Among the best Italian things you can do is go to the beach to escape the summer heat. But even if it wasn’t, who’s going to stop you? Not us. No matter where you are in “the boot,” we’re here to tell you exactly where to go in full Italian. With almost 8,000 km of coastline and many beautiful beaches, it was hard to find the best.
Marina Piccola, Capri
Take the ferry from Sorrento to Capri to see the famous Blue Grotto sea cave, then relax on Marina Piccola, a small and pleasant beach on Capri. The island has no sandy beaches, but the large, flat rocks are enough to give you a break from your travels. Relax with a Peroni under an umbrella, watch locals play in the waves, or enjoy the fun. Bring something dry to wear on the ferry ride home if you are only going to Capri for the day.
Cala Tonnarella, Sicily
Keep reading if you want to combine a short hike with a trip to a faraway beach. Cala Tonnarella is among those special beaches you must work hard to find, but you get a big reward when you do.
Expect to walk for about an hour to get to the nearest parking lot. Once you get there, you’ll find a beautiful hidden beach that’s often empty. If you don’t require to hike, you can take a boat to the beach. This beautiful cove is in the Zingaro Nature Reserve, one of Sicily’s quietest and most remote parts. It is on the Gulf of Castellammare.
Spiaggia Arienzo, Amalfi Coast
Marina Grande is Positano’s busiest beach and a great place to watch people. Spiaggia Arienzo is a great place to escape the crowds, but you should wear good shoes. This beach’s other name, 300-Steps Beach, comes from the fact that you must go down 300 steps to get there.
Walking down the stone steps, you can see some amazing views of Amalfi. Walk through bright mimosa and fragrant bougainvillea bushes until you reach a cove with neat rows of loungers and parasols surrounded by tall cliffs. If you lack energy or good shoes for walking, take a short boat ride from Marina Grande.
Marasusa, Calabria
Calabria is in the sunny southwest of Italy. It has a lot of natural attractions, including some of the best beaches in Italy. Marasusa is one of these beaches. It has rough cliffs, some of the cleanest water in Italy, and powdery white sand for when you’re done with the pebbles. Marasusa is in the medieval town of Tropea on the Coast of the Gods. It has a lot of private rooms and, on a clear day, you can see the smoking Stromboli volcano in the distance.
Cala di Volpe, Sardinia
If you go to the island of Sardinia, you’ll find many beautiful beaches, but Cala di Volpe is the most beautiful. Costa Smeralda is the most expensive part of Sardinia’s coast. It has bays full of yachts and beautiful villas, resorts, and retreats. Best of all, for day-trippers, you don’t have to stay at one of the resorts to enjoy this beautiful beach and swim in its clear water.
Fiordo di Furore, Amalfi Coast
The beach with the most unusual shape on this list appears to have been formed by a fjord, which is how it got its name. This tiny cove used to be a quiet fishing village, but now it has an annual cliff-diving competition and a perfect pebble beach that makes everyone who drives over the bridge look down on it green with envy. This beach is only good for swimming in the morning because the steep rock walls block all the sun in the afternoon.
Baia dei Turchi, Puglia
Puglia is home to some of Italy’s longest beaches, like Baia dei Turchi, which is a mile long. A dense pine forest backs this unspoiled coastline, and the azure Adriatic Sea is the scene’s star. Baia dei Turchi has a beach with white sand, and it has always had the Blue Flag, which means it is clean. When you’re done swimming and sunbathing, you can visit nearby Otranto to see the Aragonese Castle, built in the 15th century, and the walkable Centro Storico.
Scala dei Turchi, Sicily
Many of Italy’s beaches have beautiful views, but Scala dei Turchi, just on the coast of Realmonte, stands out because of its limestone cliffs. In the south of Sicily, near Porto Empedocle, the sand turns a deep bronze color during the golden hour.
This color contrasts with the white cliffs behind it and the bright blue of the Mediterranean Sea, which laps against the shore. The difference is great, as is this beach, which you can get to by climbing some natural stone steps. “Scala” is different and looks great in pictures. Bring your best camera and get ready to take lots of pictures.
Gavitella Beach, Amalfi Coast
The beautiful Amalfi Coast comprises a series of deep bays and quiet coves, each with a charming town and a perfect crescent-shaped beach. The only problem is that these mountainous bays are inclined to block the sun for much of the day unless you’re in Praiano.
Gavitella Beach is a unique beach that faces southwest and gets sun all day, has beautiful sunsets and has great views of nearby Positano. You can rent a lounge for the day or go back and forth between the sea and the natural pool in the beautiful beachfront grotto.
Baia Della Zagare, Puglia
Baia Della Zagare is a must-see for beach lovers who visit Puglia. You can get there by boat from Mattinata or by visiting the hotel that the beach is named for. Once you get there, it won’t be hard to find a sunny spot on the half-mile of beautiful sand to look at the interesting rock formations that stick out of the sea. Aside from people staying at the resort on the cliff, only 30 people are allowed on the beach at any given time, which adds to its prestige and exclusivity.
