The 2 beautiful but underrated countries with cleanest seas in Europe - not Spain or Italy

If you're planning your next European beach holiday, forget the usual suspects like Spain or Italy as two lesser-known gems have just claimed the crown for the cleanest seas in Europe. According to the European Environment Agency's (EEA) 2024 Bathing Water Report, Slovenia and Lithuania tied for first place for the highest-quality coastal bathing waters across the continent.

Despite their relatively modest coastlines, both countries topped the rankings for water cleanliness, earning praise for consistently meeting "excellent" standards in all tested locations. The EEA's annual assessment, done in collaboration with the European Commission, evaluated over 22,000 bathing sites across 27 EU countries, plus Albania and Switzerland. These included coastal beaches, lakes, rivers, and swimming spots, all checked for bacterial contamination and other safety markers. The results showed that an impressive 85% of all sites met the "excellent" classification.

Slovenia, perched on just 29 miles of Adriatic coastline, offers picturesque seaside towns like Piran and Koper, where crystal-clear waters meet Venetian-inspired architecture.

The country is already known for its lush forests and mountain lakes, but now its pristine coastline is gaining well-deserved recognition.

Adding to the appeal, Slovenia is set to launch a digital nomad visa in November 2025, allowing remote workers to live in the country for up to a year.

Lithuania, on the Baltic Sea, is equally surprising in the rankings. While less associated with beach holidays, its serene coastline offers hidden treasures such as Palanga, Neringa, and Klaipda.

These towns boast long stretches of white-sand beaches and calm, sparkling water. The country has also made headlines recently as the happiest nation in the world for people under 30, according to the 2024 World Happiness Report.

Although Croatia had the largest number of clean sites tested, an impressive 894, Slovenia and Lithuania's perfect scores across their smaller sample sizes placed them at the top of the list.

So, if you're looking for your next sunny escape, these overlooked destinations might just surprise you with their beauty, and their immaculate waters.