How to avoid the crowded beaches in Europe during your summer road trip

The simplest advice is simply.. Don't do what most others do. This means that you should forget about the charter vacation resorts that exist along the northern Mediterranean coastline. This thought leads to four other rules of thumb..

Pick the small villages

Next to all those so famous beach resorts, there are small villages and stretches of coastline that is less explored. A rule of thumb is that the more difficult it is to get there, the more secluded and calm the beach will be. And that should suit you perfectly, since you're on a road trip and out exploring anyway, right?

Season matters

If you travel around Europe in June, July or August, tourists are literally everywhere. This holds true for beaches as well as cities. So the simple solution is to plan your trip close enough to the warm summer months but just before or after the holiday season begins or ends.

This means May or September in most cases. You can still count on warm and pleasant weather around the Mediterranean, and chances are that the late summer in northern Europe, such as United Kingdom and Scandinavia, can still offer sunshine and warm temperatures.

Man with backpack sitting on the beach at dawn.

Get up early

That's right, don't sleep in. Have that super early breakfast and hit the road early to get to the beach before others do. Let's face it, you're also getting the opportunity of seeing the sun rising over the sea! Not only that, but you'll most likely be the only one taking photos of it.

Travel by rented bike or car

Because that's what is taking the locals to the hidden beach resorts. This ties in with the first advice to pick the small villages. Like mentioned, public transport will be more scarce, and you should consider this an opportunity to free yourself from the constraints of set routes by public transports. Check out where you can rent bikes or even a car, to reach that hidden beach.