Sandy beach with ancient ruins nearby

[MinnieMountain]

Is there anywhere in Europe or Turkey that has a sandy beach and also ancient ruins nearby? Ideally a few sites close enough to not need a whole day trip.

We’re looking at 2026. Probably May half term as none of us (me, DH and DS who will be 12) like it really hot.

We’d prefer self-catering.

Athens, Delphi then the coast.

Northumberland coast is fabulous in may. Loads of castles.

Definitely Cyprus.

There's the old fort, Roman mosaics, ampitheatre and tombs of the kings all within easy walk of the main Paphos resort.

Then there is another ampitheatre (curium) and Kolossi castle close to Limassol.

Plus lots of historic churches.

Or how about a monastery up in the Troodos mountains.

Selinunte in Sicily. Ancient Greek temples are next to the sandy beach.

I love the sound of Side and Paphos.

I should have said- not the UK as we want guaranteed warmth.

Crete - Knossos
Turkey - Ephesus
Sicily - Syracuse
Ostia Rome - Ostia Antica

All above close to beaches.

Sicily.

Where did you stay in Crete @AnnaQuayInTheUk ?

Side is lovely and perfect weather that time of year

We stayed in Salou and as well as visiting the Theme park and water park, we had a great day bus trip to visit the small town of Tarragona that had a amphitheatre right on the coast.

Nin in Croatia. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Lindos in Rhodes is lovely

Agrigento (there’s a lovely hotel you can stay in with private access to a fabulous Greek temple)

Sorrento (there was a sandy beach although we ended up not having any beach time)

Tulum (not Europe but guaranteed warmth!)

Crete could work if you are driving

We are going to Rhodes in April so will see how that goes.

Not much beach

Cirali in Turkey has a sandy beach just walking distance to Olympos ruins, and flames of chimera, it's lovely there.

Crete, Rhodes and Cyprus.

@catsmother we loved the ruins at the harbour in Paphos.

But what stick in our memories were the painted churces in the mountains.

Seconding Paestum. We stayed at the Savoy Beach which has its own beach club. The ruins in Paestum itself are more interesting and less busy than the Parthenon and it's close to both Herculaneum and Pompeii.

Tarifa in Spain, sits on roman ruins. Very beautiful as is the whole area. Sledging down the huuuuge sand dunes is a very favourite memory of my kids.

Paphos

Pqphos, Cyprus

Lindos, Rhodes

Athens.

We stayed in Plaka but had a car so could access lots of ruins. Plaka is opposite Spinalonga which was a Venetian Fortress in the 17th Century but ended up being Greece's last leper colony. it's fascinating.

Cape sounio is about an hour’s drive from Athens and you’ve got the Temple of Poseidon on a lovely beach. Stay down overnight and catch the ferry over to Kea island (1hr ish) from nearby Lavrio for multiple sandy unspoilt beaches and the temple of Athena. Then head into the city properly for a few days and do all of the ancient bits Greek and Roman and a couple of day trips to Delphi and Ancient Epidavros, maybe even another island trip to Delos and fly home from Mykonos

Crete. Rhodes, Sicily, Athens

Bodrum in Turkey