Come and explore the best beaches in Italy with us in this comprehensive guide. From the magical Isle of Capri to the famous Amalfi Coast and many wonderful lesser-known beaches, it’s all laid out for you. Sicily and Sardinia, with their warm climates, beckon too. The country borders numerous seas – you can go swimming in the Adriatic, the Ionian Sea, the Ligurian Sea, and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The best in Italy offer lots of variety
Italian beaches can vary dramatically from one region to another. There are pebbled beaches with unusually shaped stones and small beach coves hidden at the base of cliffs for you to explore. You’ll also find black sand beaches formed by centuries of volcanic sediment. The sandy beaches in Italy on the Riviera are a continuation of the famous beaches of the Côte d’Azur, separated merely by the border with France.
Best beaches on the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is one of the most desirable destinations in Italy, with some of the best beaches in Italy stretching for about 30 miles on the country’s west coast in the Campania region. You’ll find a choice of tourist resorts and tiny seaside villages offering plenty of opportunities to hit the beach. One of the nicest is near Atrani, a colourful traditional old Amalfi Coast town. It has a quiet beach on the Tyrrhenian Sea.
If you want a good base from which to explore the other beaches in the area, stay in Positano. Here you’ll find the most glamorous tourist beaches, including the largest one, Marina Grande. It has restaurants and a nightclub, so the fun continues around the clock. If you prefer somewhere quieter, head to Laurito Beach.
Maiori Beach is the longest on the Amalfi Coast and is known for its fine sand. It’s a very popular beach, but it doesn’t get crowded as it’s located at the far eastern end of this region. Arienzo Beach is another favourite, also in Positano. It gets the most sun due to its orientation, and there are superb sea views as you make your way down.
Naples is the closest international airport to the Amalfi Coast, although you can sometimes find cheaper flights to Rome, even though it’s quite a bit further inland.
Best beaches on the Italian Riviera
Liguria, the far north-western coastal region of Italy around Genoa, is known as the Italian Riviera. The most popular beach in Genoa itself is Santa Chiara; a small enclosed rocky beach tucked away behind a headland that you can reach via a staircase. For a white sandy beach, head to Baia dei Saraceni in Vargotti. The scent of the surrounding lemon and olive trees adds a heady touch.
Cinque Terre is a cluster of five small villages, each with its own beach. Monterosso Beach is the largest, a mix of pebbles and sand. For a Caribbean-style beach experience, go to Baia Blu in Lerici, set among oak and olive trees, with its sweeping views. Lido delle Sirene in Bergeggi is a micro black gravel beach in a nature reserve, known for its good snorkelling. Balzi Rossi Beach in Grimaldi di Ventimiglia is on the border with France and is famous for its red rock cliffs and egg-like pebble stones.
You’ll find more of the best beaches in Italy in the area around the town of Portofino. The pick of them all is Paraggi Beach, surrounded by old Italian villas. A little closer to Portofino is the small Beach of Canoee, a superb diving spot. The nearest international airport is in Genoa, and from there, you can make Portofino your base.
Best beaches on the Isle of Capri
Capri boasts some of the best beaches on the Italian islands and is one of the most fabled of all Mediterranean destinations. Spiaggia Marina Grande is the largest and also the best swimming beach on the island. The rock formations and stunning views make Spiaggia di Marina Piccola another highlight of Capri. It has a string of small smooth pebbled beaches – the most secluded one is Torre Saracena.
Spiaggia Bagni di Tiberio is Capri’s most popular tourist beach, a much-desired holiday resort since Roman times. It’s a mixture of pebbles and sand and is ideal for sunbathing and walking. Piscina di Venere is a small, family-friendly beach where you can picnic. Due to its seclusion, it’s not usually crowded – the locals will show you the way.
The most scenic beach on Capri is Faraglioni Beach, a favourite spot with holidaymakers and photographers alike. You can reach it via a trail from Punta Tragara or have a fun trip there on a boat from Marina Piccola. It’s a peaceful and romantic beach, popular with honeymooning couples. Another lovely quiet beach is Marina di Mulo, on the island’s southern side.
We’ve saved Capri’s most famous beach for last – The Blue Grotto. It’s the magnificent sea cave that everyone the world over associates with the island, and one of the best beaches in Italy for its sheer beauty. You can take a rowing boat to visit the cave and then sun yourself on the beach when you return. The island of Capri is just off the coast of Naples, so fly into Italy there if you want to visit the island.
Best beaches in the Calabria region
The Calabria region of Italy is in the southern part of the Apennine Peninsula, with a coastline that stretches for hundreds of miles, creating dozens of great beaches. The stretch along the Tyrrhenian Sea is known as the Coast of Gods, and here you’ll find Tropea and its resort beach. You can also head to the old fishing town of Scilla, where the water has a lilac colour. Thanks to that, this strip of seaside is known as the Daisy Coast.
Caminia Beach is one of the most picturesque beaches in the Orange Coastline area of Calabria. It is known as one of the best in Italy for its mountain-sea air and natural surroundings. Right at the south tip of the Apennine Peninsula, you’ll come across the village of Capo Vaticano, perched on a gigantic rock. From here you can walk down to its lovely white beaches. The water here is very tranquil and safe for children to swim in.
For fascinating rocky creeks and coves, go to the beaches at San Nicole Arcella. Here the cliffs come right down to the water’s edge, creating unusual rock formations rising out of the sea that you can explore on foot at low tide. For lovely warm swimming waters, head to Palmi, where the half-sand, half-pebble beach is lapped by the lukewarm sea.
Stay in Catanzaro, the largest city in the region, and you can easily access all of these beaches. You can fly from the UK to Lamezia Terme, the nearest international airport.
Best beaches in Campania region
The Campania region is virtually overflowing with great beaches. It’s the nearest piece of coast to Naples and has some of the best beaches in Italy that aren’t as crowded as those in other popular tourist regions. The region stretches from just north of Naples, down through Salerno and south to the peninsula of Marina di Camerota. Mount Vesuvius is a constant and impressive sight from these beaches.
One of the most fabled beaches in the entire region is the Bay of Ieranto, where Ulysses encountered the Sirens in Homer’s Odyssey. It’s near Massa Lubrense and a protected area where you can sunbathe or go snorkelling and kayaking. It’s rated as one of the best beaches in the Campania region. Motor vehicles aren’t allowed, making it a place of unspoilt nature.
Just to the south of Naples, you’ll find Maratea Beach, celebrated so much for its natural beauty that it’s known as Amalfi without the crowds. Overlooking the Gulf of Naples is Spiaggia di Miliscola, in the Bacoli area near Naples. It’s a long strip of beach, characterised by its golden sands, from which you can also explore archaeological sites.
The Cilento coast around Salerno is the place to go for the kind of beaches you’d expect in the Caribbean, with their soft sand and almost translucent water. Spiaggia del Lago is one such. It’s ideal for snorkelling and swimming, and with its shallow seabed is a wonderful beach for the whole family. It’s well-equipped with water sports facilities, and you can also take a walk from here to the Punta Tresino headland.
Best beaches in the Puglia region
Puglia is a beautiful region, especially if you’re after some of the best beaches in Italy. Baia dei Turchi is one of its most pristine, as it’s within a protected nature reserve a little to the north of the town of Otranto. It’s one of the only beaches in the country with Blue Flag status for its spotless white sands. Stay in Bari to visit other beaches in this region.
If you want a really secluded beach to relax in utter peace and quiet, it will take a little effort, but a boat trip to the beach at Baia delle Zagare is well worth it. It has a daily visitor limit, and you can book from the town of Mattinata. It has dramatic views across the Adriatic and is sheltered by imposing limestone cliffs. These form interesting rock formations that you’ll absolutely want to photograph.
You can also travel a little way south, right to the end of the stiletto heel of Italy’s geography, to the Gargano Peninsula, where the Ionian Sea meets the Adriatic. Here you’ll find Santa Maria di Leuca beach with its Paleolithic grottos and powdery white sand. If you go a little further, you’ll reach Fiordo del Ciolo, where you can watch cliff-diving or try it yourself if you have the courage. For tourist beaches that are virtually nightclubs on sand, visit the beaches around the town of Gallipolli (not to be confused with the Turkish peninsula).
Best beaches in Sicily
If you’re visiting Italy, Sicily is another fabulous option for some sought-after beaches. One of the most striking is Scale dei Turchi, with its bronze sand juxtaposed against pale grey cliffs and deep blue water. The place is recognised as one of Sicily’s natural wonders. It’s near the coastal town of Realmonte.
Vendicari Nature Reserve is a must-see in Sicily. It’s near Siracusa, and is a protected area where storks, herons and flamingos flourish. It has many little coves and tucked-away beaches, with the pick of them being Calamosche Beach and San Lorenzo Beach. They’re quiet beaches, so you’ll have plenty of room for yourself.
Another hidden beach in Sicily is Cala Tonnarella, in the Zingaro National Reserve. Getting there requires a bit of walking, as no roads lead to the beach, and it will take you about an hour’s walk from the car park. As a reward, you’ll come upon this little paradise on the Gulf of Castellammare. The unspoilt grasslands lead right onto the beach.
Right next door to the Zingaro National Reserve is the picture-postcard beach of San Vito Lo Capo. You can stay overnight in the little town, or use your hire car to take a day trip from Palermo. Here, you’ll also find plenty of hiking trails. You can also take boat trips to get closer to the marine life just off the shore.
What is the nicest beach in Italy?
Having discussed so many of the best beaches in Italy, it’s tough to pick the nicest of them all. The Isle of Capri certainly deserves to be singled out for its famous Blue Grotto, and Marina Grande on the Amalfi Coast is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist beaches in all of Italy. Baia dei Turchi in Puglia also deserves a mention for its Blue Flag status. There’s also beautiful Maratea Beach near Naples, along with Caminia Beach on the Orange Coastline of Calabria.
Which part of Italy has the best beaches?
It’s generally agreed that many of the best beaches in Italy are located in two regions: the Italian Riviera that leads off from the Côte d’Azur has the archetypal glamorous, sun-soaked Mediterranean kind of beaches. Baia dei Saraceni in Vargotti is a real gem here. The Amalfi Coast is the other most celebrated region in Italy for its excellent beaches – head for the long white sands of Maiori Beach.
Where are the prettiest beaches in Italy?
Some of the prettiest beaches in Italy are the lesser-known ones, tucked away near small coastal villages and largely unspoilt by crowds of tourists. On the Isle of Capri, head for Marina di Mulo or Marina Piccolo. Beaches in nature reserves and protected areas are also some of the most scenic, like Baia dei Turchi in Puglia and the Bay of Ieranto in the Campania region. And don’t miss the Vendicari Nature Reserve in Sicily, which comes complete with colourful birdlife.
Are Italian beaches warm?
Italian beaches are usually warm, but if you want to make absolutely sure, head to the south of the country where the beaches are the hottest. You’ll generally find the warmest beaches in Sicily and the southern Puglia region. At the height of summer, you won’t struggle to find a warm beach anywhere in Italy. The only drawback is that many of them don’t get extended sunshine in the afternoon, so go early to enjoy the best of the rays.
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