Where Odysseus threw a barbecue: exploring Sicily’s Favignana island
The Egadi isles are said to have inspired the mythical islands in the Odyssey. Today, the largest of the group is a quiet place of blissful beaches, fresh fish, neon seas and ice-cream breakfasts
April 2024
Being back in the beach house that witnessed much of my 20s feels strange and wondrous – like a sort of time travel
Nova Weetman
Dalmatian spot: kicking back on Croatia’s Dugi Otok island
March 2024
Relaxed old-school glamour: springtime in Cefalù, Sicily
With its extraordinary architecture, maze-like streets and ever-present sunshine, it’s no accident that so many film-makers have used the town as a location
February 2024
Wicked Littlehampton: surf, sand, cafes and art in West Sussex
Just one Australian beach ranked in TripAdvisor’s top 25 beaches of the world
My memory of life and the markers of its passing are refracted through the sea
Paul Daley
Victoria’s Squeaky beach beats famous Sydney and Queensland spots to be judged Australia’s best
January 2024
Breathtaking: 24 secret beaches in southern Europe
Dreaming of warm seas and quiet, sunny shores? Our travel writers pick their favourite unheralded beaches in Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy and Portgual
Readers' travel tips
‘Prepare for the sunset of a lifetime’: readers’ favourite beaches in southern Europe
From remote sandy coves in Galicia to bustling town beaches in the Cinque Terre, our tipsters dream of sunny climes and limpid waters
Readers' travel tips
Share a tip on a beach in southern Europe – and win a holiday voucher
Tell us about your favourite south European beach – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break
December 2023
When is the seaside at its very best? In the darkest days of winter
Alys Fowler
Best reads of 2023
‘You can’t teach most people to spot rips’: can AI stop Australia’s unpatrolled beach drownings?
September 2023
Postcard from Bordighera: autumn sun on Italy’s Ligurian coast
Extravagant villas, wonderful food, exotic gardens and a calm beach attracted British expats to Bordighera in the 1880s – and it’s just as enticing today
Costa del Kent: sunburn and seaweed are no deterrent as England steams on hottest day of year
Viking Bay in Broadstairs almost matches the Med as the September heatwave breaks records
Brora, the best British beach you’ve never heard of
With great water sports, coastal walks, wildlife and an ice-cream parlour, this idyllic spot in Sutherland is the perfect hangout – and no one seems to know about it
August 2023
Health alarm as tide of rotting seaweed chokes UK holiday beaches
10 of the best seawater swimming pools in the UK and Europe
Shore wars: Greeks battle to save beaches from invasion of commercial sunbeds
The Var side: the quieter corner of the French Riviera
