Montenegro's Mogren Beach tops European beach ranking

A new Quotezone index ranking European beaches for 2026 named Mogren Beach near Budva in Montenegro as the continent's best. The index considered sea temperature, hotel prices and 5‑star reviews; Mogren recorded an average July sea temperature of 25.5 °C, a three‑night hotel stay averaging €225 and the cheapest tap‑beer at €1.50. The runner‑up spots went to Nissi Beach on Cyprus (average sea temperature 27.4 °C, three‑night hotel €370) and Maspalomas Beach on the Canary Islands (sea temperature 22 °C, three‑night hotel €423).

A separate European Environment Agency report on water quality for 2025 identified Albania as having the dirtiest coastal waters in Europe, with 23 % of its beaches rated “bad” due to fecal contamination – more than three times the rate in Estonia. Only 16 % of Albanian beaches earned an “excellent” rating, compared with an EU average of 88 %. By contrast, Cyprus, Lithuania and Slovenia recorded 100 % of monitored sites as “excellent”. The findings highlight health risks for swimmers and underscore the variability of beach conditions across the continent.