The Best Coastal Stays in Europe

Where the coast is the point

Not every coastal stay is created equal. Some place you within earshot of the waves but facing a car park. Others put you so far from the water that "coastal" is marketing fiction.

The stays in this guide are different. Each one earns its proximity to the sea — through setting, design, or the simple fact that stepping outside and breathing the salt air is the first thing you do every morning.

Puglia's quiet coast

Southern Italy's Adriatic coastline does not get the attention of the Amalfi or the Cinque Terre, and that is its great advantage. The masserias behind Ostuni sit between olive groves and a coast that is still, remarkably, underbuilt. Casa al Mare is our pick — close enough to walk to the water, far enough to feel like the countryside.

The Welsh coast path

Pembrokeshire is the best argument for staying in Britain. The coast path is world-class, the beaches are empty midweek, and Tenby is one of those towns where the harbour looks like a painting and the fish and chips confirm you are in the right place. Harbour Cottage is our base.

Portugal's secret shore

Comporta has been a well-kept secret for twenty years — a stretch of rice paddies and dunes south of Lisbon where the beach goes on for miles and the development has not. Hillside Cabin makes the case for a week doing very little, very well.