Punta Rata Beach, Brela, Croatia
A gravel beach may not sound alluring but the verdant Aleppo pine forest and picturesque rocky outcrop, which offer shade from the incessant sun and a spot for divers to pogo from, will soon change your mind. Though Punta Rata is the most well known, this Dalmatian hamlet has more than six kilometres of beaches where you can indulge your sense in the smell of salt and pine.