travel
February 25, 2026
PARADISE ON EARTH EXISTS The most beautiful beach in Europe combines turquoise sea and pink sand
A beautiful beach on the island of Crete has officially been declared the most beautiful in Europe.
TL;DR
- Elafonisi Beach on Crete has been officially named the most beautiful beach in Europe.
- It received the Travellers' Choice award from TripAdvisor for having more 'excellent' ratings than any other European beach.
- The beach is renowned for its distinctive pink sand, a result of finely crushed shells and red microorganisms mixed with white sand.
- Visitors can walk to the nearby islet of Elafonisi during low tide through shallow waters.
- To avoid crowds, visiting outside the peak tourist season is recommended.
- Elafonisi was also named the best beach in the world for 2025.
- Other Cretan beaches, Balos Lagoon and Falasarna, ranked second and fifth respectively among Europe's top ten.
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