gem

The spot has been hailed by holidaymakers as the best beach on the White Isle, and with warm 23°C temperatures in October and November it’s the perfect spot for an autumn break away from the crowds

Tucked between pine-covered hills, the sheltered cove has a mix of golden sand and pebbles, while its clear waters are ideal for swimming and snorkelling. But it is the dramatic scenery that really sets the European spot apart.

Off the coast sits Cap Bernat, a distinctive rock formation often nicknamed the “Finger of God”. It has become an iconic part of the skyline and provides a spectacular backdrop as the sun sets over the water.

Cala Benirràs is one of the most famous coves in northern Ibiza, but it offers a very different experience from the island’s glamorous beach-club hotspots.

The beach is particularly famous for its bohemian atmosphere and stunning sunsets, with visitors gathering to watch the sun disappear behind the rocky coastline.

Benirràs has also long been associated with drumming at sunset, which has become part of the cove’s identity.

However, visitors should be aware that the traditional large-scale Sunday drumming sessions have been restricted in response to the huge crowds they attract.

Smaller, informal drumming sessions can still take place, but it is best to check the arrangements before travelling if this is a key reason for your visit.

Despite its popularity, Cala Benirràs retains a relatively natural and rustic feel compared with some of Ibiza’s more polished beach destinations. The seabed is rocky in places, adding to its appeal for snorkellers, while the sheltered bay usually offers calm, clear water.

There are also several places to eat and drink around the cove, including Elements Eivissa Beach Club, which sits directly on the beach, alongside more casual dining options nearby.

For visitors looking to experience a quieter, more bohemian side of Ibiza, Cala Benirràs offers a combination of clear waters, pine-covered hills, spectacular sunsets and its famous rock formation that makes it well worth a visit, reports the Express.

Best time to visit

Autumn breaks offer quieter beaches and warm, sunny weather, with package holiday prices often considerably cheaper than during the pricier summer period. Holding out just a few weeks for an October escape could see travellers discovering hidden gems in some of Europe’s most sought-after destinations like Spain or Portugal for a fraction of the cost.

When experts at Wizz Air pinpointed the best under-the-radar coastal destinations in Europe for the shoulder season, Cala Benirrás in the north of the island earned top marks for tranquillity.

The airline previously carried out an analysis of beaches across more than 50 European countries, evaluating crowd levels, average temperatures, and daylight hours throughout September, October, and November.

By calculating beach space per visitor, Wizz Air ranked destinations according to the amount of room available to unwind and bask in the late-season sunshine.

‘Hidden gem’

This Ibizan ‘hidden gem’ has been hailed as the “best beach on Ibiza, especially in October” by Tripadvisor user Debra H. Captivated by their visit to this tranquil corner of the White Isle, the traveller went on to say: “It’s not just a beach for a day trip or the Sunday drumming it’s a place to come early in the morning and get to know. We really liked Elements cafe, nice food sitting and chilling on the sofa as with music. Lovely family friendly and I love the rock there like a giant goddess. Highly recommend. Most favourite beach in Europe.”

Another late-season visitor, Emily S, shared the same enthusiasm, describing it as a “beautiful bohemian feeling beach, perfect place for sunset”.

They added: “We visited Ibiza at the end of October. End of season, so this beach was lovely. Not too busy, with a relaxed, friendly, safe feel. Beautiful sheltered cove with stunning views out to sea, and amazing clear waters with lots of fish.”

Ibiza boasts average temperatures of around a balmy 23°C (73°F) throughout October and November, making it ideal for those looking to soak up the last of the summer sunshine.

Cala Benirrás is just a 10-minute bus ride from the nearest town of Port De San Miguel, which is home to hotels, villas and a broad range of amenities.

We have hardly begun walking before I spot the side alley, curving away from the main road in a patchwork of sunlit yellow walls, shuttered windows and shadowy archways. “What’s up there?” Elena, my guide to the city, pulls a wry smile. “That is Carmine. As a kid, I was warned not to go there.”

I turn up the alley. There’s a lot of graffiti. Next to an anarchy symbol, someone has sprayed “morte al decoro” – death to decorum. I’m intrigued. We go further, finding a labyrinth of colourful streets filled with bars and restaurants, a few just opening up for the day.

Like the bohemian quarter at its heart, Brescia is an Italian city that is easily missed: it’s near the Dolomites and Lake Garda, but not close enough to be a base for them. Tourists tend to speed past on their way to Milan or Verona. Fiercely proud of her city, Elena is on a mission to convince me it is worth a stop. “You’ll see. We’ve got everything you’d want from Italy, all in one place.”

Her confidence is matched by Andrea, the manager of i Dù dela Contrada, a Carmine bar that we step into for a coffee. Quirky bric-a-brac is dotted around, the bar itself plastered with passport photos, donated by its many fans. “Twenty years ago, this was an area for prostitutes and thieves,” Andrea tells me. “Now it’s safer but still vibrant, and growing.”

I tell him Elena’s mission and he nods. “She’s right, ask anyone.”

“OK. Who shall I ask next?”

“Piera at Ostería dei Mercanti. She’s a real character.”

And so begins a magical day in the city where we wander, one person leading to the next, each encounter enriched by Elena’s deep knowledge of her home town.

We find Piera sitting among a gaggle of friends, the table covered in coffee cups and one or two glasses of Brescia’s favourite aperitivo, pirlo. “The drinks here are special,” she tells me. “We’ve got the Franciacorta wine region on our doorstep. I came 17 years ago and knew instantly I would stay.”

She sends us to meet her friend Maria. That means passing through the medieval square of the city, Piazza della Loggia, which is dominated by the Torre dell’Orologio, a magnificent clock that features two lifesize automatons, “the lunatics of time”, who have been bashing out the hours on a large bell since 1581. We can’t find Maria, but bump into her amiable friend Antimio, whose Lestro restaurant is both a homage to the 1970s and a laboratory where he experiments tirelessly, perfecting the pizza.

Next thing, I’m in his kitchen getting a swift lesson in the mix of special flours, the best kneading methods, how to prep the cheeses … “I like to mix smoked scamorza and mozzarella, but my favourite is bagòss, a local speciality.” Within 20 minutes, I’m sitting outside, listening to the lunatics hammer out the hour and eating the best pizza of my life – for breakfast.

Thus fortified, Antimio sends us around the corner to visit Roberto at Brescia’s sumptuous Teatro Grande. The theatre was founded in the 1660s and is considered one of Italy’s finest. The palatial cafe with its murals is a popular spot for merenda, the traditional afternoon cake stop, but the tour adds wonderful details, such as the way horses were steered on stage and how Puccini, chastened by the rejection of his new opera, Madama Butterfly, at Milan’s La Scala, brought it here in 1904 and won acclaim.

Roberto’s tip is the church of San Cristo, but first we divert through Piazza Vittoria which Mussolini, at the peak of his power in 1932, had remodelled on fascist principles, kicking out residents to erect monuments to youth, energy and strength; in other words thuggish neo-classical blocks round a massive male nude statue. A decade later, Mussolini was back, this time as a German puppet, governing the republic of Salò, a rump state that included Brescia. In recent years, the piazza has been renovated, but the male nude remains warehoused, and the large capital letter “M” on one building does not refer to the fallen dictator.

I’m beginning to understand why Elena believes Brescia is a microcosm of Italian history and culture. She now takes me back to the medieval Piazza della Loggia to point out something I had missed, a small pillar marking the spot where a bomb exploded in 1974, killing eight people. The political forces of the Mussolini era reached a terrible climax in the 1970s and 80s, the anni di piombi, “years of lead”, when fascist groups and the leftwing Red Brigades traded lethal bombings, kidnappings and assassinations. The extent of the carnage is revealed in hundreds of pavement plaques that lead up to Brescia’s medieval castle above the city, each plaque representing a victim.

After this sombre digression, we cool off in Chiesa di San Cristo, a 16th-century church known as “the Sistine Chapel of Brescia” for the luminous murals that cover every available space. A few doors down the lane is Osteria del Savio, a famous spot for local cuisine where we tuck into casoncelli, a ravioli made with sage and butter, then malfatti, a local mountain gnocchi, while owner Michaela explains why there is a Roman column in the middle of her restaurant. “It actually goes down another 5 metres and my neighbours have the capital off it – they use it as a coffee table.”

Finding history hidden under columns is a Bresciano tradition. Back in the 1820s, archaeologists decided to dig under the top of a Roman column in a city garden that was being used as a picnic table. What they discovered was a vast temple complex and a bronze statue, the Winged Victory, that has been dated back to the first century BC.

A short walk down the lane brings us to that spot, now a partly subterranean archaeological site. Other Roman artefacts are in the nearby Santa Giulia Museum, a warren of ancient buildings that could easily occupy a day, but we whip through because it is time to go and taste some wine.

If Brescia keeps below the mass tourism radar, its wine district, the Franciacorta, is also a well-kept secret. Planted on volcanic soils south of Lake Iseo, these vineyards produce sparkling wine so good that the locals drink most of it.

I stay by the lake shore in Sulzano, a 30-minute drive from Brescia, then next day catch the ferry across to Monte Isola, an island in the lake. Ringed by mountains and a popular day trip for the Bresciani, the island still keeps its home-spun friendliness. At the fishing net shop, Paulo demonstrates the knots to make a net using a double-ended needle that “is the same tool they found in Pompeii”. Further on, in the small net factory, owner Daniella points to a photo of her grandmother mending nets, then tells me that most Serie A football nets are now made here. In the shop round the corner, they give me a taste of their local salami – they are very proud of that. But the climax, for me, is when I wander, unannounced, into the Arquette boatyard.

This is the kind of place where royalty and billionaires buy handmade wooden boats, but Andrea and his dad have no time for airs and graces. They are craftsmen, proudly showing me works in progress. “Our ancestors were gondola-makers in Venice,” says Andrea. “In 1640, they came here and liked Brescia and its surrounding area so much, they stayed.” It was a decision, I admit to Elena, that I can heartily endorse.

The trip was provided by Visit Brescia. Doubles at Hotel Lenel in Brescia from €183, and at Hotel Rivalago in Sulzano from €209. Kevin Rushby travelled to Brescia by train, via Milan. A 7-day Interrail pass is £331 for adults

SKIP the big rides and rollercoasters for one of the best family days out. The location? One of the UK’s best farm shop villages.

The complex in Cheshire is inside a 250-year-old barn conversion with a farm shop, play area, plenty of shops and even an on-site B&B.

Found in Middlewich, Hopley House is open seven days a week and is popular with families thanks to all it has to offer.

At the centre of Hopley House is its farm shop where visitors can pick up local produce from bread to pastries, meat, fruit and vegetables to cakes.

When it comes to drinks, there are wines, beers and spirits from local breweries and Il Gusto spirits which can be bottled and personalised on-site.

Outside are a selection of plants from shrubs to flowers

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The café is open seven days a week serving up cooked breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea and kids meals.

There’s also a selection of homemade cakes and alcohol-like beers and boozy hot chocolates.

To entertain the kids, visitors can get competitive on the mini golf course found on-site which costs £5pp.

And children can burn some energy at the play area which has swings, a slide, rock wall and climbing frame.

If that isn’t enough, it even has its own shopping village.

One of the shops is AVM Furniture which sells a selection of antique, vintage and modern furniture as well as garden ornaments.

JO’S Accessories is a ladies’ boutique, there’s also The Crystal Boutique, SKULLS n’ MOR, E a pet shop and a reptile rescue sanctuary.

Families have raved about it, with one saying: “Absolutely perfect place for a large family to stay.”

Another added: “Me, my partner and my two children visited Hopley House last month….. to say we were impressed is an understatement!”

A third simply called it a “hidden gem”.

It also holds events throughout the year – at the moment it has a mini fairground is back with tea cups and a mini big wheel.

Visitors can also stay at Hopley House in one of its rooms which are found inside a converted barn.

Some of the rooms have original barn features, each with en suite or a private bathroom.

Guests can enjoy a cooked breakfast from the café or head to the farm shop for a homemade pizza.

Anyone staying overnight can also make use of a kitchen area which has a fridge and microwave.

Rooms start from £68 based on two people sharing or £42 for single occupancy.

One overnight guest said in a review: “Lovely stay at Hopley guest house, huge big room and the comfiest bed ever! The owner made us feel very welcome.

“My only regret is we didn’t book for longer.”

If you fancy another trip to the farm shop, check out the ‘Harrods of the North‘ that’s loved by Molly-Mae – with forest lodges and hot tubs.

A British mum named Ellis has boasted about a ‘hidden gem’ she found during her recently family holiday to Benidorm, explaining it’s just eight minutes away from the city centre

Benidorm is known to be a top holiday destination for Brits looking to soak up the sunshine with budget prices. While it boasts two gorgeous and popular beaches, one holidaymaker is now urging tourists to visit a lesser-known hidden gem just an eight minute tram ride away from the city.

British mum Ellis often shares her travel recommendations to others, claiming her goal is to find hidden gems and lesser known attractions in popular tourists attractions. And during a recent holiday in Benidorm, she went on to show off a gorgeous award-winning beach that many tourists have no idea even exists.

“Would you believe me if I told you this beach has won nearly 40 years of consecutive awards?” Ellis said at the start of the video, as she panned the camera to show off the gorgeous sandy beach, with palm trees and turquoise waters.

The beach in question is El Albir Beach (Playa del Albir), which is a clean, Blue Flag-awarded pebble and shingle beach located in L’Alfàs del Pi on Spain’s Costa Blanca, nestled between the resort town of Benidorm and the coastal village of Altea.

It has earned the prestigious Blue Flag award consecutively for decades maintaining the distinction every single year since the international environmental program began in 1985. This award is awarded annually by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) for exceptional water cleanliness, safety protocols, sustainable environmental management, and accessible facilities.

On top of that, the beach was also named the second best “refreshing” beach in the Valencian Community by National Geographic. The magazine praised the pebble beach for its crystal-clear water, peaceful atmosphere, and scenic views.

And Ellis also had lots of praise about the beach, as she said: “So turquoise you can literally see clearly to the bottom, which makes it look like it’s really shallow and it’s actually really deep and intermittently over the tunnel.

“They’re keeping announcing that it’s a smoke free and vape free zone, which in my opinion makes it even more rare and unique.”

In 2025, the mayor of L’Alfas, Vincente Arques announced a ban on vaping and smoking on all beaches in the area in order to prevent littering, but also to promote a healthier lifestyle for residents of the area. If you’re caught smoking, it could lead to a fine of up to £1,700 (€2,000).

She went on to explain the beach was a pebble beach, but said they were were tiny and white, making them soft to walk and lay down on.

“And it absolutely baffled me how quiet it was considering it was such a stunning beach,” Ellis added. “But would you believe this is the closest beach of Benidorm and probably 99% of visitors that go there don’t even know it exists.”