By Ombretta Di Dio

If you’re a lover of the sun and the sea, and if summer to you means soaking up some rays while listening to the sounds of waves crashing on the beach, then the following destinations are right up your alley.  Combine these vistas with good food and company, and you will have a dreamlike magical experience.

Sorrentine Peninsula and Amalfi Coast (Italy)

The Sorrentine Peninsula is a tongue of land that separates the stunning Gulf of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno, in southern Italy. The most romantic and amazing destinations in this incredible driveway are Amalfi, Sorrento and Positano . The Amalfi coast is an evergreen paradise for whoever loves marvelous dark sand beaches surrounded by a bay made of little towns with narrow streets, vespas and local delicious produces. If you’re familiar with how to drive a scooter, rent one to live this experience to its fullest.

Belmonte (Brazil)

Located in the state of Bahia, between the river Jequitinhonha and the Atlantic Ocean, Belmonte is a little historic town that still offers a view similar to the one seen by the first explorers in 1500, when they arrived in Brazil. Miles of preserved coast, cliffs, and bays will make for a relaxed and romantic getaway on semi deserted beaches where you will able to watch incredible exemplars of birds and fish, as well as enjoy the life of a typical Brazilian fishermen’s town.

Santorini (Greece)

The pearl of the Cyclades is known all over the world for its white roads and its breathtaking sunset. Around 8:30 p.m, the sun disappears above the sea, changing in a myriad of colors as the night falls down leaving room for some coolness after the heat of the day. Santorini has a district for every kind of vacation, stay in the enchanted Oìa if you’re looking for calm and empty beaches, go to Kamari if you’re looking for affordable restaurants and thatched umbrellas.

Phi Phi Islands (Thailand)

Phi Phi islands are considered a Natural Park and thanks to that status remain beautiful and uncontaminated. Way less visited than places like Phuket, these beautiful islands are ideal for a reasonable yet very exotic vacation, where all you’ll have to do is swimming in the bluest of the seas and make sure to never be in a hurry, as being laid back is a characteristic of whoever goes there. Scuba diving is a must-do in these islands because what’s under the water is even more heavenly than the cliffs that rise from it.

Los Roques (Venezuela)

Finally, an almost completely undiscovered destination, far from the chaos of Caracas, this archipelago is mostly uninhabited, only the main island, Gran Roque, is in fact populated by a thousand people. Los Roques offers anything that could be asked from a relaxing beach vacation: bird watching, scuba diving, incredible food, white sand and turquoise water. However, what really makes this destination unique is the kind of accommodation where visitors will have to stay. Las Posadas are small houses painted in bright colors and mostly run by locals, that contain only a maximum of 5 or 6 rooms, and that provide their guests with international and local food as well as visits to the surrounding desert islands for a vacation hand in hand with nature and beauty.