Europe’s Best Swimming Hotspots for 2023

Europe's Best Swimming Spots


Nothing says summer quite like a dip in the ocean, as you bask in the heat of the sun, and feel the light dusting of salt crystals and sand on your skin. Whether you love to swim, snorkel, or play sports, if you’d consider yourself more of a beach than a pool person, then you’ve come to the right place; because we’ve got the lowdown on the best swimming hotspots in Europe.

To do this, we analysed multiple factors across the 68,000km of coastline throughout the continent, from water cleanliness through to bathing temperatures, average hours of sunshine and more. So, read on to discover the best spots in Europe, and get ready to be inspired to book your next holiday.

Europe's Best Swimming Spots


1. Elafonissi, Crete, Greece

Located in the southwest corner of Crete is the paradise that is Elafonissi Beach. Renowned for its pink sands and crystal-clear waters, its remoteness means that it’s never overcrowded with tourists.

Elafonissi has taken the crown as the top swimming hotspot in Europe for good reason. Not only does it have the most five-star reviews on Tripadvisor, at a huge 10,386, but it also enjoys the third most hours of sunshine in August, at an average of 360.5. It also boasts the fourth hottest bathing temperatures at a toasty 26.1 degrees.

2. Balos, Crete, Greece

Matching Elafonissi with its bathing temperatures of 26.1 degrees, Balos is a great place to enjoy a temperate dip, whilst enjoying the panoramic views. Its turquoise waters are one of the most photographed in Greece, and it’s a huge tourist destination during the summer months, with ferries heading to it from Kissamos every day.

If you’d prefer to go when it’s quieter, avoid visiting it in July and August. However, with 7,698 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor (the second most on our list), Balos is definitely worth exploring if you love swimming in the sea.

3. Navagio, Zakynthos, Greece

The second Greek island to make it onto the list, Zakynthos’ Navagio is the third best hotspot in Europe for swimming, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does it enjoy the second hottest bathing temperatures in August at 26.2 degrees Celsius (it ties with Sa Caleta in Ibiza, which makes it into position 32 on our list), but it also has the fourth most hours of sunshine in August, at 359.3 - ideal for the tourists who flock there to uncover the shipwreck, which is now completely surrounded by golden sands.

4. Rabbit Beach, Lampedusa, Italy

Nestled between the coasts of Malta and Tunisia is the island of Lampedusa, which is famed for its colourful marine life and shallow shores. See if you can spot the dolphins that circle the islands, or if you’re into scuba diving, discover as many species of fish as possible.

The bay of the Island of Rabbits is perhaps the most famous beach on the island, and it has the third most number of five-star Tripadvisor reviews, at 5,689, alongside the sixth most hours of sunshine in August (357.1). It also boasts the sixth hottest bathing temperature (26 degrees Celsius), showcasing how its position of fourth on the list is extremely worthy.

5. Myrtos, Kefalonia, Greece

For our fifth hotspot we’re back to Greece – this time, to the island of Kefalonia, which is the largest in the Ionian Sea and is known for its picturesque fishing villages and mediaeval monasteries.

Located towards the north of the island is Myrtos, boasting golden sands and azure seas lined with dramatic marble cliffs. The resort features the second most hours of sunshine in August, at 362.7, and the seventh most five-star Tripadvisor reviews, at 2,755.

6. Red Beach, Santorini, Greece

Greece storms the list of European hotspots, and position six is no different, going to Red Beach in Santorini. Named after the red sands that line the shores, and backed by huge volcanic rocks, this part of Greece sees the most hours of sunshine on average in August, at an impressive 369.

There are a few umbrellas and sunbeds here, but it still has the feeling of a relatively remote beach, perfect if you’re searching for somewhere away from the crowds, and want a relaxing dip on your own.

7. Porto Katsiki, Lefkada, Greece

In seventh place is Porto Katsiki on the Greek island of Lefkada, with 357.5 hours of sunshine on average in August – the fifth highest on our list.

With bathing temperatures of 24.7 degrees, it’s warm without being uncomfortable, making it a great place for both swimming and snorkelling.

The dramatic cliffs provide some shade on the beach, but if you plan on spending all day here, we’d recommend you bring your own umbrella.

8. Marasusa Tropea, Italy

Italy’s second appearance on our swimming hotspots list is the southern resort of Marasusa, in the heart of the Tropea region, which is often referred to as ‘the jewel in the Calabrian crown’.

Not only are bathing temperatures here the hottest, at 26.4 degrees Celsius in August, but it also has the ninth most five-star Tripadvisor reviews, at an impressive 2,417, making Marasusa worthy of its eighth place on our European swimming hotspots list.

And, for a fun fact if you do visit here – try the local delicacy “cipolla di Tropea”. It’s onion-flavoured gelato, that uses the region’s very own locally grown red onions!

9. Sarakiniko, Milos, Greece

In ninth place is Milos’ Sarakiniko Beach, with its unique white rocks that are often referred to as alien-like, that you can jump off into the calm waters below.

Boasting an average of 314.55 hours of sunshine each August, and 1,771 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor, Sarakiniko is popular with day trippers, so if you want the beach to yourself, then try to get there in the morning or late afternoon. You’ll also need to bring your own food and drink with you – because of its remote location, there aren’t any cafes or restaurants here.

10. Bolonia, Spain

Rounding off our top 10 is Spain’s first entry on our European swimming hotspots list, with the southern resort of Bolonia, situated in Tarifa. Stretching four kilometres, the beach is located in the El Estrecho Natural Park, and is right by the golden sand dunes, which look over the African coast.

Bolonia beach has the 10th most five-star Tripadvisor reviews on our list, at 2,319, and around 346.8 hours of sunshine every August, making it a great place to sunbathe, swim and snorkel.

As we can see, Greece dominates the top 10 list of swimming hotspots, but if we look at the resorts in positions 11-20, then six more Italian towns and villages make the cut, including Mariolu in Sardinia, in 12th place, which has some of the best snorkelling opportunities on the island, and Sansone in Portoferraio in position 16.

Two more resorts in Spain make it into the top 20, including Moro in 11th, and Cala Mitjaneta in 15th, located in Mallorca and Menorca, respectively. The first French destination also makes the list of swimming hotspots, with Palombaggia in 18th place. Situated on the island of Corsica, its aquamarine seas and surrounding nature makes it a truly serene hotspot – perfect for swimmers and sunbathers alike.

If all this talk of swimming and sunbathing has got you dreaming of a summer holiday, then you’re in luck! We offer trips all over the world, including to several destinations on this list, with cruises in the Mediterranean enabling you to discover and explore Greece, Italy, Spain, and much more.

Alternatively, if you’re after picturesque beaches in far-flung destinations, then we can help with that too – why not take a look at our selection of Caribbean cruises, and cruises around the Pacific Islands? Wake up in a new destination every day, and discover various cultures around the world – what better way could there be to spend your summer?

Methodology

The dataset ranks the top swimming coastal hotspots based on 68,000 kilometres of coastline across Europe. To do this, 5 different factors were used. Once the factors were collected, they were then normalised, to provide each factor with a score between 0-5.

The normalised values were then summarised, to give each beach location a score out of 5. The swimming hotspots were then ranked from highest to lowest based on their total scores. The factors sources that we’re used are as follows: