20 of Europe’s best under-the-radar beaches

Even in high summer, Europe has plenty of unspoilt bays and hidden coves where you can escape the crowdsSurrounded by the unspoilt Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vicentina nature park, Odeceixe rolls out from the mouth of the River Seixe. It’s a world away from the crowded Algarve beaches further south, and offers excellent surfing and bodyboarding, with the river shallows ideal for small children. Blue-flagged, with lifeguards in summer, the beach is overlooked by a village made up of little more than a handful of apartments around a tangle of streets. Settle in beneath the vivid parasols at Bar da Praia for platters of black pork chorizo, Portuguese clams or fresh oysters, and book a simple apartment at Casa Dorita (doubles from £69 B&B on booking.com), most with fantastic sea views. Continue reading...

May 11, 2025 - 07:49
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20 of Europe’s best under-the-radar beaches

Even in high summer, Europe has plenty of unspoilt bays and hidden coves where you can escape the crowds

Surrounded by the unspoilt Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vicentina nature park, Odeceixe rolls out from the mouth of the River Seixe. It’s a world away from the crowded Algarve beaches further south, and offers excellent surfing and bodyboarding, with the river shallows ideal for small children. Blue-flagged, with lifeguards in summer, the beach is overlooked by a village made up of little more than a handful of apartments around a tangle of streets. Settle in beneath the vivid parasols at Bar da Praia for platters of black pork chorizo, Portuguese clams or fresh oysters, and book a simple apartment at Casa Dorita (doubles from £69 B&B on booking.com), most with fantastic sea views. Continue reading...