It may not be the season of sunbathing and building sand castles just yet, but it’s never too early to plan ahead. While you may want to escape to Spain or the Italian coast, the UK’s beaches are not to be overlooked – we have our fair share of sweeping bays and crystal waters that are well worth a visit. In fact, TripAdvisor has included four of our beaches on a list of the very best in Europe, based on thousands of reviews and ratings by users over the past year.
Gorleston on Sea Beach near Great Yarmouth came in at number four on the list. With its curving, two-mile stretch of sand and adjoining promenade, it’s not hard to see why. Its bathing waters are rated excellent and 97 percent of TripAdvisor users have recommended it. At number 14 on the list is Weymouth Beach, on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. This beach became particularly fashionable in the late 1700s when King George III made frequent visits to enjoy the water’s health benefits.
Further down the list is award-winning surf haven Fistral Beach in Newquay. This is possibly one of the country’s most famous beaches and has been regarded as the ‘home of British surfing’. Major surfing competitions take place here throughout the year including Boardmasters in the summer. Finally, Bournemouth Beach also made it onto the rankings thanks to its well-maintained sands and the fact that it boasts some of the warmest sea temperatures in the country.
The number-one beach in Europe was Reynisfjara Beach in Iceland, which is known for its stunning black sands. On the website’s list of the best beaches globally, Baia do Sancho in Brazil came out on top.
You can take a look at the full rankings here.
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