Quiet Escapes: 5 Lesser-Known Beach Destinations

Often described as Europe’s newest riviera, Boka Bay offers all the sumptuous beauty of the Adriatic with none of the frenetic pace of more established coastal playgrounds. Deep-blue water laps between towering, pine-cloaked mountains, while medieval towns, sleepy harbors and hidden swimming coves are to be discovered around every bend. Stay at One&Only Portonovi, where elegant rooms, suites and private-pool villas overlook the bay itself. Between days on the water, the resort’s Chenot Spa offers renowned science-led wellness programs, making it as much a restorative retreat as a beach holiday.

While its neighboring Cyclades islands draw bigger crowds, Antiparos still has a wonderfully understated appeal. Its eastern shoreline is naturally protected by nearby Paros, creating unusually calm waters, even during the height of the Meltemi winds. Sheltered coves such as Apantima are lagoon-like, with lovely, clear turquoise water. Along one tranquil stretch of coast sits The Beach House, the newest project from the founder of nearby luxury resort The Rooster. Here you will find lounge chairs generously spaced across the sand, olive trees as far as the eye can see and a deliciously lazy atmosphere. Eight beautifully simple guest rooms, beachside dining and ingredient-led menus complete a retreat designed around slow, uncomplicated Greek summers.

Long favored by sailors, Göcek is one of the Turkish Riviera’s best-kept secrets. Sequestered between pine forests and protected aquamarine bays, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean, it offers a sleepier, but also more authentic alternative to many of Europe’s better-known beach resorts. There are lots of hidden coves to explore by boat and you’ll have a smorgasbord of fresh seafood lunches to choose between on the marina. D-Resort Göcek captures that effortless sense of escape, with boutique accommodation surrounded by gardens and forested hills. Guests also have the option of boarding the resort’s private yacht and discovering some secluded anchorages before returning for dinner at D’Breeze and sunset cocktails at the lively Q Lounge.

Morocco’s northern Mediterranean coastline has been remarkably overlooked by global tourism, despite offering wide golden beaches, glittering waters and the lush backdrop of the Rif Mountains. Favored by Moroccan royalty for summer escapes, Tamuda Bay is magnificently secluded, with spacious beaches and a serene atmosphere that feels a far cry from Europe’s busiest resorts. The cultural riches of nearby Tétouan, with its Unesco-listed medina, add another dimension. Ultra-luxe Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay, which opened in 2024, sits on its own stretch of sand, with sea-facing suites and villas designed as a slick, but warm coastal enclave. Four exceptional restaurants, overseen by Michelin-starred chefs, and a pioneering Medi-Spa make it one of North Africa’s most incredible new addresses.

Make the busy Costa Del Sol a distant memory as you head West to explore the Costa De La Luz instead. Here, you have the same vast beaches and sand dunes, with far fewer throngs of holidaymakers. Playa de Bolonia pairs one of Spain’s most spectacular stretches of sand with some preserved Roman ruins, for example, while nearby El Palmar is developing a reputation for its pleasant surf culture, beach cafés and amber sunsets. Just a short ride inland, Casa La Siesta is a thoroughly restorative, utterly gorgeous base among the hills outside Vejer de la Frontera. Built in 2008 by founder Lee Thornley out of the ruins of a small outbuilding – using salvaged timber, handmade local tiles and traditional Andalusian architecture – this award-winning boutique hotel combines well-appointed interiors with private terraces and two tranquil pools, surrounded by lavender gardens, olive groves and rolling countryside. Peaceful perfection.

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