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The world’s best beach destination is on the Iberian Peninsula and it is not an island
There is no need to cross half the planet to find picture-postcard beaches.
The world’s best beach destination in 2025, according to the World Travel Awards, is much closer than it seems: at Portugal’s southernmost tip. The Algarve takes first place once again — for the fourth time — thanks to an unparalleled combination of nature, climate and culture.
The region boasts more than 200 kilometres of coastline, where long golden-sand beaches alternate with Atlantic-sculpted cliffs, sea caves, lagoons and small protected islands. It is not merely a place to lie in the sun: it is a territory to explore, sail around and savour.
The climate works in its favour. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, the Algarve escapes extreme seasonality and becomes a reliable destination in summer, spring and autumn alike. This is complemented by cuisine closely linked to the sea, coastal towns that retain their unhurried pace and a cultural offering that goes beyond beach tourism.
Among the names that appear time and again on lists of essentials are Praia da Marinha, Falésia, Camilo, Albufeira and Benagil, with its famous circular cave open to the sky. For those seeking absolute calm, Armona Island, within the Ría Formosa Natural Park, offers an almost unspoilt landscape, free of cars and with the feel of a slow escape.
The award ultimately recognises a complete destination: spectacular beaches, yes, but also identity, landscape and a way of living with the sea that continues to make the difference in Europe.