Two Welsh seaside resorts in the list of the world’s ‘happiest’ beaches

To paraphrase the famous song ‘oh we do love to be beside the seaside’ and when it comes to Welsh beaches that certainly rings true for many where a visit to the seaside in Wales is a much loved prusuit.

Don’t believe us? Well a new study has revealed the world’s happiest beaches according to facial recognition technology – and Wales ranks highly with two beaches among the top five in the world.

European beaches dominate the top 20, with Spain’s Sitges Beach taking the number one spot as the World’s Happiest Beach. Portuguese and Greek beaches also feature prominently, showing off the Mediterranean as the go-to for happy beach escape

However, Wales shows why it punches well over its sandy weight with Rhossili Bay and Caswell Bay both featuring in the top 10 list, ranking in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Few things bring joy quite like a day at the beach: between the sound of crashing waves, the warmth of the sun, and breathtaking views, beaches have an uncanny ability to make us smile. CV Villas used facial recognition technology to discover the world’s happiest coastlines and which beaches make us smile the most.

The travel experts used AWS facial recognition software to analyse thousands of Instagram photos from over 100 beaches around the globe, revealing which sandy shores bring the biggest smiles. The researchers then calculated an average score out of 100 to create an overall Beach Happiness Score for each location. Barcelona’s Sitges Beach scored just shy of 100 (98.42), making it the World’s Happiest Beach.

European beaches dominate the rankings

Whether it’s the golden shores of Spain, the dramatic cliffs of Portugal, or the crystal-clear waters of Greece, the top 10 smile-inducing beaches in the rankings are all European. In fact, 23 of the top 30 happiest beaches are located in the continent.

Sitges Beach in Barcelona, Spain is crowned the world’s happiest beach, with a near perfect happiness score of 98.42 out of a possible 100. Just outside Spain’s popular city, it is much beloved among locals and travellers for a mix of smooth sands and warm, welcoming atmosphere with a lively promenade, too.

Another Spanish beach joins the list, with Mallorca’s Port de Soller ranking third with a smile score of 96.95. Framed by the Tramuntana mountains, the Mediterranean hotspot leaves beachgoers grinning and ready to snap photos admiring the view.

Happiness beyond Europe

Outside of Europe, Playa Delfines in Mexico (91.47) and Las Pocitas Beach in Peru (90.52) rank among the world’s top 15 happiest beaches. Between golden shorelines and postcard-worthy scenery, it’s no wonder why these locations bring so much joy.

One USA beach manages to land a place in the top 20: Oregon’s Cannon Beach, with a smile score of 89.11, ranks 16th in the world, while Siesta Key Beach in Florida (85) narrowly misses the top 20 in 21st position. Famous for having some of the world’s bluest waters according to science and its iconic Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach promises sunshine, relaxation and plenty of smiles.

For more information on the world’s happiest beaches click HERE