The vertiginous houses of Positano, the white settlements of Santorini and the poetic villages of Cinque Terre might still be some of the most beautiful coastal locations in Europe, but who wants to watch the sunset while being accidentally hit by someone else’s selfie stick?
For a holiday with a bit of surprise and originality here are some under the radar coastal towns of Europe which still have plenty of local character and culture to offer.
1 Marsaxlokk, Malta
Marsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village of brightly colored houses and even brighter colored boats. It’s the most important fishing harbor in Malta, and the Sunday market where fish is sold directly to restaurateurs and other customers has become a popular spectacle.
Where to eat:
Try a harbor-side restaurant for real sea-to-table food, such as La Capanna. Alternatively, buy straight from the famous fish market and cook up a seafood feast!
Where to stay:
Choose self-catering so you can cook your market-bought fish. These Quayside apartments are right near the bay and originate from a 19th house with lots of character, brightly painted doors and attractive outdoor seating.
What to do:
Go on a harbor walk and admire the traditional Maltese colored fishing boats called luzzu. Try snorkeling in St Peter’s Pool, one of the most beautiful of the naturally formed pools on the coast of Malta. Delve back in time and visit Għar Dalam, a prehistoric cul-de-sac, which contains bone remains of now extinct animals.
2 Furore, Italy
It’s astonishing that there is still a place on the Amalfi Coast which isn’t overrun with tourists, but it might have something to do with the fact that the driver of the bus service that winds sickeningly fast along the coastal road merely shouts out “Furore” once without stopping or letting passengers glimpse the enticing little bay beneath the road.
Furore is formed, almost inversely to Amalfi or Positano, by a fjord. The inlet of water flanked by high cliffs leads to a little sheltered beach and a few unassuming colored houses. In many other ways, it’s also an inverse of the popular Amalfi Coast tourist towns — Furore is quiet, the houses are sparsely dotted around the cliff face, and bougainvillea doesn’t frame every photograph taken.
Where to eat:
Furore’s feet may be in the water but its head is high in the cliffs meaning two of its most important products are tomatoes and grapes for making the DOC Costa d’Amalfi. Traditional dishes found in restaurants like the Fico d’India include land-sea fusions such as totani e patate (fish and potatoes).
Where to stay:
Photo: airbnb
Those willing to climb get rewarded with accommodation like this Airbnb apartment with a sea view.
What to do:
Aside from swimming and sunbathing, for the adventurous you move vertically in this town: trekking, free climbing, or mountain biking are popular sports. Alternatively, you can just spectate while others exert themselves, such as at the Coppa del Mediterraneo, a world cup for diving held on the first Saturday of July. In September there is a week festival where mural painters converge on Furore and decorate the town.
