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On a global stage, British beaches are criminally underrated. We may not have the gleaming white sands of the Mediterranean or Caribbean (or the blazing hot sun to match), but our coastline has more than enough beauty and drama to make up for it. Need a bit more convincing? Well, one of Britain’s beaches was just crowned one of the most impressive in the world.
Today (February 17), TripAdvisor unveiled the winners of its Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Beaches for 2026. And a British bay scooped up bronze prize in a brand new category.
Bamburgh Beach in Northumberland landed in third place on TripAdvisor’s inaugural ‘One of a Kind’ list, which recognises the world’s most distinct coastal spots. It was beaten only Sicily’s Isola Bella (which was picked for the Ancient Theatre of Taormina) and South Africa’s Boulders Beach (which was crowned number one for its thriving penguin population).
The pristine three-mile-long beach sits under the shadow of the magnificent Bamburgh Castle, one of the oldest castles in the whole of the UK. It’s believed to be more than 1,400 years and has starred in several big blockbusters, including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Last Kingdom TV series, The BFG and Transformers: The Last Knight.
TripAdvisor called the sprawling bay, which came 19th in it’s overall best in Europe list, ‘wild, wide and unforgettable’. Visitors can chill out and set up camp on the beach to take in the views of Holy Island and the Farne Islands, or take on one of the trails that crosses the bay, like the Northumberland Coast Path, the Bamburgh to Budle Bay Circular or the Bamburgh Castle Loop.
The Isle of Wight’s Yaverland Beach was the only other British beach to make the ‘One of a Kind’ list, coming in at number 15 for being a prime fossil-hunting spot. You can find the full ranking on TripAdvisor here.
Take a look at all of the best beaches in the UK, according to Time Out.
ICYMI: Northumberland was recently named one of the world’s best places for walking trails in 2026.
Plus: The legendary seaside town where you can find the UK’s only scenic rollercoaster.
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