The best European summer destinations do not change from year to year. The beaches that were the most beautiful in 2013, the Calanques of Cassis, the coves of the Costa Brava, the sand of the Algarve, are still the most beautiful in 2026, and the reasons are the same: the water, the sun, and the landscape. European summer is a ritual that has been repeated for millennia, the Romans escaping the heat of the city for the villas of the Bay of Naples, the 19th-century English aristocrats discovering the Riviera, and the modern traveller, the budget airline, and the same Mediterranean that has not changed in 5 million years. The destinations below were the best in 2013, and they are the best today. Here are five of the best European destinations for the summer.

1. The Algarve, Portugal, The Best Beaches in Europe

The Algarve, Portugal, the best beaches in Europe: The Algarve coast, the golden cliffs, the turquoise water, and the 300 days of sunshine a year, is the essential European summer beach destination. The beaches: the Praia da Marinha (the most beautiful, the cliffs, the arches, and the water), the Praia de Dona Ana (the smaller and the more intimate, the steps, the sand, and the best swim in Lagos), and the Praia do Camilo (the 200 wooden steps, the hidden beach, and the most beautiful view on the Algarve). The essential summer strategy: the early morning (the beach by 8.30am, the sand empty, the water cool, and the day yours), the eastern Algarve (the Tavira, the Cacela Velha, and the Ria Formosa, the quieter alternative to the central coast), and the September trip (the best month, the crowds are gone, the sea is warm, and the weather is perfect). See also: the Algarve weather guide (post #829) and the Praia da Luz guide (post #1340). More Portugal →

2. The Greek Islands, The Cyclades in the Summer

The Greek Islands, the Cyclades in the summer: The Cyclades, the white villages, the blue domes, and the sea that is the colour of a swimming pool, are the essential Greek summer. Santorini (the caldera, the sunset, and the most dramatic island in the Aegean, the essential strategy: the shoulder season, the May or the September visit, and the accommodation that is booked six months in advance for the best caldera view), Mykonos (the beaches, the nightlife, and the windmills, the most famous and the most expensive island in the Cyclades, and the essential strategy: the beach club, the €50 sun lounger, and the acceptance that the budget has been abandoned), and the smaller islands (Milos, the most beautiful beaches in the Cyclades, the lunar landscape, the Sarakiniko, the white rock, and the turquoise water. Naxos, the largest and the most fertile, the mountains, the villages, and the best hiking in the Cyclades. Folegandros, the quiet, the beautiful, and the most romantic of the small islands). See also: the Greek Islands natural beauty guide (post #811). More Greece →

3. The Costa Brava, Spain, The Wild Coast

The Costa Brava, Spain, the wild coast: The Costa Brava, the “Wild Coast” of Catalonia, the 200 km of the coastline north of Barcelona, is the most beautiful, the least developed, and the most surprising of the Spanish costas: the coves of the Cap de Creus (the Cadaqués, the white village, the Dalí connection, the house at Port Lligat, and the most beautiful cove on the Costa Brava), the medieval villages of the interior (the Pals, the Peratallada, and the stone villages that have not changed in 500 years), and the beach of the Tamariu (the small, the sheltered, and the best family beach on the Costa Brava). The essential Costa Brava experience: the walk along the Camí de Ronda (the coastal path, the GR92, the coves, the pines, and the most beautiful coastal walk in Spain. The section from the Tamariu to the Cala Pedrosa, 2 hours, the cliffs, the sea, and the best walk on the Costa Brava). See also: the Spain travel guides. More Spain →

4. The Amalfi Coast, Italy, The Most Beautiful Coastline in Europe

The Amalfi Coast, Italy, the most beautiful coastline in Europe: The Amalfi Coast, the 50 km of the coastal road from Sorrento to Salerno, the cliffs, the villages, and the view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, is the most beautiful drive in Europe and the essential Italian summer destination. Positano (the vertical village, the pastel houses climbing the cliff, the beach, and the best swim on the coast), Ravello (the villa, the gardens, the view, the Villa Cimbrone, the Terrace of Infinity, the most beautiful view in Italy), and Amalfi (the cathedral, the piazza, and the best gelato on the coast, the Andrea Pansa, the lemon granita, and the taste of the Amalfi summer). See also: the Italy travel guides. More Italy →

5. The French Riviera, The Classic

The French Riviera, the classic: See the French Riviera guide (post #782) and the Cassis guide (post #856).