When you think of stunning beaches you would think of somewhere like the Maldives or Mexico.

We have all seen adverts or pictures online with the endless miles of sand and sea and just think ‘We want some of that’.

But now Tripadvisor has found the best beaches in the world and it turns out that you don’t have to travel to the other side of the globe to get there.

The travel review site looked at traveller reviews over the past 12 months. In particular, the quality and quantity of ratings for beach experiences.

Praia da Falésia in the Algarve, Portugal, came top at the Travellers’ Choice Awards 2024.

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The beach, which is less than three hours away from London, has red, sandy cliffs, golden sand and views of the Atlantic Ocean. 

Praia da Falésia beat the likes of places such as the Caribbean, Australia and the Seychelles. But the best beach locations, according to Tripadvisor, were all in Europe.

In second place were Spiaggia dei Conigli in Sicily and La Concha Beach in Spain taking the third spot respectively.

Here are the top 10 beaches in the world for 2024:

Praia da Falésia, Algarve, Portugal

Spiaggia dei Conigli, Sicily, Italy

La Concha Beach, Basque Country, Spain

Ka’anapali Beach, Maui, Hawaii

Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos, Caribbean

Anse Lazio, Seychelles

Manly Beach, New South Wales, Australia

Eagle Beach, Aruba, Caribbean

Siesta Beach, Florida, US

Varadero Beach, Cuba, Caribbean

Despite, the UK not making the top 10 it did, however, win an award for having the most sustainable beach in the world.

Sandbanks Beach in Poole, Dorset, saw its commitments to sustainability, including eco-friendly transport options, waste disposal and water quality get a mention from the judges.

So if you’re thinking of booking a beach getaway to Praia da Falésia this is what you need to know.

How much are the flights?

If you’re thinking of going to the award-winning beach then the nearest airport is Faro. The beach itself is only a 40-minute drive away by car but you can also get a train from Estação Ferroviária de Lisboa Oriente between Albufeira and Ferreiras five times a day.

According to Rome2Rio, tickets for the train cost between £14-£20 and the journey takes two hours and 36 minutes.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to book a plane ticket airlines such as Ryanair, Jet2, easyJet and British Airways all fly directly to Faro.

The flight time is normally around two hours and 50-55 minutes.

When is the best time?

The Algarve remains a popular choice for Brits and is great for winter sun. Praia da Falésia has long hot summers and relatively short winters compared to the UK.

The best time to visit is between June and August if you’re looking for warm weather with July having an average high of 30°C and an average low of 22°c°.

Meanwhile, February is the coldest month of the year. This will see the average high being 16°C and an average low of 10°C.