Europe has a lot of beaches where you can swim, surf and hang out. If you are looking for a great beach break on the continent, you need to know where to find the best beaches and The Spain Event can help out if you're set on Spain as a destination. Spain- La Concha, San Sebastian La Concha is the Chrysler Building of beaches. This means it is instantly recognisable, but still heart-lifting and thrilling to visit. La Concha is considered the most beautiful urban beach in Spain. It offers sparkling sapphire water, stunning cream sand and a forested headland. Santa Clara is an island that you can visit and there are a few boats around. The seafront dates back to when there were long summer residencies, hotels with plush carpets and areas for children to eat away from their parents. However, the city is now vibrant and full of life. There are two smaller beaches that flank La Concha. To the west is Ondarreta which ends with the Wind Comb sculpture by Eduardo Chillida. The other is Zurriola which is very popular with surfers and is beyond the Kursaal Palace. Turkey – Cirali, Kemer, Antalya If you are looking for the ultimate beach experience, you need to head to Cirali. This beach offers several miles of soft sand that you can step right into which is backed by orange groves. There are also shaded gardens complete with lanterns and hammocks. Holiday cabins are discreetly dotted around and linked to hotels such as the Arcadia. You can get an amazing breakfast there along with bikes to explore the surrounding villages. It is a place with a fierce commitment to the environment where the usual order is salads, beer and filled gözleme flatbreads served on timber platforms shaded from the sun. If you take a walk to the west of the beach, you will find the riverside footpath that takes you past a ticket office. This office is sometimes manned, but not always. Beyond this are the ruins of ancient Olympos. You can also hike or cycle out to Chimaera where the myth shrouded hillside has flaming gas vents. Portugal – Porto Covo, Costa Vincentina, Alentejo If you are looking for a more tranquil beach, Porto Covo is a horseshoe bay protected by cliffs and a haven for fishermen. The town close to the beach thrives on tourism today, but the cobbled streets and cottages tell a story of fishing nets and rowing boats which used to line the shore. This is a popular spot for hiking and is situated on the wild, south-western coats. You could try the Fishermen’s Trail which takes you across the clifftops to Villa Nova de Milfontes or you could try the circular inland trails. France – L’Herbe, Cap Ferret, Gironde People from Paris and Bordeaux view the thin peninsula around the Bay of Arachon as a playground but it also houses a number of working oyster farms. The clapboard oyster farmer’s cabins are separated by alleys in the village of L’Herbe while the tiny beach can be viewed from several oyster bars. It is a great place to spend some time enjoying chilled white wine and some freshly caught crustaceans. Italy – Fiorenzuola di Focara, Le Marche This beach is located down a zigzag path that takes 20 minutes to walk down from the walled village on the Parco Naturale del Monte San Bartolo, Le Marche. While this might seem like a lot of effort, the beach is worth it as it is a relatively unspoilt mixture of shingle and sand. The only buildings you can see are the roofs of the town above as you are faced with the Adriatic before you and cliffs behind you. This beach is fairly unique in Italy because of the DIY feeling you get. The sunshades are made with driftwood and the enclosure takes you away from life for a while. The walk back to town also helps you build up an appetite. Greece – Voidokilia, Peloponnese A beach like this one would generally be packed with development, but this one backs onto a nature reserve. This has left the area looking the same as it probably was when Homer included it in his Odyssey. The beach is a great example of the crescents of white sand that you picture when longing for the perfect beach. You can swim in the sheltered water or explore a cave and the castle ruins above the beach.