(^27) The GuardianThe Guardian | | 30.04.2230.04.22 | | SATURDAYSATURDAY | | 9797
30 | Plage Les
Coussoules, Leucate , Aude
Halfway between Perpignan and
Narbonne , Les Coussoules is a vast
swathe of fl at white sand between the
Mediterranean and La Palme lagoon.
The Tramontane wind makes this
beach popular with sandyachters,
kitesurfers and walkers with big dogs.
It’s a stunning sight, often deserted
but surrounded by photogenic salt
pans, huge cliff s, vineyards and
orchards on the Leucate plateau.
Flamingos, ibis and seagulls fl y over
pretty 19th-century villas. There’s a
naturist section in the north, and
direct access to the beach from several
c a m p s i t e s. J a r d i n d e P a l m e ( f r o m € 9 0 ,
jardin-de-palme.com ), has self-
catering fl ats and studios.
T U R K E Y
31 | Kaputaş, near Kalkan
There are plenty of longer, sandier
beaches in Turkey, but Kaputaş, a
shimmering, aquamarine slash of sea
sandwiched between cliff s and 187
steps below the Kas-Kalkan road, is
among the very best. It looks Insta-
perfect from above, and there is lots of
fun to be had down on the pebbles : the
shoreline shelves quickly, creating
regular, gentle waves. Sitting in the
surf, being buff eted backwards and
forwards by a warm sea, is one of the
greatest holiday pleasures. Beach
vendors patrol the beach with freshly
made gozleme – delicious pancakes
stuff ed with cheese. The Courthouse
in Kalkan (doubles from £ 130 B&B ,
courtyardkalkan.com ) is a restored
historic house in the village centre.
ITALY
32 | Punta della Suina, Puglia
Beaches on Puglia’s Ionian coast have
more than a hint of the Seychelles ,
with multihued water and soft white
sand. South of the walled port of
Gallipoli, a sandy track leads off the
SP125 towards a perfect crescent bay
punctuated by the presqu’ile of Punta
della Suina. The sandy areas are
separated by little rocky outcrops and
grassy coves, so while there are a
couple of concessions (with cafes) it’s
usually easy to fi nd a secluded spot,
and the sea here is warmer than on the
Adriatic coast. Ancient Gallipoli, on its
own little island, is so atmospheric it’s
worth staying there and driving or
cycling the fi ve miles to Punta della
Suina. In a narrow street, Relais Corte
Palmieri (doubles from €80 B&B ,
relaiscortepalmieri.it ) has individually
decorated bedrooms reached via a
series of roof terraces, one of which
serves breakfast when weather
permits (most of the year).
33 | San Michele, Sirolo, Le Marche
The coast of the Abruzzo and Le
Marche regions is mostly straight and
featureless, with roads, railway and at
points the E55 motorway running
close to the shore. That all changes at
the Monte Conero regional park , a
6,000-hectare protected area hugging
the coast. Its prettiest town is Sirolo,
from where footpaths through trees
lead down to wild San Michele beach.
There are a couple of concessions, but
otherwise it’s all woods and cliff s
above fi ne white pebbles running
down to turquoise water. A 15-minute
walk from San Michele (though
coming back up the steep hillside may
take longer) Il Vicolo (doubles from
€103 B&B , ilvicolosirolo.it ) is an
eight-room B&B in an 18th-century
building close to Sirolo’s restaurants
and gelaterias.
34 | Sa Colonia, Sardinia
Picking one beach from this island of
seaside perfection is hard, but Sa
Colonia , one of several bays south of
the village of Chia , has it all – acres of
talc-soft sand (with a single beach
concession – handy for cold drinks),
clear water, fl amingo s on a lagoon
behind and occasional visits from
dolphins. If that weren’t enough, its
pretty seabed is great for snorkelling
and, unusually for the Med, it has
surfable rollers when the sirocco
blows in winter. Hotel Il Gabbiano
(doubles from €133 B&B ,
hotelilgabbiano.net ) off ers simple
rooms in a cluster of bungalows a few
minutes’ walk from Sa Colonia beach.
There is a fi s h r e s t a u r a n t a f e w m i n u t e s
in the other direction.
35 | Calamosche, Sicily
The fact that it’s part of the Vendicari
nature reserve and nearly a mile from
the car park helps ensure that this
sandy beach between rocky headlands
never gets too busy. Visitors need to
take everything, including water, but a
picnic shopping trip amid the baroque
glories of nearby Noto is
a pleasure. The day can
then be spent swimming
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PHOTOGRAPHS: EDDY GALEOTTI AND ALP AKSOY, BOTH ALAMY
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