{"id":45159,"date":"2026-06-24T03:23:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T03:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/45159\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T03:23:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T03:23:11","slug":"gorgeous-beach-with-turquoise-water-that-feels-like-spain-and-is-1-hour-from-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/45159\/","title":{"rendered":"Gorgeous beach with turquoise water that ‘feels like Spain’ and is 1 hour from London"},"content":{"rendered":"

A woman has shared a glimpse of a hidden gem beach that’s located just an hour from London by train, boasting turquoise water and mermaid-shaped rocks that give it a Mediterranean feel<\/p>\n

Alice Sj\u00f6berg Social News Reporter<\/p>\n

04:00, 24 Jun 2026<\/p>\n

\"View<\/p>\n

The beach has been compared to the Mediterranean (stock image)(Image: asmithers via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

With summer now officially upon us and temperatures expected to hit 40 degrees<\/a> in the most recent heatwave, the temptation to escape the daily grind and spend a day at the seaside has never been greater.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, you don’t need to travel <\/a>far to discover a truly breathtaking beach, as the UK is home to a number of stunning coastal spots<\/a> that could easily hold their own against those found along the Mediterranean. While most beaches will be packed with tourists and locals alike basking in the sunshine or taking a refreshing dip, there are also several hidden gems just waiting to be uncovered.<\/p>\n

One woman, who posts on TikTok <\/a>as ‘wonder_lesea’, has shared a glimpse of what these beaches have to offer, claiming it’s a ‘slice of the Mediterranean’ \u2013 but just an hour from London.<\/a> She wrote in the caption of the post: “Feels like Spain, but it’s Kent.”<\/p>\n

The beach in question is Mermaid Beach, located in Folkestone, Kent. Tucked away beneath the cliffs near Sunny Sands Beach and the Folkestone Harbour Arm, this undiscovered gem takes its name from its remarkable shoreline, which features rocks shaped like a mermaid’s tail.<\/p>\n

Mermaid Beach is a secluded pebble beach that offers visitors a tranquil and picturesque retreat. Dramatic towering cliffs provide a striking backdrop, lending the spot an undeniably scenic quality that is sure to impress.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The beach got its name from the ‘mermaid tail’ made from stone at the beach (stock image)(Image: Nathaniel Taylor via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“A hidden beach with turquoise water and a walking trail through cliffs and lush parkland,” the woman explained in the caption of her post. “Like a slice of the Mediterranean \u2013 but just an hour from London.”<\/p>\n

If you’re planning to spend the day at the seaside, there are plenty of spots nearby where you can grab coffee, snacks, sandwiches, and ice cream, while barbecues are also permitted on the beach. However, you’ll need to leave your four-legged companions at home, as dogs are only allowed outside the main season.<\/p>\n

The beach is situated just a 15-minute stroll from Folkestone town centre, making it easily accessible if you’re planning to travel by train, with services from London taking just 58 minutes.<\/p>\n

If you have the time, there’s also a slightly longer route which will guide you through the Lower Leas Coastal Park. This picturesque but steep walking trail will lead you past artificial grottoes constructed at the end of the First World War.<\/p>\n

Content cannot be displayed without consent<\/p>\n

And the woman wasn’t alone in her admiration for the beach, as numerous viewers went on to share their own opinions. One person said: “Thanks to you just booked a small holiday in Folkestone.”<\/p>\n

Someone else said: “Mermaid Beach is beautiful. I live an hour away and have been twice now. It’s peaceful and beautiful and most importantly, clean. I won’t comment on the surrounding areas as my aim was to spend the day on the beach.”<\/p>\n

“I was there last year for the first time and definitely it’s my favourite ’till now, water is clean and the area it’s very nice, I went back a few times, lovely,” a third person added.<\/p>\n

However, another user went on to share: “All fun ’till you can’t use your phone for five minutes because it thinks you’re in France (this happened to me when I went there).”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A woman has shared a glimpse of a hidden gem beach that’s located just an hour from London…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":45160,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[17,3966,1369,1443,357],"class_list":["post-45159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-spain","tag-spain","tag-summer-holidays","tag-things-to-do","tag-tiktok","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45159"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45159\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}