Two Beaches in Greece Voted Among Ten Best in Europe

Two beaches in Greece have been voted among the best 10 in Europe according to thousands of travelers voting at the European Best Destinations travel site recently.

Manolia Beach at the Lichadonisia Archipelago in the island of Evia and Greece and Elafonisi in Crete make it to number 6 and 8, respectively.

Manolia Beach at Lichadonisia is located on an island complex in northeast of Evia. The isles are often compared to the Maldives and Seychelles, as they have stunning beaches with golden sand and turquoise waters.

The seven islands that make up the Lichadonisia chain, namely Manolia, Strongyli, Mikri, Steno, Vagia, Vorias, and Limani, are currently uninhabited and protected natural habitats.

The largest isle, Manolia, is the only island that was home to residents in the past and has a stunning beach that tourists flock to each summer. The island has abandoned homes scattered about, creating an eerie feel as you explore the terrain; however, the island is very amenable to tourists.

 

Elafonisi Beach in Crete, Greece

Elafonisi is an oblong peninsula, located 75 km from Chania, Crete which is full of sand dunes with sea daffodils.

The Natura 2000 protected area is separated from the Cretan shore by a lagoon, giving the impression of being a separate island.

The endangered loggerhead sea turtle and several more rare animals and plants find shelter on the island; the removal of any plants, animals, shells, or sand from the area is strictly forbidden.

Exotic beaches with white sand and turquoise water, reminding one of the Caribbean, are formed on either side of the peninsula. The sand is pinkish in many places as a result of the millions of crushed shells. Near the breaking point of the peninsula, the seawater is no deeper than one meter in depth, creating a small lagoon.

European Best Destinations’ top 10 most beautiful beaches in Europe:

1. Porto Santo Golden Beach, Madeira Islands, Portugal

2. Bolonia Beach, Cadiz, Spain

3. Seixal Beach, Madeira Islands, Portugal

4. Cala Goloritze, Sardinia, Italy

5. Mitjaneta Beach, Menorca, Spain

6. Monolia Beach, Lichadonisia Island, Greece

7. Baia delle Zagare, Vieste, Apulia, Italy

8. Elafonissi Island, Crete, Greece

9. Santa Giulia Beach, Corsica, France

10. Hel Beach, Poland — ETX Studio

The European beach that tops the list is located in Portugal in the archipelago of Madeira. The golden sandy beach of Porto Santo was voted the most beautiful beach in Europe by nearly 13,000 international travelers.

This sandy beach is known to visitors for its waters which are said to have therapeutic properties.

This selection, drawn up based on the preferences of travelers from all over the world, contains other surprises, including the presence of a Polish beach. While the destination is usually associated with city breaks, the Top 10 list reveals that Poland can also be a spot for a seaside stay, thanks to the Hel peninsula located in the north on the Baltic Sea.