Europe's best exotic sands beaches

26 exotic sands beaches across Europe, ranked and mapped.

• 
  Playa de Maspalomas

  Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Spain
• 
  Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

  Vík, Iceland
• 
  Cala Mariolu

  Baunei, Gulf of Orosei, Italy
• 
  Diamond Beach

  Jökulsárlón, Iceland
• 
  Dune du Pilat

  Pyla-sur-Mer, Arcachon, France
• 
  Elafonissi Beach

  Crete, Greece
• 
  Kleftiko

  Milos, Cyclades, Greece
• 
  Kynance Cove

  The Lizard, Cornwall, United Kingdom
• 
  Playa de las Catedrales

  Ribadeo, Galicia, Spain
• 
  Sarakiniko Beach

  Milos, Greece
• 
  Vai Beach

  Palekastro, East Crete, Greece
• 
  Zlatni Rat

  Brač, Croatia
• 
  Cala Rossa

  Favignana, Egadi Islands, Italy
• 
  Cleopatra Beach (Sedir Island)

  Sedir Island, Gulf of Gokova, Türkiye
• 
  Djupalonssandur

  Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland
• 
  Is Arutas

  Cabras, Sinis Peninsula, Italy
• 
  Kavourotrypes

  Sithonia, Halkidiki, Greece
• 
  Kolymbithres

  Naoussa, Paros, Greece
• 
  Playa de Benijo

  Taganana, Tenerife, Spain
• 
  Playa de Gulpiyuri

  Llanes, Asturias, Spain
• 
  Ramla Bay

  Xagħra, Gozo, Malta, Malta
• 
  Red Beach

  Santorini, Greece
• 
  Scala dei Turchi

  Sicily, Italy
• 
  Spiaggia delle Sabbie Nere

  Vulcano, Aeolian Islands, Italy
• 
  Plage de Nonza

  Nonza, Cap Corse, Corsica, France
• 
  Raudasandur

  Westfjords, Iceland