La Barceloneta is the main beach in the Catalan capital and is
backed by tapas and paella joints. A 10-minute stroll along the
shore and you hit the glitzy marina of Port Olimpic. To avoid the
glitterati, grab some cold cervezas and sit on the beach watching
the super-yachts float by.

Blessed with miles of coastline, each of Cape Town’s beaches are
distinct in character. The surfers’ corner at Muizenberg, or
“Muizies” as it’s known to locals, is a beautiful spot on the shore
of the Cape Peninsula. For penguin watching, Boulders Beach is the
place, while the best whale-sighting spots are at False Bay,
Hermanus and Cape Agulhus. If you prefer the comfort of a beach
club over a jet ski or surfboard, head to Glen Beach; a
wind-protected stretch with the backdrop of Table Mountain.

Portugal’s hilly capital boasts a string of Atlantic beaches.
For a combination of history and ocean-side glamour head to the
town of Belém and visit the iconic 16th-century Torre de Belém – a
symbol of trade and nod to Portugal’s seafaring past. For beaches,
Portinho da Arrábidais is the winner. Mirroring the crystal waters
of the Algarve coast, it is easily accessible from the city. Nearby
Sesimbra offers two beaches which don’t require descending down a
sharp cliff face to reach.

South Beach may not be a secluded idyll but in a city buzzing
with nightclubs, Latin dance halls and seductive cocktail lounges,
the beach does offer relative respite. The heart of the beach runs
from fifth to 15th street along Ocean Drive and is filled with a
patchwork of sun loungers, luxury hotels and buzzy bars. If the
micro-bikinis and tanning oil become too much, the trails along Key
Biscayne offer a quick escape.

A city as famed for its nightlife as its beaches, watch as tiny
souks turn into shisha bars as soon as the sun falls. For a
combination of partying and chilling, Jerusalem beach – known as
the “matkot” beach – is popular among both locals and tourists.
Alternatively, head to Ha’Maravi to hawk over both the sunset and
the surfers…

Gravitate towards these shores if a side of samba on the waters
edge is what you’re after. The iconic Copacabana beach – a four
kilometre stretch of flaxen sand – is still a prime spot for long
walks, competitive volleyball matches and caipirinha sundowners.
It’s sister beach, Ipanema, is generally filled with scantily clad
playboys, favela kids playing soccer and tanned bodies soaking up
the rays. The city itself is just as vivacious as the beach
scenes.

Fringing Los Angeles, the beaches of Santa Monica, Venice and
Malibu are perhaps LA’s most notorious stars. In the creatuve
district of Venice, skaters mix with eccentric bladers heading down
the board walk, stubby in hand. On Santa Monica’s world-famous
pier, you’ll catch a health-conscious crew probably watching the
sunset with a poké bowl. Just north of the city, Malibu offers a
quieter alternative to LA’s city beaches. When you’re sick of the
sand, the arts district is full of thrift stores, yuppie
coffeehouses and art galleries.

With waters full of orcas and sea lions alongside world-class
hiking, Vancouver has natural beauty in spades. Stanley Park
Seawall, an 8.8km trail downtown, is the city’s best outdoor spot
with thick forest canopy on one side and mountains on the other. In
the blistering heat, Kits Beach pulses with locals and tourists
alike, while Savary Island on the northern Sunshine Coast has been
deemed a laid-back “Hawaii of the north”.

Renowned Waikiki beach is a neighbourhood where former surf
heroes bypass designer stores and cocktail bars on Kalakuaua Avenue
in pursuit of the perfect wave. The guidebook crowds are often hard
to bear here, however, so head to the island’s north shore to the
Malaekahana State Recreation Area – a long stretch of relatively
secluded white sand. In summer when the waves are small, this
magical spot surrounded by tropical woodland is unbeatable.
Alternatively, Ke Iki beach, home to bohemian beachfront bungalows
and cafés offering açaí bowls, is a figurative surfers
paradise.

Whether you’ve got two days or two months, the seductive shores
of Sydney never get tiresome. Packed with attractive bronzed
locals, Bondi is the undisputed beach hub of the city. Reliable
waves draw surfers year-round, alongside health-conscious yogis
sipping iced matcha lattes or backpackers trekking the Coogee
Coastal Walk. The creamy sands often draw huge crowds, so for more
seclusion than socialising, Wattamolla Beach along the Royal
Coastal Walk offers a more isolated space.