Summer holiday season is nearly here, meaning warm and sunny weeks spend chilling at the beach and swimming in the sea. Taking a dip is the perfect way to cool off, but it’s a lot easier to do when you’re not in the UK, as the water can be almost too cold to handle here.
In fact, there’s one spot that’s said to have the warmerst waters in all of Europe – so if you love to swim but don’t love to give yourself frostbite at the same time, then this is the holiday destination for you. Antalya in Turkey is hugely popular with tourists, and one of its nearby beaches is so impressive that it boasts eight whole miles of coastline. Konyaalti beach should be on your summer bucket list this year, especially if you’re a fan of sea swimming.
The travel experts at Iglu Cruise have revealed the most beautiful beaches across Europe with the warmest waters in summer, and it was the gorgeous Konyaalti that came out on top.
Located in south-west Turkey, this spot takes first place in terms of water temperature, averaging at 27.8°C in summer. The beach can be found west of Antalya and stretches for over eight miles. Popular in summer for holidaymakers in the region, the beach was awarded Blue Flag status, which means the water quality is of a high standard, perfect for swimming.
Fans of the beach haven’t shied away from raving about it on TripAdvisor. It was even awarded the Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award for 2025, with hundreds of glowing five-star reviews.
One person wrote: “The water is clean and refreshing, but the beach is pebbly, so water shoes are recommended. Still, an amazing spot! After swimming, you can enjoy delicious Turkish food at the restaurants along the promenade. Highly recommended!”
Another said: “Konyalti in Antalya is a truly impressive beach. Even in comparison with the most famous beaches in the world, Miami Beach in the USA or Gold Coast in Australia, Konyalti is not only not inferior, but in many ways it wins.”
The sea has also been described as ‘transparent’, with ‘mesmerising’ rocks and pebbles to discover as you paddle or swim. And when you’re done relaxing, you’re only a 30 minute journey away from the centre of Antalya, which is accessible via a direct tram line.
Here, you can wander about the charming streets of the old town, sample some amazing Turkish cuisine, and see the ‘pride and joy’ of the city – the 40-metre-tall Grooved Minaret, an impressive mosque that’s one of the most popular attractions in the city.
