Condé Nast Traveler has selected Playa de Poo, located in the municipality of Llanes, as the best beach in Asturias for 2026.
With this recognition, the Asturian beach has been classified as one of the ten finalists competing this year for the award of Spain's Best Beach.
The voting, which opened on 5 June, remains open until 28 June — the date on which the national winner will be revealed.
The publication has highlighted the beach's location with views of the Picos de Europa and its green cliffs, as well as its status as one of the safest bathing areas in the region — making it a preferred destination for families and people with reduced mobility. The beach's distinctive funnel shape, protected from the open swell of the Cantabrian Sea by imposing cliffs, transforms it into a natural pool of calm, crystal-clear waters when the tide rises. This unique morphology, combined with its setting against the backdrop of the Picos de Europa, has made Playa de Poo one of the most photographed and sought-after landscapes on the Cantabrian coast.
The beach has previously been selected in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the awards as one of the country's most beautiful, although it has not yet secured the top prize. The 2025 award went to Cala Bassa in Ibiza. This year, Playa de Poo competes against a strong field of Spanish beaches: Bolonia (Tarifa), Ses Illetes (Formentera), Playa de las Conchas (La Graciosa), Los Locos (Suances), Playa Illa Roja (Begur), Playa Norte (Peñíscola), Las Catedrales (Ribadeo), Playa de Laga (Biscay) and Playa de Calblanque (Cartagena). The presence of multiple Cantabrian coast beaches — Poo, Los Locos, Las Catedrales, Laga — in the final ten confirms the growing recognition of the green north's coastal beauty.
PLAYA DE POO: KEY FACTS
› Recognition: Best beach in Asturias 2026, finalist for Spain's Best Beach.
› Location: Llanes municipality, with views of the Picos de Europa.
› Morphology: Funnel-shaped, protected by cliffs — a natural pool at high tide.
› Safety: One of the safest bathing areas in Asturias, ideal for families.
› Previous editions: Selected in 2024 and 2025 as one of Spain's most beautiful beaches.
› Voting period: 5 June to 28 June 2026.
This nomination not only boosts tourism but has a direct impact on the premium property sector. InasTour, a Asturian firm specialising exclusively in buyer representation, confirms that awards of this calibre increase international client interest in acquiring second homes in Llanes and the surrounding area — particularly villas and traditional Indiano houses in locations with the combination of natural beauty and safety that Playa de Poo represents.
The selection of Playa de Poo as a finalist in the Condé Nast Traveler awards is not a marginal accolade. It reflects a broader recognition of the Cantabrian coast's quality and distinctiveness. For international buyers, the "showcase effect" of such nominations translates into increased interest and sustained demand. In Llanes, the combination of a world-class beach, the backdrop of the Picos de Europa and the security of a family-friendly environment creates exactly the conditions that discerning buyers seek — and that Condé Nast Traveler has once again confirmed.