Best seaside towns in Spain

Thousands of Brits flock to Benidorm and Marbella each year. But how much do you know about Altea, Sitges and Cádiz?

Almost 1,000 holidaymakers took part in our survey to crown the best seaside towns in Spain - and the usual fly-and-flop tourist hotspots were left in the shade.

Instead, lesser-celebrated locations were highly rated for their beaches, culture and food and drink scene. 

The historic port town of Sitges, with its idyllic rocky coves just 40 minutes south of Barcelona, was a visitor favourite. As was Altea; a white hilltop town on the Costa Blanca.

The best-rated seaside town in Spain has it all – with five stars for its beaches, seafront and food and drink. Read on to find out the alternative destinations to consider for your next trip and the coastal towns to avoid.  

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The best and worst Spanish seaside towns

The best Spanish seaside town: San Sebastian

For the second year running, San Sebastián took the top spot with its three picture-perfect golden-sand beaches (rated five stars): the crescent bay of La Concha, surf-spot Zurriola and family favourite Ondarreta. Its elegant old town, Parte Vieja, is also stunner; colourful sandstone townhouses tightly packed into a maze of cobblestone streets. 

Not surprisingly, the coastal city in the Basque country of northern Spain also achieved full marks for its world-class food and drink scene This includes Michelin-starred restaurants (it has the second highest number of stars per capita in Europe), pintxos (Basque tapas) bars and folksy cider houses serving salt-cod and steak. Small wonder it was our runaway winner. The catch? You’re not the first to fall head over heels – explaining its two-star rating for peace and quiet. 

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Best seaside town on the Costa Blanca: Altea

The bohemian coastal town of Altea was the Costa Blanca’s top pick: dubbed the ‘Santorini of Spain’, thanks to its blue-domed church that glitters above a hill of whitewashed houses. Ateliers, galleries and rooftop restaurants are scattered throughout the old town, a tangle of pristine cobbled streets perfumed by bougainvillea. 

When daytrippers leave by late afternoon, a lucky few get to revel in the romantic setting; with a wall of craggy mountains on one side and the Mediterranean on the other. One visitor praised the ‘mañana pace of life’ calling it the ‘real Spain, not tourist Spain’.

It’s hard to believe that party mecca Benidorm is a mere 20-minute drive away; beyond the Serra Gelada National Park, with its dramatic 300m coastal cliffs and enigmatic ‘end of the world’ lighthouse. 

Best Spanish seaside town on the Costa del Sol: Nerja

We all want different things from a holiday. Some people seek culture. Others just fancy the best seaside and beach towns in the Mediterranean and uncomplicated fun in the sun. Meet Nerja. 

While it’s a fully fledged resort on the Costa del Sol, development has been kept in check in an old town that’s a throwback to the Andalusia of the 1960s; the one with whitewashed houses in alleys, palm trees swaying before the glittering sea and the Sierra de Tejeda jutting into the cobalt skies. 

It's the consummate holiday all-rounder. Good restaurants, a great seafront with strolls to the Balcon de Europa on the cliffs, lovely hotels and welcoming, friendly locals all received high praise. 

Best seaside town for bargain stays: Cartagena

A key port for the Carthaginians and Romans, and also for the Arabs until Ferdinand III reclaimed it for Castile, Cartagena has a deep history. Its tourist attractions (rated four stars) include the 1st-century Roman amphitheatre and contemporary bathhouse and arcade preserved as the Barrio del Foro Romano. 

Modernist architecture by a pupil of Barcelona’s Anton Gaudí brings swagger to handsome squares such as Plaza San Francisco. The shopping is good along pedestrianised Calle Mayor, and you’ll run out of time before you exhaust options for meals. Best of all, a stay in a three or four star hotel averages less than £70 a night - the cheapest in our survey.

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Ancient sights in Cadiz

Is anywhere in Andalusia more underrated than Cadiz? The ancient port town, studded with more than 100 watchtower-like minarets, has its share of heavyweight culture. There are museums, a Roman theatre, a trio of Goyas in an oratory and an El Greco in the cathedral. 

But Cadiz’s true appeal is itself. Merchants’ houses in their labyrinth of alleys, crosshatching a peninsula, are more evocative of 18th-century glory days than any museum display. In La Viña district, you’ll discover traditional fish restaurants and brilliant, simple tapas bars such as Taberna Casa Manteca (chef Rick Stein is a fan). The whole place sparkles with African light. 

There are even beaches. Enigmatic, friendly and definitely lived-in, Cadiz should be better known. There’s one catch – even Spaniards struggle with the local accent.

The best seaside and beach towns in the Mediterranean – as rated by you.

Worst-rated Spanish beach resort: Vigo

The port city of Vigo on the Atlantic coast didn’t get a lot of love from visitors - receiving just two stars for attractiveness. One holidaymaker went as far as to call it ‘uninspiring’. Granted it’s in Galicia, a territory of northern Spain famous for its abundant rainfall. 

What’s more, the feel is decidedly more industrial than fairytale. But its sloping old town has been revamped in recent years, with artisan shops and cosy tapas bars popping up on its narrow streets. 

It’s also famous for seafood: on Rúa da Pescadería you’ll find local vendors shucking oysters fresh from the estuary and serving them with a slice of lemon and a glass of Albariño wine.

Too many soulless concrete high-rises and rowdy bars also left Torremolinos languishing near the bottom of the table. Although, those of you who visited this popular resort out of season told us that you enjoyed the clean beaches and plentiful restaurants

Our research

Star ratings and customer scores based on 1,583 responses from a survey of 950 Which? members in October and November 2025. We only included destinations that received 30 or more responses.