Summer 2021 In Europe? 13 Beautiful European Beaches Considered The Safest Post-Coronavirus – Forbes

Sand beach in Porto Santo Island, Madeira Islands, Portugal.

Airlines are opening new routes and resuming old ones every week, increasingly expanding flights to and from Europe. Hotels are offering discounts. And countries such as Malta are even offering to pay visitors as the continent reopens its borders to foreign visitors and prepares for a more normal summer by early July.

In other words, all seems to indicate that the time has come at last for travelers to be able to plan a summer beach vacation in Europe, post-coronavirus.

Although the US has not opened to international leisure visitors from most of Europe, the European Unionsignaledlast week that it will ease restrictions for vaccinated travelers from outside the bloc, including Great Britain and the United States.

The E.U. shut its borders last year in a bid to stopCovid-19from spreading, but many member states that are heavily reliant on tourism are desperate for foreign travelers to return, reports NBC, noting that searches for E.U. airfares from the U.S. went up by 47%, according to the airfare analytics firm Hopper.

Here are 13 beautiful beaches selected as the safest in Europe by European Best Destinations, based on criteria such as lower number of Covid-19 cases during the pandemic and at the time of this article, on vaccination rates and on charters and health measures taken by the authorities in each destination.

These places have also been selected on the basis of the large offer ofprivate villas, tourist apartments, small- or medium-sized hotelswith specific health charter and commitments to travelers safety such as cleaning and room disinfection service after each stay and respect for social distancing, EBD writes.

The destinations selected impose no mandatory quarantine upon arrival (as long as the visitor has proof of a negative test), offer bars and restaurants that are open late or without curfews, provide supervised beaches and recognize thevaccination passport, with no additional test required.

The document to prove who is vaccinated on paper or digital formats is starting to be issued by the countries to help ease restrictions and open borders to international travel.

In Europe, theDigital Green Pass that the European Union is aiming to start issuing by June 21 is expected to be used by all the member countries.

For your safety and that of the most vulnerable people, we invite you to schedule your vaccination before you go on holiday, EBD recommends. If you do not want to do numerous tests, pleasechoose destinations that recognize the vaccination certificate such asMalta,GreeceandMadeira.

Malta, for example, which has the best vaccination rate in Europe, will roll out the red carpet for visitors this summer, offering up to 200 ($244) per stay per person.

Madeir- is offering free tests if needed.

At the top of the list is a beach located in a sustainable destination (EDEN destination awarded by the European Commission), so you have a combination of safety/sun/sustainability.

The coastal strip of Ghadira Bay in Mellieha, Malta.

Malta's largest sandy beach, Ghadira Bay in Mellieha, and its 12 beautiful covesis ready for visitors. As the largest beach of the 13 pocket beaches aroundMelliea, it has space enough for sunbathers to keep safe distances.

Nature, gastronomy and culture combine naturally in Mellieha, a destination that has been awarded theEDENlabel by theEuropean Commissionfor its commitment to sustainable tourism.

Malta has experienced up to four times fewer severe cases of Covid-19 than the most affected European countries. As of May 28, 2021, Malta had the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate in Europe,having administered 107.46 doses per 100 people in the country. Tourism professionals have been vaccinated as a priority to ensure the welcoming of visitors under the best sanitary conditions.

Maltas Tourism Minister has announced that travelers booking directly on the website of3- 4- and 5-star hotels in Malta and Gozo Island (not via Booking or Airbnb) will receive financial assistance of up to 200 per person with a required stay of at least three nights.

From June, restaurants and bars will be open until midnight. Masks on the beaches are recommended but not compulsory.

A vaccination certificate or negative coronavirus test (conducted at least 72 hours before departure) are required for a stay, without quarantine.

Panoramic view of "Porto Santo" island beach in Madeira Islands, with "Ilheu da Cal" islet as ... [+] background.

The Madeiraislands are among thesafest destinationsthis summer and count among the least-affected areas of Portugal, (and of Europe) along with the Azores, the Alentejo and the Algarve.

Wearing a mask is compulsoryonbusy streets but not if you are playing a sport or sunbathing on the beach.

Madeira is an archipelago made up of several islands.Porto Santo, with 5,500 inhabitants, is one of them and famous for its nine kilometers of golden silky sandy beaches.

For that reason, the island is also calledIlha Dourada (Golden Island).The year-round temperate climate and sea temperatures ranging between 17C and 22C, makes it attractive, through all seasons.

The sand of Porto Santo is considered to have therapeutic features and are used for "psammotherapy" (hot sands).

Ir-Ramla bay at Gozo through Tal-Mixta Cave, Malta

Gozo is one of the 21 islands in the Mediterranean Sea that make up the Maltese archipelago. Its a stunning destination known for its Neolithic gantija Temple ruins, rural hiking paths, great beaches and scuba-diving sites.

As an incentive for travelers to visit, the Maltese authorities are offering up to 200 per person (minimum stay of three nights and direct booking on the website of a 3-, 4-, or 5-star hotel).

Gozo is considered Malta's sister island but greener, more rural and smaller, with a spectacular coastline and some of thebest dive sitesin Europe.

Negative covid test or a vaccination certificate will permit visitors to stay without quarantine.

Praia Nova Beach in Algarve, Portugal

Almost untouched bycovid-19,theAlgarveregion in Portugal is one of thesafest destinations in Europewith eight times fewer severe cases per million inhabitants than many other severely-hit countries.

Surrounded by high cliffs and lush vegetation to the east of Senhora da Rocha Beach, Praia Nova is considered one of the best-kept secrets of the Algarve region. Clean air, beautiful walks along the coast and unspoiled nature grace this less-touristic area of the Lagoa region.

Along with its unsurpassed beaches, Lagoa also boasts picturesque villages such as Carvoeiro, Ferragudo and Porches.

Porches and the Algarve in general put measures in place very early to protect the local population and to reduce the spread of Covid-19 to become one of thesafest destinations.

Negative covid test or vaccination certificate will permit visitors to stay without quarantine.

A viewing point over the turquoise, fluorescent blue sea of Egremni Beach on Greece's Lefkada ... [+] Island.

With its turquoise waters, classified among the bluest water in the world, fine white sand and cliffs that flow into the sea, Egremni is one of themost beautiful beaches in Greece.

Located on the island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea, also one of themost beautiful islands in Greece, Egremni beach with its sheer cliffs has often been described as inaccessible.

Lefkada, connected to the mainland by a floating swing bridge, is surrounded by 24 islets - Aristotle Onassiss Skorpios among them. Other noteworthy sights on the island are churches, monasteries, picturesque villages and secluded beaches surrounded by lush vegetation.

Fancy a walk in the great outdoors? Park your car at Egremni beach and walk to Porto Katsiki, EBD recommends. Porto Katiski means "Goat port" in Greek. Because only goats could reach the area before. The beach is at the bottom of a concave cliff. Now it is accessible to people, too.

Greece very quickly positioned itself in favor of thevaccination passport and was one of the first to recognize it. Vaccination certificate or negative covid test taken 72 hours before arrival allow visitors to stay without quarantine.

Golden Beach Riviera Beach Ghajn Tuffieha in Malta.

Beneath the amazing, 17th-century, clifftop Ghajn Tuffieha Tower, where you can admire sublime sunsets, this unspoiled beach is known to cliff-walkers and bird watchers alike a safe and natural refuge during a sunny holiday inMalta.

With four times fewer severe cases of Covid-19 than the most-affected European countries, Malta has remained one of thesafest destinations in Europethroughout the pandemic. With thehighest vaccination rate in Europeand inducements to welcome travelers (up to 200 reimbursed per person, per stay if you book in a hotel for at least three days), Malta is positioned as a must-see destination of the year.

Located a few minutes from the famous "Golden Bay Beach," Riviera Beach is a surprising red-sand beach nestled in the heart of a natural bay and famous with Instagram users and nature lovers.

Malta reopened restaurants and snack bars until midnight starting May 24. Wearing a mask on the beach is not compulsory.

A vaccination certificate or negative covid-19 test will allow visitors to stay without quarantine.

Las Teresitas beach, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife Island, Spain.

Open to vaccinated travelers from around the worldstarting June 7,Spainis one of the top travel destinations for this summer.

Nestled in the hollow of the hills, with the village of San Andr in the background, its golden sands (imported from the Sahara) and its palm trees, Las Teresitas is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Canary Islands.

The Spanish Canary Islands are an archipelago of rugged, volcanic islands known for their black- and white-sand beaches. Tenerife, dominated by Mt. Teide, a dormant volcano that is Spain's tallest peak, is the largest island. Its best known for its Carnaval de Santa Cruz, a huge pre-Lent festival with parades, music, dancing and colorful costumes.

Las Teresitas, located near the capital, Santa Cruz, is popular with locals and far from the crowded tourist beaches of the Costa Adeje, where the main resorts are located. Tenerife is a destination that has found a balance in its tourist development, explains EBD. The vast majority of the island is preserved from mass tourism.

For a holiday away from the crowds, EBD advises the north coast of the island (Puerto de la Cruz,La Matanza de Acentejo andTacoronte, for example). For wild beaches far from mass tourism, discoverAlmaciga, a village of incredible beauty with a black-sand beach of volcanic origin.

Praia Grande beach and Fort of So Joo do Arade, built to protect the Arade river mouth in ... [+] Ferragudo, Lagoa, Algarve, Portugal.

The municipality of Lagoa in Portugal has some of the best beaches of the region and brings together picturesque places including Carvoiero, Porches, Ferragudo, the Benagil cellars and the trail of the seven hanging valleys (awarded as themost beautiful hiking trail in Europe).

With manyhotels and resortson a human scale, but also manyvillas with swimming poolsand a wide range oftourist apartments, Lagoa is the opposite of huge, anonymous seaside resorts. Rich in cultural, religious and gastronomic heritage Lagoa is also the capital of pottery.

Ferragudo, a former fishing village in the municipality popular with travelers looking for beautiful beaches, restaurants and local shops, is considered one of the most charming places in theAlgarve.

Praia Grande, as the name suggests, is Ferragudo's largest beach. Accessible both to people with reduced mobility and families with strollers, it has a play area for children, a snack bar, umbrellas and deckchairs that can be rented for a half day or for the whole day and at more affordable prices than other coasts in Europe.

The municipality ofLagoahas set up many standards to fightCovid: It was among the first cities in Europe to provide free masks to its inhabitants starting in the springof 2020, and also set up tailor-made support for tourism professionals to welcome travelers in high-level sanitary conditions.

Well sheltered, Praia Grande has few waves and currents, making it reassuring for families with young children as the water is not deep over a large area.

Ribeira Grande town on north coast of Sao Miguel island, Azores.

Renowned for its "Lagoa do Fogo" (hot spring) and chosen as one of the seven wonders ofPortugal, Ribeira Grande is a town located on the north of the island of Sao Miguel, the biggest island in the Portuguese Azores archipelago.

Sao Miguel is known for its volcanic scenery, flora and rich marine life, including whales. Ponta Delgada, the capital, is home to the 18th-century City Gates, Gothic St. Sebastian Church and 16th-century Fort of So Brs.

One of the largest beaches on the island Ribeira Grande, which bears the name of "Praio do Areal de Santa Barbonara" is popular for surfing and also suitable for a swim or a lazy day of sun bathing.

Particularlywell preserved from Covid-19throughout the pandemic, the Azores experienced25 fewerCovid-related deaths per million inhabitants than the most affected European countries and 15 times fewer severe cases than mainlandPortugal.

With its wide open spaces surrounded by nature, outdoors sports such as kayaking, horse riding, sailing, paragliding, trekking, paddle boarding and surfing, Ribeira Grande is a great destination to recharge your batteries this summer, EBD advises.

Praia do Areal de Santa Barbara is a supervised beach.

Vaccination certificate or negative Covid-19 test will allow visitors to stay without quarantine.

Preveza in Greece. and its Monolithi beach.

Known as a seaside gem famous for being no-pretentious, Preveza is one of those places in northwestern Greece, at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf, where you can literally just switch off and unwind.

With a mix of fascinating history and cosmopolitan cafes, Preveza is a favorite getaway for those who love the beaches with crystalline water and a languid way of life.

Monolithi Beach is the main beach in Preveza and at 22 kilometers long and 80 meters wide, the longest. In fact, it one of the longest beaches in Europe.

Greeceis among Europes least affected bycoronavirusand has taken extra safety and health measures to ensure a safe holiday for travelers. For example, air conditioner filters are changed after each stay and a distance of four meters is compulsory between each beach umbrella.

Known for its excellent value for money, Preveza is the anti-St Tropez, writes EBD. With affordable hotel, restaurants and cafs, this summer the town will also have deckchairs for free and cleaned between occupants. Greece has also cut taxes on flights, trains, buses and other services.

Cyprus Golden Beach.

With one of the lowest rates of severe cases of Covid-19 in Europe, the island nation of Cyprus, the third largest and third most populous island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, is one of the safest summer destinations in Europe this year.

Golden Beach is an unspoiled, yellow sandy beach on a peninsula backed by dunes and facing the Mediterranean.

With its turquoise waters and mythical places such as the "Aphrodite Bath," Cape Greko, or the "Bridge of lovers," and other legendary beaches including Nissi Beach, Cyprus is known as Europe's sunniest island.

Cyprus will have vaccinated more than 60% of its population by the end of June, one of the best rates in Europe.

Restaurants and bars are open now, most restrictions have been lifted, the curfew is at midnight and nightclubs will open from June 10 (upon presentation of a safepass, a document proving that you have recovered from Covid-19 in the past six months, a vaccination certificate or a negative test performed 72 hours maximum prior to arrival.

Beach at Puerto de Tazacorte, La Palma.

Less touristy than Gran Canaria or the Costa Adeje on the island of Tenerife, the island ofLa Palmaappeals to lovers of wild nature, surfing, hiking, biking and to enthusiasts of astronomy thanks to one of the clearest skies in Europe.

For that reason, one of the most powerful astronomical observatories in the world is located on this island.

La Palma is the northernmost of the Canary Islands and has been declared as a World Biosphere Reserve and Starlight Reserve.

Rugged, beautiful, surprising and spectacular are among the adjectives to explain its nickname as La Isla Bonita" (the Pretty Island).

The island's capital, Santa Cruz de la Palma, is a port town with narrow cobbled streets and houses with wooden balconies. The Caldera de Taburiente National Park has a huge crater-shaped formation and is covered in pine forest and cut by waterfalls.

Clean air and clear skies await you on this island that is up to10 times less affected by Covid-19than other regions of Europe.

Puerto de Tazacorte and Santa Cruz are charming, colorful towns that remind us of Havana, EBD explains. Waves of people from La Palma left for Havana in the past and some came back with a lifestyle, tastes and products of Cuban origin. It is therefore not surprising to count a dozen artisanal cigar factories in pure Cuban style in La Palma.

The black sand volcanic beaches of La Palma have an unsuspected quality: They accumulate heat and warmth from the crystal-clear water that comes and goes during the tides.

The volcanic sand beaches of Puerto Naos, Charco Verde, Puerto de Tazacorte, Nogales, await you for a safe and relaxing holiday, EBD says. During your stay, be sure to visit the pink salt shakers of La Palma as well as the Pirate Cave Poris de Candelaria.

Restaurants and bars are open until midnight and wearing a mask is not compulsory on the beaches and during sporting activities.

Negative Covid-19 test or vaccination certificate allow you to stay in La Palma without quarantine.

Halikounas Beach and Lake Korission, Corfu island, Ionian Sea, Greece.

Blessed by the gods,Corfuis one of the greenestGreek islands of the Ionian group and Halikounas Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

Defined by rugged mountains, the island offers exceptional flora and fauna, lush green hills, a resort-studded shoreline, interesting museums and many other idyllic beaches. Corfu Town is flanked by two imposing Venetian fortresses, features winding medieval lanes and the grand Palace of St. Michael and St. George.

Halikounas Beach is three kilometers long, perfect for respecting social distances.

Greeceis one of the pioneer countries recognizing thevaccine passport.

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Summer 2021 In Europe? 13 Beautiful European Beaches Considered The Safest Post-Coronavirus - Forbes