The Cleanest Beaches in Europe

What first comes into your head when you think of Cyprus? The beautiful ocean, the stunning historical sites, or maybe even the pristine beaches which can be found all the way around the island? If you haven’t yet been lucky enough to explore these beaches, then we’ll just have to show you around ourselves. For the cleanest and prettiest beaches in the world, there’s no place like Cyprus.

The beach just down the road from lovely Paphos is known as St. George Beach. A favourite for tourists from all over, the main attractions are the clear water and all the water activities you can get into. Be it kayaking, surfing, or the classic banana boat the choice is yours to make. Being on the south of the island and facing into the Mediterranean, the beach also offers amazing views and great sunbathing. The sun setting is always a must-watch on the beach or in a beach-side restaurant. To truly understand why St George Beach is so popular, you’ll just have to come explore it for yourself.

As you go north up the Western Coast of the island, you’ll soon find yourself at the famous Coral Bay. The beach itself is a stunning expanse of golden sand which will make anyone fall in love, but the real beauty is under the water. Coral Bay is the perfect place to do a bit of diving or snorkelling, to explore the nature that is hidden just below the surface. It is also recognised as one of Cyprus’ cleanest, safest, and most sustainable beaches, with a Blue Flag from the Foundation of Environmental Education.

If lagoons and rocky beaches are more your thing, then head up to the north-west corner of Cyprus and you’ll find the Blue Lagoon. True to their name, the lagoons here are stunningly blue. The best way to explore the area is by boat, with local tours or longer tours from elsewhere along the coast. Snorkelling and scuba are also very good pastimes around here, as the water is stunningly clean and clear to let you explore.

You can’t forget the city beaches either, as even though they’re more crowded the choice of things to do is much greater. Limassol is the second largest city, and its beach reflects that. It will be much busier, the water won’t be quite as clean, but the choice of food and nightlife is to die for. The other major city beach is the famous (or infamous) Ayia Napa. The different parts of the Ayia Napa beach vary depending on how developed or touristic they are, with some hidden gems in the area. Nissi Beach is the pick of the bunch for a perfect balance between tourist paradise and natural gem. The nearby Makronissos Beach is a less touristy beach with some historical sites found at its borders. You might run into the occasional group of rowdy English teenagers, but the beautiful beaches make it more than worth the second-hand embarrassment.

You might be wondering at this point, how in the world is Cyprus managing to maintain such beautiful beaches? How has it managed to have the cleanest swimming waters in the whole EU for 2020? The answer is lots and lots of hard work and careful planning. Many of Cyprus’ most popular beaches are owned by the local government, and local Cypriots have their say in how the beaches are managed. The Cypriots care about their island, and even the most tourist-heavy beaches, like Ayia Napa, have to keep sustainability and cleanliness in mind with their development. With this holistic view of tourism and their beaches, Cyprus can give today’s travellers an amazing experience while preserving the natural beauty of the island for the generations of explorers to come.