golden sand half moon in sicily
The magnificent Sicilian resort town of Cefalù, 40 miles east of Palermo, juts out beneath dramatic cliffs. The town has a perfect half-moon beach with golden sand mixed with beautiful clear turquoise waters. Diamond-patterned medieval stone streets lead to lively squares serving excellent Italian food. In front of it is a beautiful Norman cathedral with twin towers and Byzantine mosaics inside.
David Innes-Wilkin
Tranquil lagoon in Portugal
East of Faro’s more touristy destinations lies the charming fishing village of Fuseta, between Olhão and Tavira. This entire coast is a natural park protected by sandy spits and islands, creating calm lagoon waters that stretch for miles. You can take a water taxi to a variety of completely off-the-beaten-path locations and be picked up at a pre-arranged time or call when you’re ready to head back to civilization. It’s highly accessible, yet happily remote.
Julia
Each week we ask our readers for travel recommendations. Various tips may appear online or in print. To enter the latest contests, visit the Reader Tips homepage.
–
“,”Credit”:””}”>
contour
Reader tip: Send us a tip and you could win a £200 Coolstays holiday voucher.
show
Tips from Guardian Travel readers
Each week we ask our readers for travel recommendations. Various tips may appear online or in print. To enter the latest contests, visit the Reader Tips homepage.
–
Atlantic rollers on the Algarve coast
The mile-long Porto de Mós beach near Lagos in the western Algarve is a true paradise. Watching the Atlantic Rollers hitting the beach is awesome and fascinating. After swimming or surfing, you can definitely grab a drink or two at Campimar beach huts. It’s also a great restaurant where you can enjoy local seafood and wine in the evening while enjoying views of the rolling clouds and hypnotic waves.
philip webster
Fourni Island in Greece is an unknown happiness
The island of Fourni in the northern Aegean Sea has been a favorite vacation spot for Athenians for a long time. It has many coves and beaches and appears to be popular with wilderness campers. Petrokopio beach was one of our favorite beaches. This was an ancient marble quarry and home to stunning white stones. Kampi is one of the most popular beaches and has tamarisk trees on its back. Here, visitors can relax at a Fellini-like table. If you’re looking for some solitude, take a fishing boat trip to Timena Island and visit the Paralía Kerameidioú bay, which has quiet, relaxing restaurants. Fourni is still relatively cheap to visit and has plenty of places to stay. You can reach Samos by ferry from Piraeus.
Jake Blake
Riga’s perfect sand ribbon
The beaches from Jūrmala to Bigauņciems, a few miles west of the Latvian capital Riga, are a perfect strip of sand that runs along the Baltic coast. Kemeri National Park’s pine forests extend down to sandy beaches and offer an extensive network of walking trails. We walked for hours listening to cuckoos and chirping. Visit in early and late summer for long daylight hours and comfortable temperatures.
Dylan Miller
Winning Tip: Cider by the Sea in Northern Spain
Instead of hot southern Spain, head to Gijón in Asturias. San Lorenzo Beach has beautiful promenades to stroll and a lively surfing scene, while Playa de Poniente has calm waters and rock pools where you can find crabs. While on the beach in Poniente, have lunch at Tierra Astur, which serves typical Asturian cuisine and offers expensive local ciders. Don’t miss the nearby aquarium. Visit in late July to see the amazing air show above San Lorenzo. Remember your earplugs!
Oksana Memedova