Beaches
The best beaches in Italy, from Puglia to Tuscany
Italy has thousands of miles of coastline, and its beaches are as varied as its food. These are the ones worth planning a holiday around, region by region, with where to stay.
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In Polignano a Mare you walk down a stairway from the old town, beneath an old stone bridge, and find yourself on a tiny pebble beach squeezed between two cliffs, houses hanging over the edge on either side. Half the town swims here before lunch.
Italy has beaches for every taste: sand lined with rows of umbrellas, coves reachable only by boat, and rocky platforms where locals leap into the sea. Most beaches are split between private beach clubs (lidi), where you pay for a sunbed, and public stretches (spiaggia libera), where you lie for free. Here are the standouts, region by region.
Short answer: which are the best beaches in Italy?
Puglia has many of Italy's clearest and most varied beaches, from Polignano down to the Salento. Sicily has the Scala dei Turchi and San Vito Lo Capo, and Sardinia's water rivals the Caribbean. Cala Violina in Tuscany is best for peace, and Furore on the Amalfi Coast for drama.
Best for clear water: the Salento, Puglia
Best for families: San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily
Best for peace and quiet: Cala Violina, Tuscany
Best for drama: Fiordo di Furore, Amalfi Coast
Best for snorkelling: Riserva dello Zingaro, Sicily
Sicily: white rock and nature reserves
Scala dei Turchi in south-west Sicily is a cliff of white marl that descends to the sea in natural steps. Climbing on the cliff itself is no longer allowed, but the neighbouring beach is open and the view is just as striking.
San Vito Lo Capo in the north-west has a long sandy beach with shallow water, ideal for children. Nearby, the Riserva dello Zingaro nature reserve hides small coves reachable only on foot. Bring water and a snorkel.
Isola Bella, below Taormina, is a tiny island joined to the shore by a narrow spit of pebbles.
Puglia: cliff coves and the Maldives of the Salento
Lama Monachile in Polignano a Mare is one of the most photographed beaches in Italy. It is small and fills quickly, so arrive early.
Further south in the Salento, the heel of the boot, the water turns crystal clear. Torre dell'Orso has two rock stacks just offshore known as the Two Sisters, and Pescoluse is nicknamed the Maldives of the Salento for its white sand and shallow turquoise water.
Baia dei Turchi north of Otranto is a bay backed by pine woods, reached by a path from the car park through the trees.
Tuscany and Liguria: pine woods and quiet coves
Cala Violina in the Maremma of southern Tuscany takes its name from the sand, which is said to sing like a violin underfoot. It is a twenty-minute walk through the woods, which keeps most people away.
The island of Elba has plenty of small coves with clear water, and the ferry from Piombino takes under an hour.
In Liguria, the Baia del Silenzio at Sestri Levante is a small bay with colourful houses right down to the sand. In the Cinque Terre, Monterosso is the only village with a proper sandy beach.
Le Sirenuse
Le Sirenuse above Positano.
The Amalfi Coast and Capri: swimming beneath the cliffs
The Amalfi Coast is more about views than sand. Fiordo di Furore is a narrow gorge where a tiny beach sits beneath a stone bridge, one of the most unusual swimming spots in Italy.
In Positano, Spiaggia Grande lies right below the colourful village, while Fornillo, a little further west, is quieter. On Capri you swim from the beach clubs at Marina Piccola or from a boat around the island.
Bring water shoes. The beaches are pebbly, and many are reached by long flights of steps.
Le Sirenuse: above the rooftops of Positano
Le Sirenuse stands in the heart of Positano, in a former family home with terraces overlooking the village and the sea. The beach is a few flights of steps below. For couples who want the classic Positano.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Le Sirenuse
Sardinia: Caribbean-clear water
Sardinia has some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean, and we cover its best beaches in a separate guide, covering everything between Chia on the southern tip and the Costa Smeralda. Choose the north-east for luxury and boat trips, and the south for long sandy beaches with flamingos on the lagoons behind them.
When is the best time to go?
June and September are best: warm sea, open beach clubs and fewer people than in high summer.
Avoid mid-August: around Ferragosto on 15 August, all of Italy is on holiday and the beaches are packed.
Pay for a sunbed, or lie for free: private lidi charge for loungers, but there is almost always a public stretch (spiaggia libera) nearby.
Book the popular spots: some beaches and reserves cap visitor numbers in summer and require a ticket.
Italy's beaches: your questions answered
Where are the most beautiful beaches in Italy?
Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia have most of Italy's finest beaches. The Salento in Puglia and the Costa Smeralda in Sardinia have the clearest water.
Are beaches in Italy free?
Many stretches are private beach clubs where you pay for a sunbed and umbrella. Almost all have a free public section nearby.
Which beaches in Italy are best for families?
San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily, Pescoluse in the Salento and the beaches of Tuscany have shallow water and sand, which suits families well.
When is the sea warmest in Italy?
The sea is warmest in August and early September, especially in the south. It is swimmable in June, though fresher.
Does the Amalfi Coast have good beaches?
The Amalfi Coast mostly has small pebble beaches beneath the cliffs. It is best for views and boat trips rather than long stretches of sand.