Italy · Europe
The Amalfi Coast is 50 kilometers of road carved into cliffs that drop straight into water so blue it looks Photoshopped. Positano tumbles down to the sea in a cascade of pink and terracotta. Ravello sits high above it all with gardens that look out over the entire coastline. Amalfi itself has a cathedral that's part Arab-Norman, part candy-striped fantasy. The beaches are small — wedged into coves between cliff faces — but that's part of the charm. You swim in impossibly clear water, dry off on a sun lounger, then eat the best seafood pasta of your life at a table overlooking the whole scene. It's expensive, crowded in summer, and worth every minute.
From Saint-Tropez's golden sand to Croatia's glass-clear Adriatic and Portugal's cliff-backed Atlantic shores — the definitive guide to Europe's best clothing-optional beaches, with practical info on getting there, what to bring, and when to visit.
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Madeira's volcanic coast delivers dramatic natural swimming pools, black-sand coves, and Europe's best coastal drives, while Porto Santo's 9-km golden beach offers the sandy relaxation Madeira's cliffs don't. Together they make one of the Atlantic's most complete beach destinations.
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The Albanian Riviera runs along the Ionian Sea with turquoise water, limestone canyon beaches, and Mediterranean prices from another era. Seafood dinners for €10, beachfront rooms from €30, and beach bars where cocktails cost €3-4.
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Volcanic rock pools, imported Moroccan sand, and year-round 18-23°C water — madeira beaches redefine the concept entirely. Add 2,500 km of levada hiking trails through UNESCO laurel forest and Portugal's most dramatic coastal scenery.
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Box jellyfish in Australia, man-of-war in the Atlantic, mauve stingers in the Mediterranean -- here's how to identify the jellyfish in your water, what actually treats a sting (hot water, not urine), and when to get to a hospital.
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A guide to Santorini's beaches covering the dramatic Red Beach, developed Kamari and Perissa black sand strips, the lunar landscape of Vlychada, Amoudi Bay's caldera swimming, and the volcanic hot springs, with practical tips on access, Ancient Thera, and why Assyrtiko wine matters.
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