Beach clubs are a core part of the European summer experience. Long, leisurely lunches drift into seaside afternoons spent listening to good music, soaking up sea views and people-watching from your spot beneath a shaded sunbed.
Right now, it’s peak season, which means reservations are disappearing quickly, especially at the most coveted spots. Below are some of my all-time favorite beach clubs across Europe. Let’s find the one that speaks to you and make it happen.
Italy
Borgo Santandrea (Amalfi)
Private sandy beaches are rare on the Amalfi Coast, which makes this cliffside hotel’s beach club setup genuinely exceptional. Eight elevators connect the terraced property down to the shore, where the restaurant and bar deliver sustenance directly to your sunbed and a private dock puts Positano, Capri, and Amalfi itself within easy reach by boat. For anyone who wants real beach access alongside the cliffside drama, this is my answer
Cone Club (Costa Smeralda, Sardinia)
Set on a quiet cove at 7Pines Resort, this standout is all about making a splash. Guests arrive via boat and disembark on a private pier, pick their own catch from a fish market-style display, and hit the water for flyboarding or waterskiing. DJs ensure the crowd keeps dancing until the wee hours.
La Fontelina (Capri)
Open since 1949, this classic tucked beneath the cliffs impresses with sweeping views of the Faraglioni islands and Tyrrhenian Sea. The pergola-shaded restaurant excels in seafood—spaghetti alle vongole, grilled langoustines, whole fish carved tableside—and the signature blue-and-white loungers are ideal for an afternoon spent checking a book off your TBR.
La Scogliera (Positano)
Just across the water in Positano, this is another polished but low-key cliffside spot where you can eat lunch with your feet practically in the sea. Its kitchen goes well beyond the usual seaside fare, serving paccheri with lobster and delicate crudo platters that complement a chilled glass of rosé. Save room for the tiramisu.
W Beach Club (Sardinia)
The marina at Poltu Quatu has always been one of Costa Smeralda’s most picturesque corners, and the new W Sardinia – Poltu Quatu gives it a property to match. A beach club and pool complex overlook the yacht-filled harbor—the waterfall-fed Secret Garden pool tends to fill up early—and the hotel runs a daily boat to a private island beach when you want to escape the scene. Anyone who wants the Costa Smeralda energy with a more intimate, design-forward base will find it here.
France
Le Club 55 (Ramatuelle)
Celebrities from Brigitte Bardot to Beyoncé have flocked to this French Riviera icon since it debuted in 1955. The experience is polished on every level: white tablecloths, grilled langoustines, artichoke salad, tarte tropézienne, and outstanding local wines. Scoring a table in high season takes advance planning, but the Pampelonne Beach location and excellent people-watching make it worth the effort.
La Guérite (Sainte-Marguerite Island, Cannes)
Its boat-access-only location on a forested island creates a sense of exclusivity. Classic white umbrellas dot the stone terrace; yachts bob offshore; tables fill with Mediterranean sharing plates (truffle pasta, fresh-caught sea bass) and strong cocktails; and more guests begin dancing as the sun begins to dip below the horizon.
La Réserve à la Plage (Ramatuelle)
Interiors designed by Philippe Starck and a kitchen run by the La Réserve Ramatuelle team give this Club 55 neighbor serious pedigree. Whitewashed timber, linen daybeds, and striped parasols lend a sense of understated glamour, while the menu of fresh-caught seafood and grill-kissed Mediterranean vegetables celebrate the simple pleasures of summer.
Greece
Alemagou (Mykonos)
The rugged shoreline and turquoise waters of Ftelia Bay create a fitting backdrop for this spot, where reed-thatched ceilings, dry-stone walls, and giant cacti set a boho-chic vibe. Settle in with cocktails and elevated Aegean fare like wagyu gyros and langoustine-studded orzo before the energy kicks up with DJ sets that last well after the sun goes down.
Bond Beach Club (Kéa)
The ferry from Lavrio takes just an hour to reach Kéa, which has all the Aegean magic of more famous Cycladic islands at a fraction of the crowds. The beach club kitchen is led by one of Athens’s most celebrated chefs, and the island’s hiking trails and fishing villages round out the stay. For anyone after true Greek island quiet, this is my first recommendation.
Kyma Pool & Beach Bar (Athenian Riviera)
Thirty minutes from the Acropolis, the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens occupies its own 80-acre peninsula with three private beaches on the Saronic Gulf—rare territory for a resort this close to a capital city. The pool complex is Olympic-sized, Mediterranean dining runs throughout the day, and the combination makes it easy to turn an Athens trip into a city-and-coast stay.
Scorpios (Mykonos)
Defying the stereotypes of tabletop dancing and sparkler-spiked champagne bottles, this Soho House-owned beach club on Mykonos leans into Greek culture with its DJ sets (electronic beats accented with traditional instruments) and programming (artist talks, wellness workshops). The Sunset Ritual, which weaves together live music and meditation, is an event worth building your afternoon around.
Spilia (Mykonos)
If you want to make your beach-club experience a real occasion, this lesser-known pick is the way to go. Guests arrive by boat, dock at the rocks of a sea cave, and enjoy a long leisurely lunch before shifting into party mode. It’s one of those only-in-Mykonos experiences that I love for clients who’ve been to the island a few times before.
Spain
Beso Beach & Juan y Andrea (Formentera)
Two of the island’s most iconic spots sit side by side on the powdery shores of Playa Illetes. Beso Beach goes boho—straw parasols, sandy floors, mezcal cocktails, and lazy DJ sets that can turn into a party. Juan y Andrea, a short stroll away, is more refined: white tablecloths under palm-thatched pergolas, seafood towers, and waiters wading into the sea to serve the boat crowd.
Chiringuito Puente Romano (Marbella)
The most family-friendly spot on my list sits within Puente Romano Resort on Costa del Sol, making it a smart choice for multigenerational groups or travelers with young kids. The atmosphere is easygoing and sociable, there are dedicated kids’ and vegan menus, and the hotel setting adds major convenience.
Jondal (Ibiza)
Ibiza’s premiere lunch spot is high on style and low on fanfare—a big reason it attracts A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio and Roger Federer to this crystal-clear cove on Cala Jondal. The menu is extensive but emphasizes fuss-free preparations of simple ingredients. Choose the day’s catch and how you want it prepared, plus fresh vegetable sides, and savor every bite at the well-shaded wooden tables.
Mar Sea Club (Mallorca)
Nestled amid gardens just steps from the sea, The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca’s beach club is open to day visitors as well as hotel guests, making it a solid option that can work in any Mallorca itinerary. The Michelin-caliber kitchen puts a Latin American twist on the Mediterranean menu—seafood ceviche, blue lobster with garlic and white wine, perlita caviar with blinis—and the cocktails are equally considered.
And beyond
Sublime Comporta Beach Club (Comporta, Portugal)
It’s easy to lose track of time amid the rolling dunes and pine forests that characterize this stretch of coastline, but that’s one reason this bohemian club is so appealing. Between the Atlantic-facing bleached wood decks and ultra-fresh menu drawing from the hotel’s garden and surrounding coast, afternoons have a way of dissolving into the tide. For clients who want a relaxed, subdued atmosphere, this is my go-to pick.
Mulini Beach Bar (Rovinj, Croatia)
Rovinj is one of the most beautiful towns on the Adriatic, and this minimalist Istrian spot lets you appreciate the scenery from the vantage point of a well-cushioned sunbed. The cocktails are solid, the crowd is relaxed, and the views justify staying longer than planned.
Maçakızı Bodrum (Türkbükü, Turkey)
Istanbul’s creative class and regulars from across the globe have been loyal to this Turquoise Coast lounge for decades. The scene is built around floating teak decks and crystalline Aegean views, with boat-to-lunch arrivals that set the mood before you’ve even sat down. The kitchen brings a Turkish sensibility to Mediterranean staples like grilled octopus, zucchini fritters, and whatever local fishermen hauled in that morning.
The Reef Club (St. Julian’s, Malta)
Set at the tip of a private rocky peninsula, The Westin Dragonara Resort’s lido gives direct access to some of the clearest, calmest water in the Mediterranean. A pool deck occupies the upper level, sea ladders descend into a sheltered cove, and a snack bar lies in between. Day passes are available to non-guests, making it an easy addition to any Malta stay.
So whether you want to add a beach day to an itinerary or build a new trip around a club that caught your eye, I’m here to put it all together.
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