23 Best Beaches in Italy

Thanks to over 7000 kilometers of coast, Italy is the perfect destination for a beach lover. The choice is vast, from the rocky beaches in Liguria, with breathtaking views, to the crystal waters in Lazio or the white sand beach in south Sardegna, which reminds us of Caribbean atmospheres.

Because of its heterogeneous biodiversity, Italy provides unique natural places which won’t disappoint any explorer.

The following paragraphs will explore the most beautiful and iconic beaches from North to South.

Baia Saraceni, Finale Ligure (Liguria)

This bay is located in Liguria (North of Italy), and provides astonishing views, with a beach formed by a mix of sand and gravel that extends to more than 400 meters. The bay has won the blue flag because of its clean waters and light blue and green shades.

The sea has different colors, and its seabed is low and very sandy; the bay is surrounded by nature, which makes it the perfect place to relax and enjoy a peaceful swim.

Cala Violina, Scarlino (Tuscany)

This beach is considered the ‘beach of the Maremma (Tuscany coast)’ because of its suggestive elements. Clean water, white sand, and unspoiled nature make this beach the typical Mediterranean and also part of a national park.

Little curiosity, the name ‘Violina’ (from violin) came from a local legend that because the Cala Violina’s sand is composed of a little fragment of quartz, when walking on the sand, it should create a sound similar to a violin playing.

Chiaia di Luna, Ponza (Lazio)

This beach is one of the most famous from the Pontine Islands, located in the Lazio region; a small portion of the beach characterizes it behind a high cliff. The dimension and form of the beach remind a moon, from which it takes its name (Luna).

Unfortunately, the beach is closed due to the risk of landslides, but it is possible to visit by boat and enjoy its sea with shades of blue and green.

Scala dei Turchi, Realmonte (Sicily)

Located only 15 minutes from the Valle dei Tempi di Agrigento, this beach it is famous because its white cliffs look like steps. The whiteness of the cliff reflects in the ocean, forming an incredible and suggestive effect.

It is possible to access by foot; the beach is perfect for snorkeling, thanks to its clean waters, and to enjoy some sun. In 2007, Realmonte asked UNESCO to institute the beach as Human Patrimony.

La Pelosa (Stintino), Sassari, (Sardinia)

Water like turquoise, thin white sand, and shallow waters is considered one of Italy’s most beautiful beaches. Due to its closeness to the Asinara Gulf, the beach is protected from winds, always calming the sea. However, because of the sea currents, the morphology of the beach changes often. In front of the beach is the ‘Torre della Pelosa,’ a medieval tower used until the 19theen century as a system to defend the island.

Read also: Best Beaches in Sardinia.

Inside the Orosei Gulf, part of the Bauei coast, there is this beautiful bay. There are two ways to reach it: by boat or by foot. The latter consists in following a footpath through the rocks and threes until you reach the bay. With cliffs overlooking the sea, the rocky coast is striking for the panorama and the many caves. 

The sea, with its infinite shades of blue, emerald green, white, and pink, there is something to get lost.

Porto Giunco, Villasimius (Sardinia)

Only a small portion of the beach divides two blue waters. There is the sea with Caribbean colors in front, whereas in the back, you can find a blue pond with eucalyptus and pink flamingos. Possible to access by feet, the area it is considered the ‘pearl of Capo Carbonara’. This beach it is also a famous stop for who is interested in snorkeling, for its seabed reveals granite rocks, wrecks, sea daisies, and gorgonians.

Pescluse (Puglia)

With almost 5 kilometers of thin white sand, shallow waters, and crystal water, this place is nominated for ‘Salento’s Maldive’ for its similarity with the Maldive beaches.

Due to its southern location, the sea temperature starts from 14 C° in winter, reaching almost 30° C in summer; one of Italy’s hottest sea spots.

Read also: Beautiful Beaches in Puglia

Grotta della Poesia (Puglia)

Distant 25 kilometers from Lecce’s city, this cave is considered one of the most beautiful natural pool in the world. High rocks surround this crystal pool, attracting many tourists, especially young people looking to jump from the rocks from a high of 5 meters. The cave has also historical purposes: they found antic writings in Greek and Latin, which lead to the discovery that the cave was a place of worship of the god Taotor.

Is Arutas, (Sardinia)

This beach is considered the most beautiful of the Sinis peninsula. It is in the occidental part of Sardegna, inside the Orista Gulf. The sea, with a turquoise color, is followed by sand composed of little grains of quartz.

Thanks to this unique composition, these grains, with the lights take on an incredible variety of colors, from white to pink to emerald green. Deep from the first meters, the seabed allows the view of the marine life that populates the area.

Pink Beach, Budelli Island (Sardinia)

Part of the Maddalena archipelago, Budelli Island has one of the most famous and known beaches globally: the pink beach.

The color pink is because, near the beach, it lives a microorganism called Miniacina miniacea. When they die, they release a pink shell that, with currents, is dragged to the shore, breaking up thanks to the waves’ millenary action and various atmospheric agents.

Through the years, tourists used to take the pink sand as a souvenir or to resell. However, these repetitive actions led to the impoverishment of the beach.

Therefore, in 1994 the government instituted a national park for the island, forbidding people to visit the island to preserve the island’s nature and pink beach.

Today, it is possible to visit the beach only by boat with a distance of approximately 70 meters. The only men who live and are allowed to stay on the island are guardians, who have lived there since 1989.

Punta Prosciutto (Puglia)

Near Lecce and part of the Salento, this beach of white sand extends for kilometers, delimited by centuries-old dunes. Typical Mediterranean plants cover the area, and the shallow water makes this place a paradise.

Isola dei Conigli, Lampedusa (Sicily)

The beach is on Conigli Island in front of Lampedusa Island, in Sicily. Crystal waters rarely emerge sand with the two islands, becoming a suggestive place.

The most particular aspect of this beach is that it prefers the beach where the turtle Caretta Caretta likes to lay eggs.

The name ‘Conigli’ is given because, in the past, the island was populated by a colony of rabbits, which probably disappeared after the sand conjunction disappeared.

Tropea (Calabria)

White sand and crystal sea, however, the most characteristic aspect of this place is that behind the beach is a cliff with buildings dating back to 1700, blending nature and humans in perfect harmony. The beauty of the beach is that very close, and there are natural caves that give amazing frames.

Cavoli Beach, Elba (Tuscany)

Cavoli Beach is located on Elba, the most well-known island.

Capanna Mountain protects the beach from the winds and has white and grainy sand.

It is divided into two parts: establishments and services, and the other is suitable for those who prefer tranquility.

Policoro Beach, Matera (Basilicata)

Near the Taranto Gulf, this beach is often recognized for its well-preserved environment, and this is why often is not common to see dolphins and the turtle caretta caretta.

Near the beach, you can admire a forest that contrasts with the beach, transforming this place very unusual. The place is considered an oasis, which different environmentalist associations protect.

Pineto Beach, Pineto (Abbruzzo)

One of the most beautiful beaches of the Abbruzzo region has one of Italy’s most clean waters. The beach is almost 14 kilometers long, and it sand with gold color offers unique reflections.

A forest of the three ‘Pini’ called ‘Pineta’ characterized the place in the back of the beach. Moreover, there is a tower dated back to 500, which adds a tone of history to the place.

Beach of the Two Sisters, Sirolo (Marche)

Due Sorelle beach in Sirolo is the iconic symbol of the wonderful Conero Riviera. Fine gravel and small smooth pebbles characterize this beach which takes its name from the twin white rocks that emerge from the crystalline sea and look so much like two “sisters in prayer”.

This beach can only be reached by sea with the ferries that depart from Numana, making the perfect beach for lovers of simplicity and nature. However, for those who are more active and sportive, this beach can also be reached by kayak or sup.

Punta Chiappa, Camogli, (Liguria)

Punta Chiappa can be reached aboard boats that depart from the nearby town of Camogli, or through an evocative and panoramic path between holm oaks and centuries-old olive trees

The beach is only a thin tongue of rock that juts out into the Portofino Promontory sea. Its beauty and uniqueness have turned into one of the most popular Italian beaches.

It is no coincidence that we are in the Golfo Paradiso: a terrestrial Eden on the Riviera di Levante which is part of the Marine Protected Area.

Sabaudia Beach (Lazio)

Sabaudia is a long strip of golden sand bordered by natural dunes among the Romans’ favorite holidays. A paradise for surfers and water sports lovers, this windy stretch of coast offers postcard views of Mount Circeo, which gives its name to the National Park.

Cala Feola, Ponza (Lazio)

This bay located in Ponza, it can be reached either by boat, or by waling through the rocks for 15 minutes. The sea has an emerald color, and the rocks characterized the seabed. During summertime, it is very popular with tourists especially from Rome due to the short distance between the capital and the island. 

Sansone Beach, Elba (Tuscany)

It is considered one of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Elba.

The beach 300 meters long, is surrounded by high white cliffs, and the sea has dense turquoise blue. It is part of the famous “white beaches”, near Portoferraio; it is of almost dazzling whiteness, and the sea, on the days when the sirocco blows, is impressive, limpid, transparent. It is cut in two by a landslide surrounded on the right by a beautiful rock dedicated to diving that separates it from the younger sister of the Source and on the left by a large stack often crossed by canoes and suitable for snorkeling.

Cala del Gesso (Tuscany)

This bay is considered one of the most suggestive of Tuscany. Small pebbles and turquoise sea color from the beach. The wild aspect is completed by the ruins of an old Spanish tower of the XVI century, which you can see on the right; instead of in front of the beach, you can admire the Argentarola small island. The bay can be reached by boat or through a strenuous natural path.

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