Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava

Spain provides everything you need for the perfect beach vacation: beautiful weather, a culture that loves to enjoy life, and a seemingly endless array of beach options. Its peninsular location in Europe gives it two coastlines, one along the Atlantic and one along the Mediterranean. Beyond those two coastlines, and beyond continental Spain, the beaches of the Balearic Islands (especially on Ibiza and Mallorca) and places like Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands are some of the world's best. Spanish beaches come in all shapes and sizes, from secluded coves surrounded by pine-covered cliffs to wide, crowded spaces with plenty of restaurants and resorts. Find the country's best stretches of coast with this list of the top-rated beaches in Spain:

Located on the Catalonian coast in northeastern Spain, the Costa Brava area delivers rugged beauty (the name means "rough coast") with many serene beaches surrounded by high cliffs. Aside from the beaches, it's a great part of Spain for sightseeing. Tossa de Mar is an ancient town, midway between Barcelona and the French border. It has a beautiful, curved beach with a bonus: there's a large castle on the hill beyond the beach. The sand here is coarse and dark golden brown, with a large area of the bay roped off for swimming. Attractions in the area include Roman ruins, as well as several nature preserves. The Premier Gran Hotel Reymar & Spa is in the little town of Tossa de Mar, up on the hillside, overlooking the bay. Some of the rooms and suites (try for one on a high floor) have sweeping ocean views.