6 of the World’s Most Beautiful Seaside Towns You Must Visit

Tired of the hustle and bustle of the city? Do you want to visit a beach or seaside paradise but with the rustic charms of a town or suburb you can explore? Do you want some quiet moments by the beach, but with the option to mingle with local townspeople for a dose of culture and have newfound friends? Then you’ll surely love visiting any of the featured seaside towns in this list.

Some of the places mentioned here are known top tourist attractions while others are still unheard of and you can enjoy your peace and quiet. Aside from the given activity of enjoying a dip in the waters, we are featuring things you certainly shouldn’t miss experiencing from these seaside towns.

#1. Positano, Amalfi Coast, Italy

Positano is one of the many seaside towns you can visit along the Amalfi Coast of Italy. But it is also guaranteed to be one of the prettiest you’ll see, otherwise it won’t be named as the Jewel of the Amalfi Coast. The breath-taking views of the tranquil blue sky and sea is complemented by the colorful town colors. Enjoy the town history while walking up the path. Positano is a vertical town and instead of walking down roads, it’s stairs stairs stairs, great for those who love some good physical exercise while on adventure.

Take a picture of this lovely pastel-colored town by the sea, or trek up the town

Things to do:

1. Have custom-made sandals in the local shoe and slipper shops of Positano, they’re great souvenirs and great for walking up those stairs!
2. Walk hand-in-hand with your partner or enjoy a quiet walk up the Lover’s Path or Sentiero degli Innamorati
3. Travel up the path of Nocelle to view the secret “Panorama of the Gods”
4. Buy a Limoncello (lemon-flavored liqueur) as a souvenir.

Sandals, Limoncello and hiking up the Panorama of the Gods… all in Positano

#2. Capri, Italy

Capri is the entrance to the Bay of Naples and is one of the towns to visit in the Tyrhhenian Sea. Capri looks straight out from a painting, with a view of cliffs overlooking the sea, natural rock arches and the rich Baroque architecture of the residential areas. In fact, Capri is so lovely that the Roman Emperor Tiberius built not one, not two, but twelve villas all over the island. These monuments and villas of Tiberius’ time are well-preserved and yours for visiting.

The enchanting Blue Grotto cave in Capri, Italy

Things to do:

1. Have a boat tour and visit the Blue Grotto, White Grotto, and admire the natural rock arches of Faraglioni. Do island or beach hopping as well.
2. Take in the local scene and try authentic Italian hearty food and coffee in the cafes dotting the Piazetta at the heart of the town.
3. Travel back in the Medieval period by visiting the Castle of Capri (Villa Castiglione) and Villa Jovis built during the rule of Emperor Tiberius.
4. Ride up the cable car on the top of Monte Solaro, Capri’s highest point.

Cable car, Castle, Rock arches of Capri

#3. Santorini, Greece

Santorini is one of the famed tourist spots in Greece and for a good reason. It is simply breath-taking. Stay in a wine-cave turned hotel in Oia, admire the beautiful caldera, fall in love with beautiful Santorini!

Watch the lovely colorful sunset at Oia, Santorini.

Things to do:

1. Adventure junkies, you must try cliff diving in Santorini. There are only a few places on earth where you have monumental stone cliffs overlooking the sea. Santorini is brimming with them!
2. Watch sunset in Oia, Santorini. The pink and orange sunset of Santorini is a stark contrast with the dominant white structures that line the seaside, creating a beautiful view.
3. Delight yourself with sumptuous mediterranean and Greek food.
4. Go back in time by visiting the Byzantine ruins of Akrotiri, mostly dated 1672BC!

Dive a cliff, visit Akrotiri ruins in Santorini

#4. Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia

Vacationers will be baffled to see a Mediterranean-style town in the tip of Africa. But that is exactly what Sidi Bou Said looks like. It is fast becoming a top tourist attraction in Tunisia in North Africa because of its exotic charms. The city faces the Mediterranean islands across thus the influence in its white-and-blue architecture, but most of the aspects of town life are definitely Tunisian. So if you want some place where Mediterranean meets Africa, with some golden sunshine and blue-green waters, Sidi Bou Said is the place!

Enjoy basking in a Mediterranean ambiance while enjoying mild African sunshine atop one of the restaurants in Sidi Bou Said

Things to do:

1. Buy traditional Tunisian textile and ceramics as souvenir
2. Visit the Palace Dar Nejma Ezzahra
3. Walk up the streets of the Centro Storico and take note of the different patterns on the houses and doors. The view ends with a majestic overlooking view of the whole seaside town.
4. Try local tasty Tunisian food

Colorful Tunisian ceramics and the Palace in Sidi Bou Said

#5. Batanes, Philippines

Batanes is called the last frontier of the North in the Philippines because it has remained the way it is for many years. With very little influence of industrialization, you’ll surely get into introspection with such beautiful and quiet environment.

Rolling hills and clear turquoise blue waters, Batanes is a Philippine paradise.

Things to do:

1. Explore the stone arches by the beach, the sole lighthouse and meditate with all the peace and quiet.
2. Stuff yourself full with fresh seafood!
3. Experience being an Ivatan for a day. Mingle with the indigenous Ivatans of Batanes, dress in their Yakul straw costumes and spend a night on their weather-proof stone houses.
4. Test your morals by visiting the Honesty Coffee Shop. The shop is unmanned and self-service. You can opt to pay or not pay for whatever you will get. Just list down what you got from the shop and drop your payment in the box.

Fresh and sumptuous seafood feast and the local Ivatan culture of Batanes

#6. Kamakura, Japan

Kamakura in Japan is a popular tourist destination for foreigners and local Japanese alike. Whether it is beaches you want, or visiting the spiritual Buddhist shrines for meditation, Kamakura offers it all. Spring and Autumn are the best seasons to visit this charming Japanese seaside town.

The beaches at Kamakura offer a view of the majestic Mt. Fuji too

Things to do:

1. Get in tune with your spirituality by visiting the top temples in Kamakura such as Tsurugaoka Tengmangu, Tennoji and the Daibutsu or The Temple of the Giant Buddha.
2. Journey through roads less traveled and get in touch with nature by trying the Kamakura Hiking Trails.
3. Witness Japanese traditional festivals (depends on what month or season you will visit)

Shogun parade during Kamakura festival, hiking trail and the Giant Buddha.

Is your favorite seaside town not featured here? Comment what’s your recommended paradise and why. 🙂 If you have suggestions of things to do in the featured places, please share by commenting.