Wales outshines Greece and Sardinia for beaches as Swansea's Rhossili Bay rated third best in Europe

• The three-mile stretch of white sand on the Gower Peninsula, was the UK’s top destination
• British resorts on TripAdvisor survey were Woolacombe Beach in Devon, and Cornwall’s Porthminster Beach at St Ives in ninth place

Forget the sun-kissed sands of Sardinia, Majorca or Greece – for the best beach experience, you’re better off travelling to Wales.
That’s according to a poll of tourists which placed Swansea’s Rhossili Bay at number three on a list of Europe best beaches.
The three-mile stretch of white sand on the Gower Peninsula, was the UK’s top destination.

Swansea's Rhossili Bay at number three on a list of Europe best beaches

The three-mile stretch of white sand on the Gower Peninsula, was the UK's top destination

Councillor David Phillips, leader of the City and County of Swansea said he was 'delighted, but not surprised' that Rhossili Bay has been acknowledged

Other British resorts on the survey by TripAdvisor were Woolacombe Beach in Devon, which was fifth, with Cornwall’s Porthminster Beach at St Ives in ninth place.
On the list of Britain’s best beaches, Longsands Beach at Newcastle upon Tyne was fourth, while in fifth place was Hengistbury Head in Bournemouth.

 

Dorset had two more beaches in the UK top ten – Weymouth, in seventh place, and Sandbanks in Poole in eighth. Making up the rest of the list are Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall – sixth – with Filey Beach in Yorkshire and St Brelade’s Bay Beach in Jersey at nine and ten.
The top European beach was Rabbit Beach at Lampedusa in Sicily, with Playa de las Catedrales in Rabadeo in Galicia, Spain, in second place.

Second place: A stretch of beach at Playa de las Catedrales in Rabadeo, Spain, was voted Europe's second best

Highest rated: The top European beach was Rabbit Beach at Lampedusa in Sicily

Popular beaches - such as Mirtos Beach, Kefalonia - were overlooked in favour of the Welsh beauty spot

Making up the rest of the list was Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall (pictured)

Dorset had three beaches in the UK top ten - Hengistbury Head in Bournemouth, Weymouth, and Sandbanks in Poole

Sicily’s Rabbit Beach was also the top world destination, with Caribbean beach Grace Bay at Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos second, and Whitehaven Beach in Queensland, Australia,  at third.
Councillor David Phillips, leader of the City and County of Swansea said: ‘We are delighted, but not surprised, that Rhossili Bay has been acknowledged.
‘We hope that many more visitors continue to enjoy its outstanding natural beauty.’
A TripAdvisor spokesman said: ‘Huge congratulations to Swansea’s Rhossili Bay for beating many of the most exotic beaches across the globe.’

Posted in: world views