From the glam see-and-be-seen hotspots of Amalfi and Costa Smeralda to little-known stretches of sand in Lampedusa and Elba, the best beaches in Italy gamely welcome all types of travelers. Some of these spiagge (that’s Italian for beaches) are conveniently located resort-side, while others require a bit more grit and up to an hour’s worth of hiking. But all of them are worth the effort of making it to the gorgeous Italian peninsula.
Italy has 4,723 miles of coastline blessed by the bounty of the Mediterranean Sea, where you’ll find some of the most beautiful beaches and seaside towns in the entire world. Think bright white sand, dramatic limestone cliffs, and the bluest, clearest waters imaginable (and at a few beaches, scenery so tropical and palm-tree-tastic that you might mistake it for the South Pacific). It’s a nigh-impossible task to curate a comprehensive list of the most travel-worthy beaches in the country, but we’ve narrowed it down to this list based predominantly on novelty (sorry, Capri and Positano, not today). From Sicily to Liguria and everywhere in between, here are 17 of the best beaches in Italy—as well as how to get there and where to stay. Andiamo, amici.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Kris Fordham and Caitlin Morton.
