FOR: SCANDI DESIGN LOVERS
Denmark doesn’t spring to mind when booking a beach holiday. But Scandi summers are irresistible – in June, Copenhagen gets around 17 hours of daylight, and temperatures can reach a surprisingly mild 20°C on average. Locals keen to make the most of it after a harsh winter head to one of the handful of beaches in and around the city. A short drive from the centre, Amager Beach Park is a man-made lagoon with 2.5 miles of white sand to stretch out on, dunes to climb and sea where you’ll find brave regulars and visitors splashing about.
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For cold-water lovers, more swimming opportunities can be found at Islands Brygge, which has a wooden pontoon for leaping off into the harbour.
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2. Naples, Italy
BEST FOR: A SWIM WITH A VIEW
Naples is known for its windy old-town streets and tumultuous Spanish quarter, where kids fly about on scooters and boisterous bar crowds spill out onto the road. Mornings should be spent here, as the city stretches its legs – but as the midday sun sets in, head south, past the widely unremarkable new town, to the water. The widescreen Gulf of Naples, with steaming Mount Vesuvius as its backdrop, has black-sand beaches and silvery water to jump into from the rocks.
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Time your afternoon swim so you’re drying off at sunset – the sky over the jaw-dropping hills leading away from the beach turns all shades of pink.
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3. Lisbon, Portugal
BEST FOR: A SHORT-HOP WEEKEND BREAK
For a burst of sun and sea almost year-round, go to Lisbon. Stay in Bairro Alto, a busy neighbourhood filled with locals drinking white port and tonics and eating salt-cod fritters, or choose charmingly quiet Alfalma. Do catch a tram when you can (number 28 is the one to look for to get that postcard shot) and head west to Belem for a stroll along the Tagus Estuary promenade and to try the best pastel de nata in town. Praia de Carcavelos is just half an hour away on public transport, or take the 45-minute train ride to Praia de Guincho for great surfing.
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Get above the city for the most spectacular views of those famous hills rolling down to the ocean at one of Lisbon’s numerous rooftop bars; try Park, a hipster joint on top of a car park.
What to do during a city break in Lisbon, Portugal
Destinations
What to do during a city break in Lisbon, Portugal
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4. Trieste, Italy
BEST FOR: POST-SWIM CAFÉ CULTURE
Compared to Italy’s big-hitting cities, there is nothing to write home about in Trieste – no ancient landmarks or instantly recognisable art or world-famous restaurants. And yet, visitors keep turning up; to fall in love with the place is just to get lost in its alleys. The soft pink light and wild wind have drawn writers and misfits for decades. The Adriatic crashes below the town, and locals make the most of the proximity to the water with regular trips to the thin strips of beach. Follow suit.
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More coffee is drunk in Trieste than in any other corner of Italy. Grab a table outside Caffè degli Specchi for one of the best espressos in the city.
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5. Nice, France
BEST FOR: MEDITERRANEAN MOOCHING
If you’re after French Riviera glitz, look somewhere other than Nice. Sitting pretty next to flashy Cannes and ritzy St Tropez, this seaside city is anything but a scene. It doesn’t even feel much like France (which makes sense when you learn that, until 150 years ago, it was part of Italy): a classic Mediterranean mongrel that pairs old-school Italian culture and faded grandeur with gritty urbanity. This is a city of pastels and sunshine with a retro-style promenade dotted with candy-coloured parasols. Splash out on a sun lounger if you plan to spend an afternoon on the pebble beach.
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For cutting-edge culture, head to Le 109, a revamped slaughterhouse that’s now home to quirky art exhibitions set to a soundtrack of techno DJs.
Destinations
The best hotels in the French Riviera
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6. Split, Croatia
BEST FOR: HISTORY BUFFS
Split’s polished marble streets and terracotta rooftops have sat for hundreds of years on a peninsula stretched over the sparkly Adriatic Sea. Founded by the Romans, the Old Town is inside the walls of fourth-century fortress Diocletian’s Palace. Along the shady, meandering, car-free streets, forward-thinking restaurants jostle for attention – try To Je Tako for fresh Mexican sharing plates. If you’re the spontaneous type, you can dive straight into the water from the city’s promenade. Croatia’s beaches are often rocky coves – head to Bene beach for soft sand.
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For an additional hit of nature, head out to Krka Falls where you can swim in crystal clear waters surrounded by the greenest trees.
By Katharine Sohn, Sarah James, Anna Prendergast and Tabitha Joyce, in CNTraveller