Starfinancer

European Best Destinations is a Brussels-based organization created to promote travel in Europe. Each year the association draws up rankings based on real surveys conducted among the European population, intercepting the needs, trends, flows and tastes of the citizens of the old continent. Italy appears this year with 7 beaches dream among the top 22, which means that, among the most coveted and fascinating beaches in Europe, one in three is bathed by the Italian sea.

Due to its Caribbean waters, which have long been counted among the cleanest and richest in biodiversity in the world, Sardinia occupies three items on the list, starting with Cala Goloritzé, in the municipality of Baunei, south of the Gulf of Orosei, in the province of Nuoro. Here sea and mountains meet in such a harmonious and evocative way that the beach of Cala Goloritzé – reachable only on foot or by boat and considered a “protected” national monument since 1995 – has been permanently included by TripAdvisor users in the top ten of the most beautiful d ‘Italy. To preserve it, access is regulated by an entrance ticket of six euros per person, including parking.

Then there is Cala dei Gabbianinatural continuation of the very popular Cala Mariolu, also on the Gulf of Orosei, e Cala Cipolla, one of the pearls of the Chia bay, in the south of the island. With its crystalline water tinged with green and blue, its cliff smoothed by time and a beach of white pebbles, Cala dei Gabbiani, like the other pearls of the Ogliastra coast, can be reached by sea, with private boats or they depart from the tourist ports of Cala Gonone, Arbatax and Santa Maria Navarrese. The splendid Cala Cipolla, hidden among the hills, is instead embellished by a sea with changing shades, by a sandy bottom that remains low up to tens of meters from the shore, perfect for children, and by small rocks that gradually interrupt the uniformity of the waters. All around, the Mediterranean scrub as a frame.

Even the island of Elba, the pearl of the Tuscan archipelago, appears in the prestigious ranking with two beaches, both bathed by its characteristic sea of ​​a thousand shades. There Cavoli beachin Marina di Campo, and La Source, in Portoferraio, occupy respectively 14th and 16th place in the European ranking of the body of the EU Commission for the promotion of tourism: Cavoli, for its sand and particularly clear sea, is one of the most loved beaches of Elba, kissed by from a particularly favorable microclimate thanks also to the proximity of Monte Capanne which shelters from the winds, thus making the beach usable during almost the whole year. La Sorgente, also known as Acquavivetta, owes its name to a source of water located in a ditch not far away. Perfect water, sand and gravel characterize this wonderful beach, which culminates with a panoramic path that leads to the nearby beach of Sansone, in turn included in the ranking of the most beautiful beaches in Europe in 2021, according to the ranking drawn up by Trip Advisor.

Puglia could not be missing from the list, now a beloved destination by tourists from all over the world, even favored by VIPs of the caliber of Madonna and Bono vox. With its exhilarating mix of history, culture, paradisiacal beaches and nightlife, this is the ideal destination for those who want to immerse themselves in a dream landscape without giving up on fun. In the ranking appears the Bay of Zagare or Baia dei Mergoli, one of the symbolic beaches of the Gargano, in the Vieste area, characterized by high white cliffs and two limestone stacks sculpted by the wind. To access the beach, you pass through a resort that rises above the cliff and connects it to the bay with a rock lift.

Last but not least, Campania is in the list of European Best Destinations with the Cauco beach, of sand and gravel, unique for its crystalline sea and the sloping seabed towards the open sea. To reach it it is necessary to arrive by sea, with pedal boats or boats. The closest town is Erchie, less than half an hour southwest of Salerno.