Beautiful beach, Norway

What European Country has the Most Beaches?

The size of a country and the length of its coastline are not always proportional to each other.

For example, in the world there are some really huge countries, whose coastlines are even shorter than these of other much smaller countries.

The reason is very easy to understand – just some countries have strongly indented coastline, which makes their shores extremely long.

Some of the most interesting examples can be found in Europe.

Beautiful beach, Norway
Beautiful beach, Norway by Bosc d’Anjou

The country in Europe with the longest coastline is Norway. It is actually the 7th longest in the world and is just about 600 km shorter than the coastline of Australia.

This is amazing because actually Australia is more than 25 times bigger than Norway! Actually, with its 25,148 km, the coastline of Norway is even longer than that of the United States!

This is quite surprising given the fact that the country has relatively small territory. If you have any doubts, however, just look at the map.

The country has thousands of islands as well as an extremely indented coastline with numerous bays and peninsulas.

When it comes to beaches, Norway can beat all the other European countries.

Actually, a few people associate Norway with a vacation on the beach but it is the place where you can find some of the greatest sandy shores on the continent. The problem is the short summer season.

Since Norway is located in Northern Europe, it has quite cold weather in most of the year.

Of course, in summer there are great days with pleasant temperatures but the weather is very different from what you can find in Spain, Portugal or Greece.

In June, July and August the average daytime temperature in the area of Oslo is over 20°C.

summer in oslo
Summer in Oslo by bjaglin

The warmest month is July and if you want to visit the country for its beaches this is the right time to do it.

The average daytime temperature in July is about 21 – 22°C but 1 out of every 4 days brings temperatures of over 25°C.

If you want to increase the chances of good weather conditions, this is completely possible. You just have to choose the southern coast of the country.

According to statistics, in 2014, in Southern Norway were recorded more than 20 days with temperatures of between 25 and 30 degrees, which is more than enough for the beach!

Well, probably you won’t be able to relax on the beach every day because even in summer there are cool and rainy days but if you still decide to spend you summer holiday in Norway, the country won’t disappoint you.

In contrast to Southern Europe, the beaches of Norway are not so crowded even in the height of summer.

Yes, there are some people but they are not too much, and you will be able to relax completely.

Because of the smaller number of visitors, the beaches of Norway are extremely clean. Sea, sand and water, they are just like in the paradise.

For this reason, Norway is often mentioned as a number one summer destination for those who want to escape the summer heat and crowds.

In addition, the beaches of Norway are dotted in many cases with fresh and lush green pine forests, which reach the sand itself and make the shores very different from the Mediterranean.

Fevik coast, Norway
Fevik coast, Norway by eutrophication&hypoxia

Another great advantage is that most beaches are nestled in deep fjords so you can expect very calm and quiet water surface like a mirror.

Also, since most of the nice beaches in Southern Norway are located in deep and separated from the sea bays, you can expect water temperatures reaching up to 17 or 19°C.

Well, it is for sure much lower than in Greece for example but you can still refresh yourself into the sea during the warm summer days.

If you are looking for one of the best places to spend a summer holiday in Norway, you probably have to visit the town of Mandal, which is famous for its Sjosanden Beach.

It is the Paradise on Earth, and you will fall in love with this place as soon as you see it for the first time.

Mandal, Norway
Mandal, Norway by Mirra Photography (Kristin Jona)

Mandal is located in the southernmost part of Norway, in a beautiful area covered with lush pine forests and surrounded by numerous bays, islands and pristine beaches.

The area is very nice for tourism, no matter if you want to stay in a comfortable hotel or just need an amazing camping experience next to the beach.

Of course, talking about the country with the greatest number of beaches in Europe, we cannot say which is the best one for you. This is because it all depends on what you are searching for.

However, it is a fact that Norway has a lot to offer to its visitors and you definitely have to consider this destination for your next beach vacation.