Summer is coming!

Yes, it is! And I am not talking about Summer, the direwolf from Game of Thrones. Summer died last season. That was sad. Moving on, I am talking about your summer vacation. And if you love the Sun as much as I do, you will want to spend it on one of these 5 beaches.

Petani Beach, Kefalonia, Greece

Greece has always had a special place in my heart and I remember every moment I spent there very well. This particular time I was on a trip in Kefalonia, when the bus stopped and the guide told us to get out, because there was something that we had to see.I remember looking down the hill and seeing a beach so white, I could barely keep my eyes open. Petani is not the common sand beach, but a beach made of bright white pebbles. I can't vouch for that, but the guide told us it voted the most beautiful beach in Greece for many years in a row. So if you feel like being impressed, that is a good place to start. There are two main ways to get there, depending on how much time you have. First, there are often flights from Athens to Kefalonia, and they cost between $60 and $110, regardless the season. And, as far as Europe is concerned, flights to Athens are cheap with low cost companies like Ryanair or WizzAir. Personally, I prefer the alternative, which is the ferry. You can find direct ferries from the port of Kyllini, and there are also ferries from the nearby Ionian islands, most of them from Zakynthos. Unless you have sea sickness, you will definitely enjoy the feeling of the waves from the top of a 5 stories boat.

Aphrodite's Beach, Pafos, Cyprus

I consider myself a very luck person when it comes to traveling, because I always find great unexpected places wherever I go. And my trip to Cyprus in the beginning of March made no exception. My girlfriend and I rented a car in Larnaca and took a trip to Pafos, which is at the other end of the country. But as I was driving down the highway, about 30 km before reaching Pafos, I realized we were not going to spend much time there. About 1km down the coast, there it was, rising out of the sea, washed by cold waves of azure, the place of birth of the beauty goddess herself, Aphrodite's Rock. It was about lunch time, when I took a sudden turn and left the highway and found a parking lot right on the coast, above the beach. In order to reach the beach, you need to go through a narrow tunnel underneath the road. At first, you can barely see anything at the end of it, because of the brightness, but as you advance, a symphony of light and sound coming from the waves will leave you with your mouth wide open. By the time you realize you forgot to breathe, you've already been hit in the face by a cold wave trying to wake you up to reality...but reality is now as beautiful as the dream.

Santa Maria dell'Isola, Tropea, Italy

Located in the region of Calabria, the town of Tropea is also known as the hidden treasure of Italy, thanks to the rare beauty of the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The easiest way to get there is by plane to the Lamezia Terme airport and then by bus or train to Tropea. The ride should take no more than 1 hour. The beach in question is located under a towering rock formation, topped by the Sanctuario Santa Maria dell' Isola, a mediaval monastery with a touch of Renaissance. Tourist guides say the church is a mandatory item on your list of places to visit there, not only for the beauty of the building itself, but also the stunning views you get over the sea and the coastline. So, I don't know about you, but I fell in love at first picture with this beach. Which is why I already have tickets for the summer to visit it. Cheers!