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🏖️ Italy's most beautiful beaches and sea places

41 places ordered by editorial score

  1. 1 Glowing electric blue water inside the Grotta Azzurra sea cave in Anacapri Blue Grotto Anacapri · Campania In 1826 five men went into the cursed cave; what came out of it was the Blue Grotto. 92
  2. 2 The Faraglioni rock formations in Capri surrounded by blue sea. Faraglioni and Gardens of Augustus Capri · Campania Three limestone stacks, a blue lizard found nowhere else, and Krupp's cliff terraces on Capri. 91
  3. 3 The iconic limestone pinnacle at Cala Goloritzé in Baunei, Sardinia, seen from the sea. Cala Goloritzé Baunei · Sardinia Born of a 1962 landslide, under a 143-metre pinnacle: reachable on foot only, and by booking. 90
  4. 4 Woman standing in clear turquoise water at Spiaggia La Pelosa in Stintino La Pelosa Beach Stintino · Sardinia White sand, a shallow bottom and a tower of 1578 on the islet, at Sardinia's northwest tip. 89
  5. 5 View from the sea of the coastline and town in the La Maddalena Archipelago La Maddalena Archipelago La Maddalena · Sardinia A 62-island archipelago in the Strait of Bonifacio featuring Savoy military ruins, Garibaldi's home, and protected waters. 88
  6. 6 Scala dei Turchi in Realmonte, the white stepped marl cliff overlooking the sea Scala dei Turchi Realmonte · Sicily A white marl cliff named among UNESCO's top 100 geosites, famous for its natural staircase and Camilleri's novels. 88
  7. 7 Aerial view of the Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle and turquoise sea in Sirolo. Due Sorelle Beach Sirolo · Marche White gravel between two sea stacks, no bar and no sunbeds: reachable only by boat. 84
  8. 8 Panoramic view of Positano village and Spiaggia Grande beach on the Amalfi Coast. Spiaggia Grande Positano · Campania The beach at the foot of the vertical town, with a frescoed Roman villa under the church. 84
  9. 9 View of the sea and coast near Isola Bella in Taormina framed by tropical foliage. Isola Bella Taormina · Sicily A tidal island in Taormina known for its exotic flora and mid-century architecture camouflaged among the rocks. 82
  10. 10 The iconic white limestone monolith Pizzomunno on the beach in Vieste, Italy Pizzomunno and old Vieste Vieste · Puglia Guarded by the 25-meter Pizzomunno monolith, Vieste features a medieval center and a striking coastal Swabian Castle. 81
  11. 11 Wooden fence path leading to the beach and coastal dunes at Punta Aderci Nature Reserve in Vasto Punta Aderci Reserve Vasto · Abruzzo Established in 1998, this 285-hectare coastal reserve features sandy dunes and the towering Punta Penna lighthouse. 79
  12. 12 The Arcomagno natural rock arch and cove with turquoise waves in San Nicola Arcella, Italy. Arcomagno San Nicola Arcella · Calabria A twenty-metre rock arch closing a shingle cove, reached only on foot down a steep path. 78
  13. 13 Lanterna di Genova — Genoa Lanterna di Genova Genoa · Liguria The Mediterranean's tallest lighthouse: 365 steps and a walkway slung above the working quays. 75
  14. 14 Lido di Venezia — Venice Lido di Venezia Venice · Veneto The beach of the Venetians and of Europe's aristocracy: Liberty villas, the Film Festival and the Alberoni dunes. 72
  15. 15 faro di Capo di Vado — Bergeggi faro di Capo di Vado Bergeggi · Liguria The nineteenth-century Capo di Vado lighthouse, sentry of a freight port. 55
  16. 16 Faro di Punta Carena — Anacapri Faro di Punta Carena Anacapri · Campania The lighthouse on Capri's point, the only place on the island for a sea sunset. 55
  17. 17 Aerial view of Viareggio beach and promenade with the Apuan Alps in the background. Faro di Viareggio Viareggio · Tuscany White 14-metre lighthouse of 1863 at the mouth of the Burlamacca canal; no longer in use. 55
  18. 18 Faro della Vittoria — Trieste Faro della Vittoria Trieste · Friuli Venezia Giulia Vittoria Light in Trieste, built between 1923 and 1927 as a memorial to those lost at sea in the Great War. 54
  19. 19 faro di Capo Mele — Andora faro di Capo Mele Andora · Liguria A 25-metre tower, a dodecagonal lantern from 1856 and a staircase of 74 steps. 53
  20. 20 Panoramic aerial view of the coastal town of Rimini showing the beach and Adriatic Sea. faro di Rimini Rimini · Emilia-Romagna Rimini Lighthouse, designed in 1733 by Vanvitelli, rebuilt in 1946 after the war. 53
  21. 21 Poetto — Cagliari Poetto Cagliari · Sardinia The eight-kilometre beach stretching between Cagliari and Quartu Sant'Elena along the Gulf of Angels. 52
  22. 22 Faro di Capo Peloro — Messina Faro di Capo Peloro Messina · Sicily Lighthouse active since 1853 on the Strait of Messina, rebuilt in 1884 and damaged by the 1908 earthquake. 51
  23. 23 Panoramic view of the Gulf of Vasto and beach from a hillside path Faro di Punta Penna Vasto · Abruzzo Vasto's 70-metre lighthouse, the second tallest in Italy after Genoa's Lanterna, with 307 steps to the top. 51
  24. 24 Frescoed facade of a historic building in Licata, Agrigento, Sicily. faro San Giacomo Licata · Sicily The lighthouse of Licata's port: a white 37-metre tower of 1895, with 129 steps up to the lantern. 51
  25. 25 Marble street sign for Via Atenea on a wall in Agrigento. San Leone Agrigento · Sicily Agrigento's seaside resort at the mouth of the Akragas, with the old Greek emporium and the torre di Santo Lio. 51
  26. 26 Faro di San Venerio — Portovenere Faro di San Venerio Portovenere · Liguria On the island of Tino, lit since 1840: you can only land on 13 September. 50
  27. 27 Faro di Bari — Bari Faro di Bari Bari · Puglia Italy's third tallest lighthouse, built of tufa on the Bari seafront. 49
  28. 28 Historic mill house perched on the rocks above the Greek Theatre of Siracusa. Arenella Syracuse · Sicily Seaside hamlet of Siracusa between Capo Ognina and Capo Murro di Porco: clear sea, lidos, promontory path. 48
  29. 29 Faro di Punta San Raineri — Messina Faro di Punta San Raineri Messina · Sicily Lighthouse tower on Messina's San Raineri peninsula, part of the fortifications built for Charles V in 1555. 48
  30. 30 Faro di Capo Rasocolmo — Messina Faro di Capo Rasocolmo Messina · Sicily Lighthouse on Messina's Tyrrhenian coast, a 13-metre tower with a 1000-watt lantern, run by the Marina Militare. 47
  31. 31 Faro di Portofino — Portofino Faro di Portofino Portofino · Liguria One white flash every five seconds since 1870, at the tip of the headland: reached on foot only. 47
  32. 32 Lanterna di Trieste — Trieste Lanterna di Trieste Trieste · Friuli Venezia Giulia Lanterna di Trieste, lighthouse operating from 1833, decommissioned in 1969, now home to the Naval League. 46
  33. 33 Capo Gallo lighthouse — Palermo Capo Gallo lighthouse Palermo · Sicily The Capo Gallo lighthouse, still lit above a ruined keeper's house. 45
  34. 34 Faro Camogli — Camogli Faro Camogli Camogli · Liguria Barely a metre and a half tall, at the head of the mole: the light the sea once stripped bare. 45
  35. 35 Waterfront promenade and ferry terminal building in the port of Trapani, Sicily. Scogli Porcelli lighthouse Trapani · Sicily Massive stone lighthouse of 1903 on rocks off Trapani, 25 metres high, now fully automated. 45
  36. 36 Historic mill house perched on the rocks above the Greek Theatre of Siracusa. Capo Murro di Porco lighthouse Syracuse · Sicily Active lighthouse from 1859 at the tip of the Maddalena peninsula, in the Plemmirio marine reserve. 44
  37. 37 Waterfront promenade and ferry terminal building in the port of Trapani, Sicily. Scoglio Palumbo Lighthouse Trapani · Sicily Lighthouse of 1881 on an islet by the port of Trapani, a white tower 12 metres high, now automated. 44
  38. 38 Panoramic view of Reggio Calabria from above featuring Palazzo Campanella. Lido comunale Zerbi Reggio di Calabria · Calabria Lido comunale Zerbi in Reggio Calabria, a historic beach club completed in 1990, now abandoned. 43
  39. 39 Panoramic view of the Gulf of Vasto and beach from a hillside path spiaggia di Punta Penna Vasto · Abruzzo The beach of sand and dunes below the Punta Penna promontory, inside the Punta Aderci reserve. 43
  40. 40 The Elephant Fountain in Piazza del Duomo in Catania at sunset Faro di Sciara Biscari Catania · Sicily Lighthouse built in 1896 on Catania's lava coast, automated since 1951. 37
  41. 41 Historic mill house perched on the rocks above the Greek Theatre of Siracusa. Spiaggia della Marchesa di Cassibile Syracuse · Sicily Coastal spot at the mouth of the Cassibile river, with a sandy, jagged shore and the story of the 1943 landings. 36