Where’s best for a no-fuss trip in the Mediterranean?
Q I am planning an early summer trip for next year, flying to the Mediterranean, and want to minimise the amount of travel I do while there. Is there anywhere you would recommend with an airport really convenient for a beach – but without too much noise?
Gavin H
A My clear favourite for almost all the criteria you provide is the Praia de Faro – the beach of Faro, the main aviation gateway for the Portuguese Algarve.
You can walk from the terminal to the beach in half-an-hour (or take a cab in five minutes); there are a couple of cheap and cheerful guest house/hostel places to stay; and the sand is gorgeously soft.
Considering it is the closest beach to the biggest town on the Algarve, it is rarely too crowded. A bus runs into Faro every 40 minutes or so, giving access to bars, restaurants, shopping and bright lights. And because the beach is parallel with the runway rather than beneath the flight path, the aircraft noise is not intrusive.
But you specified Mediterranean, so I must direct you elsewhere. Palma is my next bid, specifically the resort of C’an Pastilla. It’s a 40-minute walk from the airport that serves the island of Mallorca, or 10 minutes by taxi. The resort is nothing special, just a quiet little place on the Bay of Palma, except when planes are taking off to the south, when it can become a little noisy. Again, access to the city is easy, and there’s a handful of small, family-run hotels and restaurants.
The best example of a major airport that is practically on the beach is Nice. The Promenade des Anglais begins where the runway ends, and extends around the bay for about three miles. My hesitation in recommending it is twofold: the noise, which comes from the busy road as well as the planes; and the beach, which is shingle.
So instead I recommend Toulon-Hyeres, along the Cote d’Azur, where you can get from terminal to sea in two minutes flat. The airport is on the edge of the pretty port of Hyeres and some distance, with offshore islands adding to the horizon and offering a day-trip option.
The main problem is getting there. The airport has had an on/off relationship with the UK. I flew out there on Buzz (later swallowed up by Ryanair), and the most recent British airline to fly there was the nowdefunct Flybe. But with airline networks in disarray and everything up for grabs, it might be a surprise addition for next summer.