Top 10 Beach Cities

Number 10
Venice, Italy
Body of water the city borders: Adriatic Sea
Population: Around 271,251
Average temperature in the winter: 40°F
Average temperature in the summer: 73°F

Built on water, Venice was destined to rank as one of our top 10 beach cities. Its beaches are often overlooked, however, given the meandering canals, gondola rides and stunning architecture that take up most of visitors’ precious time. When they get past those attractions, they’ll find that the romantic Italian city is actually home to some of the most hush-hush beaches in Europe, where nature and history collide.Best beach: Venice Lido is one of the world’s best-kept secrets, and is only 10 minutes away from the throngs of tourists that congregate around St. Mark’s Square. An 11-mile island that stretches between the open sea and a lagoon, the sands of Venice Lido play host to some of the most stylish Italians off the catwalk. Excelsior and Des Bains are Lido’s best private beaches (belonging to hotels), but there are two public beaches to be found on either end of the white sandbar if you’re too cheap to check in.

Number 9
Mumbai, India
Body of water the city borders: Arabian Sea
Population: Around 13,662,885
Average temperature in the winter: 75°F
Average temperature in the summer: 85°F

Mumbai is the financial, commercial, industrial, and celluloid capital of India, and it’s where Bollywood dreams are made. Built from the ground up on its colonial foundations, Mumbai is one part glitz, with flashy skyscrapers and designer stores, and one part poverty, with slums and seedy neighborhoods. Built next to the Arabian Sea, another one of Mumbai’s points of interest is, of course, the beach. Juhu Beach, which sits just outside of the city center, is lined with Mumbai’s best hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, and it's where the business bunch like to come and play. Mumbai’s deep-water port is also an essential component of the beachside city, managing over half of India’s maritime cargo. Best beach: Fringed by Marina Drive on the western side of the city, Chowpatty Beach is Mumbai’s most charismatic beach. There are donkey rides, stalls selling bhelpuri (a savory snack favored in the region) and a huge man-powered Ferris wheel to be ridden. When the sun sets behind the Arabian Sea, Chowpatty Beach turns into a carnivalesque scene with astrology readings, plays, monkey shows, and yoga demonstrations happening right on the sand. The beach also doubles as the venue for the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festival, during which giant statues of the elephant god are thrown into the sea. This is beach-going India-style, and there are no apparent rules or regulations.

Number 8
Sydney, Australia
Body of water the city borders: Pacific Ocean
Population: 4,284,379
Average temperature in the winter: 54°F
Average temperature in the summer: 73°F

Although many people still think that Sydney is the capital of Australia, it isn’t -- that would be Canberra. Sydney is, however, no less important to Australia’s success as a travel destination; in fact, more people seem to visit it than the country’s actual capital, which doesn’t seem fair. Nevertheless, with showstopping architecture, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge (incidentally, both by the water), a vibrant nightlife scene, and more natural beauty than in the rest of the world’s cities put together, it’s not hard to see why Sydney is the beating heart of modern-day Australia. As the country’s biggest metropolis, there’s much to see and do, but one of the biggest draws is undoubtedly the beaches that lie just behind the clutter of the city’s glass-fronted buildings. Best beach: A magnet for those who love the combination of beach and city life, Bondi Beach is the most photographed stretch of sand in Australia (and Australia’s one hell of a big country!). Famed for its excellent surfing conditions, Bondi is long, well-kept and full of gorgeous people taking to their boards and riding the waves.

Number 7
Brighton, UK
Body of water the city borders: English Channel
Population: Around 155,919
Average temperature in winter: 41°F
Average temperature in summer: 64°F

Positioned in the South of England, Brighton is steeped in history and was where the mods and rockers of the ‘60s used to come to battle it out for supremacy on the pier that once sat in the English Channel. Unfortunately, the pier burned down years ago (the charred remains of which can still be seen), but a new one was built, complete with traditional fairground rides, stalls and arcades. Recently declared a “city,” Brighton has become more than just a weekend retreat for Londoners.Now a developing hub of business and commerce (thanks, in large part, to its geographical position next to the sea), Brighton has seen the rise of a posh city-within-a-city-style marina and a booming boating industry. There are also plans for the construction of the i360, a London Eye-style monument to be erected in place of the burnt-down pier. Set to attract thousands of visitors a year, the towering 490-foot observation mast will mark Brighton as a must-see destination across the world, completely reinventing the city.Best beach: Aside from the hundreds of pubs and clubs, the beach is Brighton’s biggest draw, with red-and-white striped deck chairs dotting its stony shorefront. In the summer, you can’t actually see the beach for all the people!

Number 6
Los Angeles, USA
Body of water the city borders: Pacific Ocean
Population: About 3,800,000
Average temperature in the winter: 58°F
Average temperature in the summer: 73°F

Dubbed ”The City of Angels,” Los Angeles is the world’s capital for popular culture and entertainment. With everyone who’s anyone living and working in the sprawling Californian metropolis, Los Angeles is also recognized for its stunning array of beaches, thanks in large part to their many appearances on television and in movies.Best beach: Though technically part of Los Angeles county,Santa Monica is by far the most renowned beach in the L.A. area, with iconic TV show Baywatch having filmed here during its run. The quintessential urban beach community, Santa Monica borders the Pacific Ocean and offers the allure of a coastal retreat with the sophistication of city-style amenities. Indeed, with Disneyland, Universal Studios, Beverly Hills, and Malibu close by, Santa Monica is very much part of the city. Whether you’re sprawled on its fine white sands, rollerblading on its promenade or having a date on the pier’s Ferris wheel, Santa Monica has become as integral to L.A. as silicone.

Number 5
Cape Town, South Africa
Body of water the city borders: Indian/Atlantic Oceans
Population: Around 3,500,000
Average temperature in winter: 53°F
Average temperature in summer: 68°F

A city where sickening wealth rubs its Prada-clad shoulders with heartbreaking poverty, Cape Town has risen up the tourism ranks in the past decade to become a go-to place for expat residents looking for a better life in the sun. Fusing European elegance with the exotic nature of the African continent, Cape Town has it all: Five-star hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants, chic nightclubs, designer shops, and beaches better than the ones on Baywatch. Hugged by the warm waters of both the Indian and Atlantic Oceans in front and sheltered by the mountainous landscape behind, the sheltered beaches that lie before the city are some of the best in the world for getting your tan on.Best beach: Clifton Beach is one of Cape Town’s most glamorous waterfronts, with flashy yachts moored in the shimmering water and rock-hard bodies flaunting themselves in the surf, while Big Bay and Little Bay are best for water sports like windsurfing.

Number 4
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Body of water the city borders: South Atlantic Ocean
Population: 6,093,472
Average temperature in winter: 72°F
Average temperature in summer: 84°F

Cities don’t come more beach-orientated than Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s vibrant capital. Home of the world-famous Carnival, the laid-back citizens of Rio love nothing more than donning their Havaiana flip-flops and heading to Copacabana Beach, after which Barry Manilow’s song is named.Best beach: Stretching 2.5 miles from Princesa Isabel Avenue to Posto Seis, the iconic Copacabana Beach is where Rio’s tanned beauties lounge by day and party by night, all under the watchful eye of Christ the Redeemer, standing tall on Corcovado mountain. The beach isn’t only good for Brazil’s beach bunnies either: there are historic military forts standing at either end for culture vultures, and a Portuguese wave-patterned promenade lined with hotels, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs for the party crowd. Oozing an atmosphere of casual-beach chic, Rio’s famous sands also plays host to world-famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Number 3
Barcelona, Spain
Body of water the city borders: Mediterranean Sea
Population: Around 1,605,602
Average temperature in winter: 50°F
Average temperature in summer: 75°F

While outsiders may see Barcelona as a cultural destination, the Spanish see the city as a fabulous beach resort, flocking to the Catalonian capital in droves as soon as summer hits. A heady mix of architecture, shopping and nightlife, Barcelona sits on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea and boasts over 2.5 miles of stunning white-sand beaches. Barcelona’s beachside position doesn’t just enable it to benefit from shade-wearing tourists; the city was chosen as the host for the 1992 Olympics, which saw billions driven into the restoration of its once-shabby seafront. What’s more, Port Vell, situated at the end of the famous Ramblas, grants the city access to cruise liners and cargo ships, meaning it’s a force to be reckoned with when it comes to valuable trade and cruise tourism.Best beach: The city’s signature strip of sand has to be Barceloneta Beach, one of many that attracts up to 7,000,000 sun-worshippers every year.

Number 2
Dubai, UAE
Body of water the city borders: Arabian Gulf
Population: 2,261,995
Average temperature in the winter: 75°F
Average temperature in the summer: 94°F

Built from the ground up to be one of the world’s busiest beachside cities, Dubai is known for its daring architecture, gaudy style and sweltering heat. Erected in the desert, the beaches are as spotless and as pristine as you’d expect. Dubai’s beachside location doesn’t only enable it to attract D&G-clad sun-worshippers; with a strategic location that sits on the crossroads between East and West, the port forms a connection between Europe and the Far East that was previously non-existent.Best beach: Dubai relies heavily on its beautiful beaches for tourism, with celebrities from around the globe counting beaches, such as Jumeirah Beach, among their favorite hangouts.

Number 1
Miami, USA
Body of water the city borders: Atlantic Ocean
Population: 5,590,000
Average temperature in the winter: 68°F
Average temperature in the summer: 82°F

Arguably the world’s most famous beachside city, Miami is where the world’s jet-set come to top up their tans, fill up on cocktails and dance until the early hours with the rich and famous. Aside from being a tourism hub for its beaches, Miami’s beachside location also enables it to reap valuable trade for the rich city, with Miami Port being one of the busiest in the United States. Welcoming both cargo and cruise ships, the port contributes more than $16-billion each year to the state of Florida from international trade, providing countless jobs and ensuring that the city looks as glamorous as it does in the movies.Best beach: Just 90 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from Cuba, South Beach is Miami’s most iconic stretch of sand, and is bordered by Ocean Drive’s row of art deco restaurants, bars, clubs, and hotels. The beach is so flashy, it’s even got its own workout equipment built right into the sand -- just in case beachgoers have one too many cheesy quesadillas at lunch.


Va beach needs to step it up to make it into the top 200........