Are you looking for a vacation with amazing views and where the sunset leaves you breathless? Then there is nothing like staying in a seaside resort.
Here are some Beautiful Seaside Escapes in Europe
Portofino, Italy
Similar to Monaco in the South of France, Portofino is known as a resort town for the rich and famous. It is a picturesque, half-moon shaped seaside village with pastel houses lining the shore. The crystalline green waters reveal a myriad display of aquatic life. A castle sits atop the hill overlooking the village. Hiking, diving and boating are just some of the activities offered. Castello Brown, the castle atop the hill, can be reached by hiking the path near the Botanic Garden. Visit San Giorgio Church and the lighthouse by another scenic path. Taste local wines and visit Villa Prato with is gardens and wine caves. Portofino’s ferries run to Camogli and to Santa Margherita, a seaside village with a beautiful beach and loads of shopping. These ferries run regularly in the summer. View Italy tour packages that visit Portofino.
San Sebastian, Spain
It’s said nothing is impossible. Well, we think it’s impossible to lay eyes on San Sebastian and not fall in love with this stunning city. The beaches are superb with golden sand and turquoise waves. A spruced -up seaside promenade, a renovated museum, and a culinary school all add to the city’s allure. The sublime mingles with the absurd atop Mount Igueldo on the Western edge of the Bay. Ride the funicular to the summit for the best view. Then visit the ancient amusement park, where rickety rides and classic carnival games remind you of the past. Hike up Calle de Zemoriya in Gros and follow the yellow trail markings weaving through lush forests and postcard-perfect panoramas of cliffs sinking into the sea. San Sebastian is also a culinary paradise. Highly regarded Basque cuisine is taken to exceptional heights as attested to by its many Michelin-star-studded restaurants.
Santorini, Greece
Santorini is known as the precious gem of the Aegean. It is made up of a group of islands consisting of Thira, Thirassia, Aspronissi, Palea and Nea Kameni in the southernmost part of the Cyclades. Santorini is considered to be one of the most romantic getaways in the world, where you can enjoy clear waters while perched on the rim of an active volcano in the middle of the sea. Enjoy the beaches with white, red or black sand or volcanic pebbles, spectacular rock formations and impressive lunar landscapes. You’ll find accomplished artists, excellent wineries, a unique brewery, as well as the ultimate gastronomic experience, as the island is a true culinary paradise.
Cote d’Azur France
The Cote d’Azur boasts remarkable beauty of its hills and land’s edge, the scent of plant life, the mimosa blossom and the impossibly blue water, which the coast is named.Impressionist and 20th-century artists were drawn by the region’s incredible light. Dozens of artists settled in the region, the result being a phenomenal artistic legacy. Matisse and Picasso both built chapels on the Cote d’Azur and left dozens of works to the city. From wild beaches and small typical ports, full-of-life sea resorts, adorable picturesque villages, famous cities, restful hills and mountains, to pine forests, fields of lavender, flowers and olive trees, renowned vineyards, Nice and Provençal specialties, and plenty of leisure activities, the Cote d’Azur has something for everyone.
Porto, Portugal
Porto, the country’s second largest city, is full of interest. Along the coast, holiday resorts like the cosmopolitan beach of Espinho, busy ports like Matosinhos, with splendid seafood, or traditional fishing towns add to the charm. Visit Vila Nova de Gaia, the lodges where Port wine is blended and aged. Take a river cruise along the Douro. Enjoy wonderful views over the river or a rugged and still unspoilt coastline.Here the slosh of the Douro against the docks, the snap of laundry lines drying in the river winds, the shuffle of feet against cobblestone, the sound of wine glasses clinking under a full moon; these are the sounds of Porto.
