Thanks to government measures, coronavirus cases remain low in
Georgia – so much so that the country has adopted a new tagline:
“The Safe Destination”. The second-largest city behind Tbilisi,
Batumi is a delightful cocktail of nature, wellness, sustainable tourism, shopping, good food, better plonk,
historic sites and, of course, its namesake pebble beach, lapped by
the Black Sea. If the Batumi Boulevard is too busy for your liking,
drive 20 minutes north to the narrow shore of Mtsvane Kontskhi,
backed by a botanical garden. On the fence about travelling right
now? Temperatures linger around the mid-20s into September.

Stay: Kartuli Hotel

So blissfully quiet is Comporta Beach, that it’s said Madonna
once took to riding her horse along the 20km stretch on Sunday
mornings. A few kilometres from Lisbon, the Alentejo region (along with the
Azores and the Algarve) is among Europe’s areas least devastated by
COVID-19. Even in summer, crowds are minimal on Comporta’s coast,
but for something more secluded still, head to the golden sands of
Porto Santo in the Madeira archipelago.

Stay: Sublime Comporta

Montenegro was Europe’s first corner to declare itself
“corona-free”, and the coastal, medieval city of Kotor (a Unesco World Heritage Site) hasn’t clocked even
one case of the virus. Nestled in a mountain-ringed bay, it’s a
blissful marriage of city (the restaurants are especially good
here) and nature, with a web of trekking and cycling routes cast
over the surrounding area. Once you’ve done exploring, find a quiet
spot on one of the area’s many intimate beaches caressed by the
Adriatic – Oblatno is our favourite.

Stay: Three Square Apartment

Greece was among the European countries with
fewest deaths. As more than 500 of its beaches open, the government
is implementing a host of social-distancing measures including a
compulsory four metres between umbrellas, no more than 40 people
per square kilometre and a fleet of drones that warn beachgoers
when things are getting too close for comfort. We’ve got our sights
on Epirus’s unspoiled city of Preveza, at the mouth of the
Ambracian Gulf. Here, stretching for 22km, Monolithi Beach is the
longest in Europe, so you’ll be unlikely to trade germs with fellow
visitors.

Stay: daLUZ Boutique Hotel

It’s worth checking Poland’s pandemic status when planning a
trip because (at the time of writing) the country is yet to pass
its pandemic peak. That said, the country’s restrictions are easing
and its borders have opened. Fly into Gdańsk and drive an hour
north to Hel, a 35km sandy slither of a peninsula that separates
the Bay of Puck from the Baltic Sea. Despite its name, it’s
anything but hellish. Bike tours are a pleasant (and
personal-space-friendly) way to take in the vistas.

Stay: Villa Aqua BlueApart Jurata

With one of Europe’s lowest infection rates, this Balkan country
opened its borders without restriction in mid-May. When it comes to
beaches, the Croatian Institute of Public Health has issued a raft
of safety measures including regularly disinfecting deckchairs, no
more than 15 people per 100sq m and the provision of hand
sanitiser. Crowned 2020’s European Capital of Culture, the city is
fringed with white-sand beaches including the clear, Blue Flag
stretch of Kostanj Bay.

Stay: Apartments Porto Marina

Italy endured one of Europe’s worst outbreaks of COVID-19, but it’s worth remembering that much
of the country relies on tourism – more than 40 per cent of which
clings to the coast. While its regions vary in the easing of
lockdown restrictions, Jesolo Beach – a narrow strip that lies
between the Venetian Lagoon and the Piave River delta – is taking a
tech-forward approach to keeping sun-worshippers safe. Parasols are
operated via remote control, lockers and bathrooms are opened by
electronic bracelets, and bathrooms self-disinfect.

Stay: Palazzina Grassi

Recognised by the European Commission as one of the continent’s
best sustainable tourism destinations, Jūrmala (just west of Riga)
is fronted by 30km of powdery sand. Medicinal mud baths and mineral
waters are a big draw here. Hire a paddleboard for a (socially distanced) view of
the shore and inhale a few good lungfuls of pine-scented sea air.
It’s worth heading inland, too; the beach is backed by an eclectic
cluster of buildings (think art-nouveau timber cottages and
Soviet-era sanatoriums) as well as an open-air museum and the
wildlife-rich Kemeri National Park.

Stay: Dome Hotel

Life really is a beach at Nida, where 100km of fine sand,
sweeping dunes and forest are prime territory for taking a respite
from our anxiety-inducing present and seeking solace in nature. A
four-hour drive from the capital, Vilnius, this seaside resort on
the Curonian Spit is overlooked by most tourists, bar some
in-the-know Germans and local Lithuanians. Kitesurfing and windsurfing are great here, but
if you want to stay on dry land, climb the dune of Parnidis
(Europe’s second tallest) or let the breeze tousle your hair on the
cycle path. Note: there’s a nudist section of the beach too.

Stay: Inkaro Kaimas

Spain is another one of those European destinations that has
been devastated by the pandemic but is pioneering ways to make its
coastline safe. Beachgoers will have to book their patch of sand
via an app at Canet d’en Berenguer, 20 miles north of Valencia. The shore will be split into a grid of
socially distanced sites, with staggered arrival times and a
maximum capacity of 5,000 – that’s just half the amount of people
who’d normally visit.

Stay: Barracart Apartments