Harbors, seafood and sea breeze — the smaller places by the water that won us over.
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San Sebastián
Known in Basque as Donostia, San Sebastián is an elegant coastal city built around the near-perfect arc of La Concha bay. It is famous for its belle-époque architecture, its beaches and one of the highest concentrations of acclaimed restaurants in the world.
The city curves around La Concha, a sheltered bay of golden sand framed by green headlands and a small island at its center. A balustraded promenade runs the length of the beach, and the bay is best viewed from above at Monte Igueldo to the west or Monte Urgull to the east.
Explore San Sebastián →02 / 06
Essaouira
Essaouira is a fortified port on Morocco's Atlantic coast, known for its whitewashed and blue-shuttered medina, its working fishing harbor, and the steady trade winds that have made it a center for windsurfing. The sea light here is softer and cooler than the interior cities.
The medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was laid out in the 18th century by a French engineer on a regular grid unusual for Morocco, and its sea-facing ramparts, the Skala de la Ville, are lined with old bronze cannons facing the Atlantic. The town was historically known as Mogador and was an important trading port; its blue boats, gulls and weathered fishing harbor are among the most photographed subjects on the coast.
Explore Essaouira →03 / 06
Split
Split is built directly inside and around the Diocletian's Palace, a Roman imperial retirement complex from the early 4th century. Rather than a ruin set apart, the palace is a living quarter where apartments, cafes and shops occupy the ancient walls, cellars and colonnaded courtyards.
At the heart of the old town lies the Peristyle, a columned Roman square overlooked by a sphinx brought from Egypt and the cathedral that was once the emperor's mausoleum. Narrow marble lanes thread between Roman, medieval and Venetian buildings, opening onto the Riva, a wide palm-lined seafront promenade that faces the harbor and the islands beyond.
Explore Split →04 / 06
Nha Trang
A coastal resort city with a long beach, offshore islands and ancient Cham towers.
Nha Trang is a major coastal resort city on the south-central coast, known for a long crescent of beach backed by a high-rise promenade and a sheltered bay dotted with islands. It is one of Vietnam's most established seaside destinations, popular for swimming, diving and island-hopping boat trips out into the clear waters of the bay.
Explore Nha Trang →05 / 06
Sokcho
Sokcho is a coastal city on South Korea's northeastern shore, set between the East Sea and the rugged peaks of Seoraksan National Park. It combines beaches and a working fishing harbor with one of the country's most celebrated mountain parks.
Sokcho's main draw is its position at the gateway to Seoraksan, widely considered the most beautiful mountain park in South Korea. Granite peaks, ravines, waterfalls and temples make it a prime destination for autumn foliage, when the slopes turn red and gold and a cable car carries visitors toward the rocky ridgeline at Gwongeumseong. The park holds the Sinheungsa temple and a large bronze Buddha statue near its entrance.
Explore Sokcho →06 / 06
Tarifa
Spain's windswept southern tip, where two seas meet and Africa is visible across the strait.
Tarifa is the southernmost point of mainland Europe, set on the Strait of Gibraltar where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. On clear days the Moroccan coast and the Rif mountains are plainly visible across the narrow strait. Constant strong winds have made it one of the world's premier kitesurfing and windsurfing destinations, and its beaches are long, pale and wild.
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