94 | SATURDAY | 30.04.22 | The Guardian
LIFESTYLE
rocky gorge (the barranc de Son Fideu )
through wetlands, sea grass and
stands of cañas (bamboo). The beauty
of Trebalúger lies in the harmonious
feng shui of its dunes, cliff s and
surrounding pine forest, which seem
to hold the cala in a protective
embrace. There are no sunloungers or
facilities of any kind – Trebalúger is a
less-is-more beach. And the half-
hour’s walk around the coast from
Cala Mitjana keeps the crowds away.
Stay at Ses Sucreres (from € 130 B&B ,
hotelsessucreres.com ), a chic and
cheerfully eclectic French-owned,
six-room hotel in a 19th-century house
in Ferreries , about half an hour from
t h e b e a c h.
13 | Sopelana, Basque country
If Bilbao lacks a beach of its own,
Sopelana – 12 miles north beyond the
mouth of the Nervión estuary – is
practically Bilbao-on-Sea. In summer,
much of the city decamps here at
weekends, though it’s less well known
among foreign tourists. A series of
beaches in varying degrees of size and
wildness, from the spacious sands of
Arrietara-Atxabiribil to the tiny pebble
cove at Meñakoz , off er wide-screen
views, glorious sunsets (head for the
chill-out bar at El Peñón de Sopelana ),
and surfi ng breaks in abundance. The
beautiful 750-metre stretch at
Barinatxe , (or La Salvaje ), reached by a
stone staircase down the cliff face, has
a particular appeal for two very
diff erent communities: nudists (they
convene at the left-hand end of the
beach) and paragliders. Bike parks and
showers are available at various points
along the coast. Sopelana is best
accessed by metro from Bilbao (it’s a
40-minute trip; get off at Larrabasterra ).
Moana Eco Surf House (doubles from
€ 7 9 B & B , m o a n a s u r fh ouse.com ), 400
metres from the sea, is a wooden
surfi ng lodge with a cool
contemporary vibe.14 | Calblanque, Murcia
Despite being close to overdeveloped
La Manga and the polluted Mar Menor,
the virgin beaches of Calblanque seem
a world away. From Los Belones
village , head south towards the nature
reserve of Calblanque Monte de las
Cenizas y Peña del Aguila (there’s a car
park, but also a shuttle bus service).
Dirt trails meandering across the arid
slopes behind the coast lead past a
series of sandy beaches and coves,
each wilder than the last, from
surf-tastic Playa Larga , the biggest and
busiest, to Playa Parreño and remote,
lonely Playa Negrete. Supplies of
water, a snorkel and a sun umbrella are
vital, and there is lots of wildlife to
spot – the reserve is a refuge for sea
turtles, badgers, foxes and fl amingos.
Casa Rural Las Jordanas (doubles from
€65 B&B , casaruralcalblanque.es ) is a
restored farmhouse within the parque
natural off ering simple rooms a
20-minute walk from the beaches.IRELAND15 | Ballybunion, County Kerry
This beloved North Kerry resort town
has four beautiful beaches. They have
been popular since Victorian times
and still draw a huge crowd on sunny
summer days. But it’s easy to escape
the throng by climbing the path to the
stunning cliff walk above. Those brave
enough can search for the rope toguide them down to the deserted
Nuns beach, with its caves and Virgin
Rock sea arch. Coff ee and homemade
waffl es are served at Seaside
Ballybunion as a reward for
completing the glorious two-mile
walk along the Long Strand or a lesson
at the local surf school. A soak at
Collins Seaweed Baths (€22 for 30
minutes) is a must, followed by a dip in
the bracing Atlantic. The Marine Hotel
( d o u b l e s f r o m € 1 2 0 B & B , t h e m a r i n e.
ie ) serves great fi sh and chips on its
outdoor benches.16 | Glassilaun, County Galway
West Galway’s Connemara region has
dozens of white-sand beaches that
could rival those of the Car ibbean – if
the weather would only cooperate
more frequently. Spectacular
Glassilaun overlook s the mouth of
Killary harbour , one of Ireland’s few
fj ords. The view is extraordinary,
with Achill , Inishturk and Clare
Island hovering to the north and
Mweelrea, the highest mountain in
Connacht province, in the foreground.
Cows graze by the beach and sea life
can be spotted by the tiny island at
the end of the peninsula. The
Misunderstood Heron beach shack
nearby has become famous for its
Connemara lamb samosas and Killary
mussels. Ard na Mara Beach Cottage
(doubles from €65 B&B ,
ardnamarabeachcottage.com ) is
moments from the sand.M O N T E N E G R O17 | Drobni Pijesak
Montenegro’s Budva Riviera is one of
the country’s biggest honeypots, and it
can be hard to escape the crowds. But
at Drobni Pijesak , a little further
south, there are emerald waters
surrounded by forested mountains ,
sunloungers for hire, and the two
beach restaurants off ering big helpings
of Montenegrin grilled dishes. Hotel
Riva (doubles from €77 B&B , hotelriva.
me ) in nearby Petrovac faces the town
beach and is a short walk from the
popular Lučice beach. It’s worth
upgrading to a sea-view room. There’s
also a path that goes from Petrovac to
the beach at Perazica Do.PORTUGAL18 | Praia de Cacela Velha,
eastern Algarve
In the unspoiled eastern Algarve,
where olive trees outnumber people,
Cacela Velha is one of Portugal’s most
beautiful and unvisited beaches (with
no bar). It is framed by traditional
white washed fi shermen’s houses,
complete with blue trim to ward off the
devil, and an ancient fort that dates
from the Moorish occupation. This is
the most easterly beach of the Ria
Formosa natural park , and its golden
sands stretch for well over a mile, and
shift according to the winds and tides.
The water is warm and diaphanous ,
with low tide revealing pools andTRAVEL
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