NIKOSIA – While there are still some beaches that are relatively secluded and free from tourist hordes, the overwhelmed Nissi Beach on Cyprus that’s covered with umbrellas and sunbeds – apart from a spit of land connecting to another – is Europe’s best.

At least that’s the opinion of the insurance site Quotezone.co.uk, a British site – Cyprus is favored by tourists from the United Kingdom and home to some 30,000 expatriates on the Greek-Cypriot side that’s a member of the European Union and up to 15,000 on the Turkish-Cypriot occupied rogue state on the northern third.

Quotezone – it wasn’ said why an insurance platform knows anything about beaches – said it evaluated beaches in Europe on the basis of average sea temperatures in June, peak summer temperatures, the number of five-star reviews, the daily cost of staying nearby and the typical wave height, said TimeOut.

Using those factors, Nissi Beach – which has white sand and clear waters if you can see them over the umbrellas and su beds and find a spot without bumping into anyone else – was picked number one.

It was also chosen because it has a lot of bars and beach parties, which might not meet the criteria of people who don’t like that, but one of the reasons it was picked is because the average temperature is 87 degrees and the sea average is 76 degrees.

https://www.timeout.com/news/this-cyprus-beach-has-just-been-crowned-europes-best-082124

In second place it’s Mellieha Bay Beach in Malta – also covered in umbrellas and sunbeds that typically are for rent – while Portoroz Beach in Slovenia, which only has 148 five-star reviews but is the cheapest destination with an average nightly cost of 93 euros ($103.43) coming third, also overrun  with umbrellas.

The only Greek beach on the list and coming fourth was Elafonissi Beach on Crete, only part of which is overwhelmed with umbrellas and sunbeds and then Zlatni Rat in Croatia, which also has sunbeds and cruise ships perched right offshore.