When it comes to booking a holiday, beaches are one of the first things many people look for. Every year, millions of people head out in search of golden sands and crystal-clear waters.
Where many cities are filled with skyscrapers and seemingly, no open space, the respite of an ocean view or the feeling of sand between your toes can provide an invaluable getaway from the stresses of everyday life.
There’s no denying the value beaches hold as a tourist attraction, but how much are they really worth?
We set out to find out once and for all. By multiplying a beach’s size by the average cost per m² of an apartment in the same city, we were able to rank 15 of the world’s most popular beaches by their true value.
Share this Image On Your Site
Top picks
Venice Beach is forever associated with the bohemian vibe of Los Angeles; its name is synonymous with Californication. It’s no surprise that this world-famous beach tops our list with a super-sized value of £2.39 billion.
Our runner-up is Bournemouth Beach. This year, a TripAdvisor poll ranked this British beach as the UK no.1, putting this local favourite into the top five beaches in all of Europe. A great surf spot, with 99s aplenty and a healthy amount of sunshine, this slice of seafront is valued at a huge £2.25 billion.
The 4km long Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro is so famous it’s had songs written about it, and is known all over the world. It may be roughly half the size of Bournemouth beach, but its 362,592m² would still set you back a whopping £801m.
Canvas Holidays’ Hidden Beaches
If you can steer away from the biggest and busiest beaches around the world, you can find many smaller, but no less stunning beaches. Here’s a selection of our favourite hidden gems, just a stone’s throw away from some of our campsites.
Port Grimaud Beach – Grimaud, Côte d’Azur, France
Located in the ever-desirable south of France, the beach at Port Grimaud is clean, sandy and its shallow waters make it very child-friendly. The port is quiet, even in the summer months – creating a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere that you might not find in other areas.
La Fosca Beach – Girona, Spain
Situated in northern Spain, La Fosca Beach on the outskirts of Palamos offers fantastic family-friendly waters. Its secluded nature provides great cover from the wind and it’s much quieter than some of the larger beaches located in Palamos.
Lake Garda – Northern Italy
Not all beaches have an ocean view. Located in northern Italy, Lake Garda is one of Italy’s largest lakes and makes for some delightfully refreshing swimming. With a range of stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters and breathtaking scenery, Lake Garda is a must for any visitors to Italy.
Costa da Caparica – Lisbon, Portugal
Just 30 minutes south of the bustling Lisbon, the beaches that run along Costa da Caparica are surprisingly quiet, making them perfect to relax in and explore at your own pace.
Wassenaar Beach – Wassenaar, Netherlands
The Netherlands perhaps won’t be the first place that springs to mind when you’re thinking of your ideal beach, but that’s about to change. Wassenaar Beach offers lush woodland and a superb nature reserve along much of its length, making it a fantastic spot for exploration.
If you’re looking for inspiration, take a look the full range of sites and destinations available with Canvas Holidays for your dream beach holiday.