Summer is up and cities across Europe have planted palm trees and trucked in tons of sand to urban riverfronts to create the feeling of a lazy day at the shore. Urban beaches are a hit and Momondo guides you to our favourites.

Madrid is so famous for not having a beach that there's even a song about it. That's right: the Refrescos' ("Soft Drinks") 1989 hit "Aquí no hay playa" ("There's no beach here") mentions all of the Spanish capital's famous sights and characteristic traits but, as the chorus goes, When August comes, oh no, there's no beach! As such, there's a huge exodus in summer to the coasts, but those who are trapped in the city by work or other circumstances have learned to make do.

And making do is not all that bad, considering Madrid has a number of good pools and some lovely swimming holes in the Río Manzanares just north of the city, all of which are accessible by public transport. Plans are also in the works to give Madrid a real beach along the Manzanares on its course through the southeastern part of the city, but that remains to be seen. The area is still a huge dustbowl from burying Madrid's ring road, the M-30, underground. For now, there are still plenty of people who sunbathe in the city's parks.