Hit list of tourist no-go areas Monaco, one of the ugliest coastal towns in Europe?
Vanessa Büchel
27.1.2025

Some coastal towns are pretty gems, while others suffer from mass tourism or pollution. The British "Telegraph" has selected the most beautiful and the ugliest of them.
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- The Telegraph has compiled a list of the most beautiful and ugliest coastal towns in Europe.
- The least attractive coastal towns include Monaco and Albufeira in the south of Portugal.
- Many places are struggling with the consequences of mass tourism or environmental pollution - and therefore make it onto the list.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What one person likes, another finds appalling. It's the same with traveling: Places that are attractive to one person are displeasing to the next. After all, you can't please everyone everywhere.
However, the British daily newspaper "Telgraph " did not miss the opportunity to compile a list of the most beautiful and ugliest coastal towns. Some places simply have a much harder time than others, struggling for example with the consequences of mass tourism, environmental pollution or a lack of investment.
Highlights include Nafplio and Sitia on Crete in Greece, San Vicente de la Barquera and Llafranc in Spain, Çirali in Turkey, Camogli and Cefalù on Sicily in Italy, Cap Ferret and Collioure in France and Comporta in Portugal.
But which seven coastal towns didn't come off so well in the Telegraph and were voted the ugliest of their kind? The city-state of Monaco, with its competing skyscrapers, is not very convincing, but a suburb of Rome, Lido di Ostia, is also heavily criticized. It is striking that not a single place in Britain itself made it into the ranking.
Monaco
Anyone who has ever been to Monaco knows that there are a lot of people living in a small space. This is also the reason why the city-state is building upwards. Skyscrapers compete with each other, everyone wants to have an even better view. But what has not been considered is that so many concrete blocks are destroying the skyline. At least that's what the Telegraph thinks. Monaco is a "self-perpetuating bubble of extravagance, luxury and lots of policemen", but with an actually "grandiose backdrop".
Ostia, Italy
Admittedly, Ostia, a suburb of Rome, is not necessarily the most beautiful coastal town in Italy. But after all, not every place can be as picturesque as the Cinque Terre. The Telegraph says that while the sand in Ostia is okay, a dip in the water should be avoided at all costs.
Ploče, Croatia
According to the Telegraph, you should never include Ploče on your list when traveling to Croatia. The coastal town is not worth a stop, rather it is "in reality a run-down port with a petrochemical terminal and grain silos at the mouth of the River Neretva". Not a very glorious description.
Kemer, Turkey
The Turkish Riviera is a popular vacation destination for many Swiss people. If you believe the Telegraph, however, you should avoid Kemer. Apart from characterless hotel complexes, water parks, boring restaurants and shopping centers, there is not much to see here. Despite the rather unattractive description, countless tourists are drawn to Kemer every year.
La Línea de la Concepción, Spain
The biggest drawback of La Línea de la Concepción: a beautiful view of the sea. This is because the view of the horizon is clouded by oil tankers and the nearby refinery, as the Telegraph adds. Much is changing in the coastal town near Gibraltar, but there is still a lot to do to improve the reputation of the Spanish town.
Laganas on Zakynthos, Greece
Laganas on the Greek island of Zakynthos is actually made up of "traditional tavernas, relaxed bars and family-friendly vacation resorts", if only it weren't for the party-loving tourists. According to the Telegraph, they cavort on a 1.6-kilometer stretch of beach that is dotted with clubs and bars. The British daily newspaper is particularly annoyed by "the sidewalks full of bare-breasted boys and girls in skimpy bikinis".
Albufeira, Portugal
Traded as a popular vacation resort in the Portuguese Algarve, Albufeira takes a completely different title from the "Telegraph". This is because the former small fishing village has lost its original charm and fallen victim to mass tourism. Today, travelers would find "an endless number of bars, vibrant nightlife and cheap accommodation in ugly, modern apartment blocks".