Sun on your shoulders, sand between your toes – what’s not to love about a beach party? So make sure this year you go to the finest. To help, here’s our pick of the 10 best European beach parties promising food, wine, dancing and, if you’re lucky, even a spot of debauchery.

GOTLAND, Sweden

You weren’t expecting that, were you? But if you think about it, Sweden could just be the perfect beach-party destination: long daylight hours, long sandy beaches and long-legged blonde-haired beauties are the perfect combination for a Californian-style shindig in northern Europe. A hundred miles off the coast of Stockholm, Gotland is the largest of Sweden’s thousands of islands, with 50 miles of coastline and countless white-sand beaches.

The party: up-for-it Stockholmers descend on Kallbadhuset (aka Kallis) beach in Visby in mid-June, where there’s live music every day during high season – this year, there’ll be a resident DJ at the beach’s bar-restaurant complex, Kallbadhuset (00 46-498 651124). Later, the action moves to the Old Town, around bars, restaurants and clubs such as Burmeister (Strandgatan 9; 498 210373) and Gutekallaren (Storatorget 3; 498 210043).

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Insider info: as the only beach club in Visby, Kallbadhuset is always busy, but avoid July when Swedes traditionally go on holiday.

Details: airlines flying to Stockholm include SAS (0871 521 2772, www.flysas.com), British Airways (0844 493 0787, www.ba.com) and Sterling (0870 787 8038, www.sterling.dk). Three-hour ferries run between Stockholm and Visby, from £30 return (www.destinationgotland.se). On Gotland, check into Hotel 1 (00 46 498 210010, www.hotel1.nu; doubles from £167), which has 20 individually decorated rooms and a great location in Visby’s walled medieval city.

BENIRRAS BEACH, Ibiza

The White Island boasts two kinds of beach party. On the one hand there’s Las Salinas, where Jade Jagger-types sip cocktails before heading back to their yachts; on the other there’s Benirras, on the undeveloped north coast, where dancing hippies, drumming sessions and bonfires make the regular Sunday-afternoon gatherings the most bohemian on the island.

The party: it’s a Sunday thing, and as the sun starts to drop, the drumming begins, with anyone welcome to join the jam. Bonfires are built and temporary stalls are set up, selling bikinis, jewellery and homemade food.

Insider info: if you’re driving, arrive early or expect to park far from the beach. Also plan on staying well after sunset or get ready to be stuck in a traffic jam – just the thing to destroy that chilled-out vibe.

Details: airlines flying to Ibiza include BA (0844 493 0787, www.ba.com), EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) and Jet2 (0871 226 1737, www.jet2.com). Stay at Can Curreu (00 34 971 335280, www.cancurreu.com; doubles from £173), a farmhouse turned 10-room hotel in northern Ibiza, surrounded by orange groves.

BLOEMENDAAL AAN ZEE, Holland

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