City life is often associated with busy streets and tall buildings, which is so far true. But does that mean you can’t splash in the water and have a beach holiday for that reason? Absolutely not – several of the largest cities and capitals in Europe allow you to combine city life with a beach holiday. Now we’ll take a closer look at where you can do just that.
Barcelona, Spain
Perhaps the best alternative to a city break combined with swimming is probably Barcelona. The Spanish city has many beautiful sandy beaches, located close to the center. The largest and most popular tourist beach is called La Barceloneta, and you can not count on sunbathing or enjoying the bathing water alone here. Near the center itself there are also several other beaches, but you have to take a short drive to experience the more “untouched” sandy beaches along the Spanish coast.
Las Palmas, Spain
A very good alternative to city life combined with a beach holiday is Las Palmas. The city compares itself with Barcelona, although in terms of size it is a good deal smaller. Las Palmas is the capital of Gran Canaria, and although most tourists who visit the island visit the smaller seaside resorts further south, Las Palmas is the very best option for you who want the feeling of big city, but also access to beautiful beaches. For the latter, there are many, close to the city center where most tourist hotels are located.
Athens, Greece
Greece with its crystal clear bathing water and its warm temperatures is an excellent choice for city life and beach holidays. The capital Athens is a vibrant and exciting city, which has many beaches just outside the city center. On some beaches you have to pay to get in, but this is usually worth it due to the high standard. Just outside Athens you will also find a number of “seaside resorts”, so you can choose to experience both big city and small town in one and the same holiday with the help of a short drive.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is hardly known as the number one bathing destination, thanks to the northern and at times cool climate. But in the summer, Copenhagen is perhaps the most relevant alternative for Norwegians who want to combine city life with a beach holiday and travel on a budget. Because in the Danish capital, the swimming pools and sandy beaches are actually almost in the center, and you will find on Islands Brygge lots of swimming pools with rooms for up to 600 bathers! Nearby are also sandy beaches for those who venture out into the water.
