The most spectacular coasts in Italy, Spain and Portugal

With the arrival of the summer sun, something in our body compels us to get out of the city and go searching for the nearest beach. Listen to your body! So, what more do you need than a guide to the best coasts in Spain, Italy and Portugal?

Find out the best coastlines, villages and beaches that you simply cannot miss on your holidays. It will be worth every mile you travel to get there and you’ll even have the satisfaction of being able to recommend these places to other travellers in turn.

So, what are you waiting for? Get ready for summer vacation on some of the best coasts of southern Europe:

1. Salento coast, Italy

The Salento Peninsula is technically in the Puglia region, though it is much more famous for being the ‘heel of the boot’ of Italy. With the Ionian Sea to the south, the Adriatic Sea to the north and not far from the coast of Albania, this peninsula is a pretty much intact coastline in a perfect setting.

Which corners of the Salento coast are truly unmissable? First of all, Lecce, one of the most beautiful cities in Italy for art whose old town has so many churches that the city is known as ‘the Florence of the South’. Secondly, Gallipoli is another essential Ionian coastal village that you must visit, built on a little island connected by a bridge, called ‘the beautiful city’ in Greek. Finally, you cannot miss Polignano a Mare, just 10 minutes from Bari where you can enjoy the most romantic and spectacular sunsets in all of Italy.

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2. Costa Brava, Spain

With its white beaches and shining blue waters, the Costa Brava is the most visited coast in Catalonia in north-eastern Spain. Its charm lies in its small bays and beaches, tucked away among the greenery, giving you unsullied contact with nature.

There’s so much beauty on the Costa Brava that it's impossible to take it all in with just a short holiday, so don't skimp but take several days to discover everything. The absolute "must see" sites include following in the footprints of Salvador Dalí in Figueres and Cadaqués; walking around the city of Girona if you are a fan of Game of Thrones, since a number of scenes from recent seasons were filmed there; and Cala Pola, in Tossa de Mar, a beach with 230 feet of real natural beauty.

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3. Alentejo Coast, Portugal

Stretching from the south of Setúbal all the way to the Algarve region, the Alentejo Coast is possibly one of the least known coasts in southern Europe with the best-preserved natural formations on the Iberian Peninsula.

Most of this coastline is part of the "Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina" (Southwest Alentejano and Vicentine Coast Natural Park) and is worth visiting for its amazing, wild beaches and its small, charming fishing villages. One of the best sandy beaches on this coast is Praia Zambujeira do Mar, with its impressive geological structures and its gorgeous sunsets. To really get a feeling for the history’s area, Porto Covo is especially recommendable, a little seaside town with white and blue houses just waiting to be photographed for your Instagram.

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4. Amalfi Coast, Italy

The Tyrrhenian Sea in the Gulf of Salerno in the south of Naples is home to the Amalfi Coast, a summer holiday destination for celebrities the world over. With a perfect combination of nature, beaches and Italian culture, it’s best known for the green steppes rising above the blue sea.

What can you do on the Amalfi Coast? First, go to Sorrento, with its high cliffs and the feel of a traditional Italian village that’s not quite a city. Then, move along to Positano to see the famous colourful houses which mark it out as one of the prettiest villages in all of Italy. Fall in love with Ravello, a town stuck in time where you can take in some truly amazing views. Top it all off with a tasty limoncello drink in Amalfi.

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5. Mariña Lucense, Spain

Mariña Lucense is one of those Spanish coasts that even Spaniards don’t know, either for its geographical isolation in north-western Spain or the relative lack of advertising for it. Going all the way from Ribadeo, the river border between Galicia and Asturias, to O Barqueiro, which separates the provinces of Lugo and A Coruña, this northern Spanish coast is a must for lovers of hiking and rugged wildlife.

Its 62-mile stretch hosts very good beaches, such as A Rapadoira, in Foz, a city-based beach and with plenty of services for visitors. The beaches at Barreiros are also recommendable, with rocky formations similar to those on the Algarve. Other rock formations in the area include the As Catedrais beach, one of the most famous beaches in Spain for its looming archways.

In terms of Galician villages to wander around, go to Viveiro, a seaside village whose walls have withstood pirates, inclement weather and the passage of time. For lunch, you can’t beat Burela, the main port of the Cantabrian Sea where they offer quality fish and seafood.

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