10 of the best urban beaches in the world

Who says beach resorts have all the fun?

If you want to sunbathe and drink cocktails next summer, then you don't need to book a beach holiday anymore. The world's biggest cities will be decking out their streets with straw huts and deck chairs in 2018. From Poland to Paris, here are ten of the best urban beaches to check out on your next city break.

Poniatówka Beach, Warsaw

Image by Temat Rzeka

Poland is the not first place you think of when booking a beach holiday, but Warsaw has something special on the Vistula river. Poniatówka Beach offers everything from beach volleyball, water sports to all-night clubbing.

Make sure to check out Temat Rzeka, a vibrant beach bar that showcases film screenings, DJ sets and massive parties.

Sugar Beach, Toronto

Image by Ryan (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Once a gritty industrial estate in Toronto, the newly created 'Sugar Beach’ is now one of Canada’s finest urban resorts. As well as the beach, there’s a plaza space with live music and performing arts to entertain revellers. The beach setting is open all-year-round in the city’s eastern East Bayfront. Even better, it’s free to the public.

Donauinsel, Vienna

Image by Vienna City Beach Club

Danube Island (“Donauinsel”) is the best place to cool off in Vienna over the summer months. The skinny island on the Danube river boasts picnic benches, sun loungers and cycling trails. Come here, sit under an umbrella and drink spritz all day while everyday life takes place across the river.

Barceloneta, Barcelona

Image from Wikipedia (Creative Commons)

Created after the Olympic Games in 1992, this magnificent stretch of sand is a great place to cool off in Barcelona. Thousands of people descend on this urban beach every summer.

It’s just over a mile-long, and you can play volleyball, sunbathe or go swimming. Afterwards, grab your things and walk back to the city centre on a special walkway lined with palm trees, cafes and bars.

Camden Beach, London

Farah Fridays at Camden Beach (via YouTube)

Situated at the Roundhouse in London is Camden Beach. The iconic music venue hosts pop-up restaurants, cocktail bars and plenty of beach huts. You don't need to book tickets, but it’s 'first come, first serve', so arrive early to claim a deck chair.

Luna Park, New York

Brooklyn’s Coney Island boardwalk offers New Yorkers and visitors alike the chance to relax on miles of fresh sand. Home to Luna Park, the city’s largest urban beach and a host of galleries, this charming destination is the place to be whenever the sun starts to beat in NYC.

Badeschiff, Berlin

Image by Marco (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Whenever there’s a heatwave in Berlin, everyone heads straight to the Badeschiff, an Ibiza-style beach resort on the River Spree. The beach includes a bathing area with deck chairs, hammocks, and a pop-up bar serving unlimited amounts of cheap beer.

Bruxelles les Bains, Brussels

Brussels Beach (“Bruxelles les Bains”) has hundreds of deck chairs and exotic palm trees for sunbathers. At this splendid beach, there are dance classes, watersport events and even an outdoor cinema.

Vltava River, Prague

There’s no sea in the Czech Republic, but that hasn’t stopped Prague from creating an urban beach on the Vltava River. With over 200 sun loungers and a beautiful pool, it’s become one of the city’s most popular attractions.

As the sun sinks and the stars come out this beach transforms into a massive nightclub, with live concerts, DJs and performing arts running all-night-long.

Paris Plages, France

Image by Sharat Ganapati (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Situated on the right bank of the Seine across from the Louvre to the Pont de Sully is one of the best urban beaches in Europe. It's decorated with deck chairs and artificial grass, and even hosts summertime concerts - making it one of the best places to relax in Paris.