Costa del Sol beach voted one of the best in Europe

The Costa del Sol is famous for its sun and beaches and it is home to some of the fourteen most original and secret corners of the European coastline according to flight search engine Jetcost. It has come up with a ranking of the fourteen most unique beaches in Europe and the first of them is located in Nerja.

According to Jetcost, Calahonda beach "is undoubtedly the most photographed and visited beach in Nerja, due, among other things, to its central location near the Balcón de Europa, a viewpoint with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea".

They attribute its charm to "its old houses and warehouses built close to the rocks, with white walls and blue doors". Although they consider that "one of the most outstanding aspects of Calahonda beach, with dark sand and moderate waves, is its natural beauty". It is a 120-metre-long U-shaped cove, which is very well equipped with restaurants and has an original stone promenade.

In addition to these attractions, its location makes it an ideal place for water sports such as snorkelling and scuba diving. "In its transparent waters you can see colourful fish, octopus and starfish. In addition, the presence of underwater caves and rock formations adds to the thrill of exploration," they say.

Only five Spanish beaches are included in this list: Cala Macarella in Menorca, Playa de las Catedrales in Lugo, Cala del Moraig in Alicante and Playa de Papagayo in Lanzarote.

Outside of Spain, the list includes Elafonisi beach in Crete, which is considered the “Caribbean of the Mediterranean” due to its white sand with shades of pink and the turquoise of its waters; Cala Mariolu on the Italian island of Sardinia, described as "a wild and unspoilt corner, an intimate cove characterised by abundant white and pink stones that are discovered after a walk through nature or a boat trip".

Also in this ranking are Praia da Marinha, in the Portuguese Algarve; Marina Grande beach, in Italy's Positano; Fomm ir-Rih, in the Maltese town of Mgarr; Ölüdeniz beach, on the Turquoise coast, in Turkey; in Praia Dos Três Irmãos, also in the Algarve; the bay of Zagare, Gargano, in Italy's Puglia; and Zlatni Rat, on the Croatian island of Brač, in the Adriatic Sea on the Dalmatian coast.