Some of Europe’s beaches are so busy that soon you’ll have to use an app to book your spot – no, seriously, read about it here – but some sandy stretches are gloriously crowd-free.
To get a handle on which beaches offer the most (and least) space for sunbathing, Wizz Air measured 50 beaches across Europe and divided each one’s area by the size of a beach towel, and then divided that by the average number of daily visitors. The idea was to figure out exactly how much space a beach offers each person, and topping that list was the Beach of Durrës, on the coast of Albania.
‘Despite being one of the most popular beaches in Albania, it still provides a laid-back charm. Our calculations reveal that each visitor has ample space, with room for just under 65 beach towels per person,’ says Wizz Air, ‘This makes it an ideal spot for families and sunbathers seeking a relaxing day by the Adriatic Sea.’
Recommended: These are the world’s most beautiful beaches.
It’s worth taking this ranking with a pinch of sea salt – the Beach of Durrës was once named one of Albania’s most overcrowded beaches, so if you’re expecting vast expenses of empty sand, you might want to look elsewhere.
In second place was Camber Sands, a sandy stretch of coast in East Sussex, UK, and in third place was Zlatni Rat Beach in Croatia.
Now for the most crowded. Eight of the top 10 are located in Spain, with Playa Sa Caleta in Ibiza claiming the top spot, and Cala Macarella in Menorca and Barceloneta Beach in Spain claiming the top spot. The other two countries included were Malta (Mellieħa Bay) and Italy (Cala Goloritzé). Read on for all the most and least crowded beaches in Europe.
These are Europe’s least crowded beaches for summer 2025
- Beach of Durrës, Albania
- Camber Sands, England
- Zlatni Rat Beach (Golden Horn), Croatia
- Borsh Beach, Albania
- Plage de Pampelonne, France
- Brighton Beach, England
- Praia da Falésia, Portugal
- Mogren Beach, Montenegro
- Nissi Beach, Cyprus
- Playa d’en Bossa, Ibiza
These are Europe’s most crowded beaches for summer 2025
- Playa Sa Caleta, Spain
- Cala Macarella, Spain
- Barceloneta Beach, Spain
- Mellieħa Bay, Malta
- Cala Goloritzé, Italy
- Isla Canela, Spain
- Playa del Duque, Spain
- Playa de Maro, Spain
- Puerto de la Cruz, Spain
- Sant Sebastià Beach, Spain
Here are our top picks for the best beaches in Europe.
Did you see these beautiful cities that are ‘completely ignored’, according to Reddit users?
Plus: These are Europe’s best wine regions to visit in 2025.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
