Europe’s best beaches for 2026 revealed

When people think of Europe’s best beaches, it’s usually the Mediterranean’s famous hotspots that come to mind. But this year’s rankings tell a different story, with Wales emerging as one of the continent’s biggest success stories and the UK claiming an impressive seven places in the top 25.

The latest ranking by holiday rental platform Holidu, based on thousands of Google Maps reviews, highlights a mix of iconic destinations and lesser-known coastal gems that travellers across Europe are falling in love with.

Italy once again takes the crown, but Britain’s coastline has never looked stronger.

Italy’s Rabbit Beach remains number one

Holding onto first place is Spiaggia dei Conigli (Rabbit Beach) on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Renowned for its dazzling white sand, crystal-clear turquoise waters and protected nature reserve, the beach continues to attract visitors from around the world. It also serves as an important nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles, adding to its appeal for nature lovers.

Wales steals the spotlight

Forget the clichés about British beaches.

Wales is this year's breakout destination, with Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire taking second place and Traeth Mwnt in Ceredigion following close behind in third.

Barafundle Bay is only accessible via a scenic walk, rewarding visitors with a secluded sweep of golden sand framed by dunes and pine trees. Meanwhile, Traeth Mwnt combines a picture-perfect beach with dramatic coastal views, wildlife spotting and one of Wales' most photographed little churches overlooking the bay.

Not bad for a country better known for castles than beach holidays.

Mallorca makes a big entrance

Spain’s highest-ranked beach is Platja de Muro in Mallorca, which debuts in fourth place.

Stretching for kilometres along Mallorca’s northern coast, the beach is known for its soft white sand and shallow, turquoise waters, making it particularly popular with families. It also boasts the highest number of reviews among the top 10 beaches, underlining its growing popularity.

Sardinia rounds out the top five

Rounding out the top five is Cala Mariolu, one of Sardinia's most spectacular coves.

Getting there takes a little effort,  it's only accessible by boat or a demanding hike,  but those who make the journey are rewarded with dazzling blue water, dramatic limestone cliffs and some of the clearest sea you'll find anywhere in Europe.

It's exactly the sort of place people are tempted to keep secret.

The top five beaches in Europe

1. Spiaggia dei Conigli, Lampedusa, Italy
2. Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK
3. Traeth Mwnt, Ceredigion, Wales, UK
4. Platja de Muro, Mallorca, Spain
5. Cala Mariolu, Sardinia, Italy

The UK has seven beaches featured in the overall top 25, with new entries from Devon, Dorset, East Sussex and Northern Ireland joining the list. The strong showing suggests Britain's coastline is increasingly winning over travellers looking for scenic, less crowded alternatives to southern Europe.

Portugal's Algarve continues to cement its reputation as one of Europe's premier beach destinations, with five beaches making the top 25. Known for its dramatic cliffs, golden sand and Atlantic scenery, the region remains one of the continent's most sought-after coastal escapes.

Meanwhile, Spain also sees Playa de Sotavento de Jandía in Fuerteventura break into the top 10, while Greece's Kedrodasos Beach on Crete makes its first appearance in the top 25.

The ranking was created by analysing more than 9,500 beach listings across Europe's coastal regions using Google Maps data. Beaches were ranked according to their average Google Maps rating, with those receiving more reviews given priority where ratings were tied. Beaches with fewer than 100 reviews were excluded to ensure the results reflected consistently high visitor satisfaction.

The data was collected in May 2026.

While this ranking highlights some of Europe’s most talked-about beaches, it also shows just how much choice there is when it comes to a summer escape. And if you’re in Malta and fancy a trip, you’re in a pretty good spot to make it happen.

Most of these top-ranked beaches are just a few hours away by plane, making it easy to swap familiar shores for something completely different without going too far. From secluded coves that require a bit of effort to reach, to long sandy stretches built for lazy beach days, there’s something here for every kind of traveller.

Check out the full ranking here.