There’s no need to jump on a long-haul flight to sink your toes into pearlescent white sand or splash around in a silky turquoise lagoon. Europe’s thousands of miles of coastline are a feast of postcard-perfect beaches, off-radar bays and wild sweeps of soul-stirring scenery – and they’re all just a few hours from the UK. We’ve rounded up the prettiest beaches in Europe, from Scandinavia to Sardinia, to help you start plotting your first post-pandemic escape.