which european beach city has the best nightlife?

Last summer, my husband and I started planning a trip to Europe, hoping to find that perfect spot where we could soak up the sun on a beautiful beach during the day and then enjoy some lively nightlife in the evenings. We’re not in our twenties anymore, so we weren’t looking for wild parties, but we still wanted somewhere with a good vibe, great food, and a bit of culture. We love strolling through old towns, checking out local art, and trying new restaurants. But here’s the catch: we didn’t want to waste half our vacation on long train rides or flights between cities. Ideally, we wanted two places close enough to hop between, maybe a short train ride apart, so we could split our time between relaxing and exploring. We spent hours reading reviews and travel blogs, but every city seemed to be either all about the beach or all about the nightlife—never both! For example, we heard Barcelona has amazing beaches and nightlife, but the crowds and pickpockets made us nervous. Nice sounded charming and walkable, but some people said the nightlife was a bit sleepy. We even considered hopping between Lisbon and Cascais, but weren’t sure if the trains would be easy to manage with our luggage. Has anyone found that sweet spot in Europe where you can enjoy a gorgeous beach, explore a city with real character, and still have fun at night—all without spending half your trip on the road? If you’ve stayed in a great hostel or hotel that’s friendly to folks our age, I’d love to hear about it. And if you’ve had any travel mishaps (like getting lost on the way to the beach or finding out the best bar is closed on Mondays), please share! Sometimes the best stories come from things not going as planned. Where would you go if you were in our shoes? #europeantravel #beachvacation #nightlife #traveladvice #over50travel #Travel