Master the clock and avoid the obvious – Three tips to avoid the crowds where you are on sun vacation

Early bird gets the beach

If you want to go to the beach in the morning, you should consider arriving before 09:00 AM. That is when the water is still calm and you can have incredible light for hours before the hordes of tourists descend on the beach.

If on the other hand you want to focus your beachlife to the evenings, head to the beach after 17:00. By then the intense midday heat and crowds have left. A bonus is also the light that turns magical during the golden hour.

Weekends are tricky, because then you have the people who want beachlife instead of activities like between Monday to Friday. Fridays are really a tough bet, while Saturdays and Sundays are when the weekend crowds linger (locals and tourists). On that note, avoid local holidays in your chosen country.

There is another time during day you might like to chill at the beach: The shoulder hours: Even midday, just after the typical lunch rush 12:00-14:00 can see a slight dip as people retreat for siesta or long lunches.

Go beyond the obvious and find the underrated beaches

Try to avoid the honeypots, you are surely aware of which beaches in your vacation destionation are touted as the tourist beaches. This also means that you should steer clear of beaches immediately adjacent to major cruise ports or iconic towns packed with day-trippers. Instead, try to find the regions that are less known by tourists. In France that could be Languedoc-Roussillon, Corsica, or Bordeaux. For Italy, explore Southern Puglia, the Maremma coast in Southern Tuscany, or Western Sardinia. And in Spain, head to Costa de la Luz, Costa Brava's, or Asturias.

Embrace your inner explorer and hike, paddle, or sail to the beach

Many Mediterranean coasts have stunning coastal trails leading to secluded coves inaccessible by car. Be prepared with water, good shoes, and sun protection. Such locations include Corsica, Costa Brava and Portofino. You could rent a Kayak or SUP and paddle even just 10-15 minutes along a rocky coastline from a main beach to reveal empty little coves.

Alternatively, take a local boat trip with a small ferry service which can drop you at less-accessible beaches. Similarly, you could rent a small boat for a half-day to find your own perfect, crowd-free anchorage. Although you should understand basic navigation, weather, and safety, there is often no needed license for smaller engines.

When you should go there?

Early morning (dawn to ~9:00 AM): You'll experience the beach in its most pristine, untouched state. The sand is cool, the water is often glassy calm, the light is beautiful for photos, and you'll likely have it almost entirely to yourself. The intense heat hasn't built up yet. This is ideal if you are a swimmer, photographer, runner och simply want pure tranquility.

Late afternoon to sunset (~5:00 PM onwards): The peak midday crowds (especially families) start packing up around 4:00-5:00 PM to head back, shower, or prepare for dinner. The harsh sun softens, temperatures become more pleasant and the atmosphere turns magical. This is perfect for relaxing swims and watching the sunset