Ellen Himelfarb

When you think about it, beaches are actually pretty simple. All you need are some crystal-clear waters, long stretches of sun-kissed shoreline and you’ve got yourself a gorgeous, ‘gram-worthy patch to lie down and chill out (whilst, obvs, slathered in a healthy dose of sunscreen).  Though plenty have sun, sand and sea in common, no two beaches are truly alike – nature just doesn’t work that way. The glistening white shores of tropical, palm tree-lined bays are a million miles away from volcanic black pebbles along rugged Nordic coastlines. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t all magnificent, and the ones in this list are the very best this planet has to offer: take a look. RECOMMENDED: 🌍The best things to do in the world🏊‍♀️The most spectacular places to swim in the world 🤿The best places to go snorkelling in the world🧗‍♀️The best caves in the world to explore

Summer's over, Halloween's been and gone, and the evenings are getting darker – but thankfully there's still something to celebrate before the year is out. That's right: it's time to whack on some Bublé and start dreaming of glühwein and tinsel.  From the chilly Swedish city of Gothenburg to the balmy Madeiran capital, every corner of Europe's quaint streets and squares will be adorned with lights and alive with cheer. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, after all, and the best Christmas markets in Europe are spectacular celebrations of all things festive. Here’s our pick of the very best ones to go to this year.  RECOMMENDED:🏖️The best places in the world for winter sun🎄The best Christmas movies of all time💝The best Christmas songs of all time At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.