Best Beaches to Visit While on Vacation in Italy

What is the first thing that pops in your mind when you think of a vacation in Italy? For me, it's love and romance, or great history and architecture. Italy does have all of these things, but I was surprised to discover they have a lot of great beaches too!

Sorrento Peninsula Marina Grande Beach - This beach boasts beautiful smooth sand and crystal clear water, making it a great spot to sunbathe and people watch. It's also a favorite spot for those who like to snorkel or scuba dive.

Maiori Beach - The sand at this beach is gray and coarse, but the water is the perfect temperature for swimming and water sports. There are two strips of beach area that are public where you can sunbathe on a towel, and there is also a strip where you can rent a chair and umbrella. The sand isn't very comfortable to lie on for long periods of time, so if you're going to be on the beach for a while, you should probably pay the money and rent a chair. There are a lot of small places to shop and eat along the beach as well.

Positano Beaches - The main beach of Positano is large and separated from smaller seashores by mountains. The smaller shores of Fornillo beach are located just to the left of the main beach, and La Porta and Arienzo beaches are just to the right of the main beach. These beaches are formed from volcanic sand and small stones, making them a nice place to take a walk, but be sure to wear sturdy shoes. If you don't want to walk you can always just rent one of the beach chairs and watch the ships go by, or gaze at the beautiful mountainsides surrounding Positano. One warning: if you have small children with you or are offended by nudity, approach these beaches with caution!

Terracina Beaches - A lot of the beaches in Italy have small coarse pebbles in the sand that make lounging on a blanket a bit tricky, but the sand on this beach is quite comfortable. The beach is very long and wide as well, so there is plenty of room to explore.

Viareggio / Tuscany area beaches - The beaches in this area are clean, the water is crystal clear, and the temps are perfect for swimming. The sea breezes also make this area a popular destination for those who enjoy windsurfing, water skiing, diving, and other water sports.

Levanto Beach - This beach is very long and has finer sand without pebbles in it like a lot of the beaches in Italy. It's the perfect beach for kids to build sand castles and for adults to lounge about on a towel and soak up the sun, or watch the ships pass by. The scenery is beautiful here too. This beach is a favorite with surfers because the waters in this area have some of Italy's biggest waves.

Abruzzo Beaches - Fine sparkling golden sand and clear water are the trademarks of the beaches in this area. Some of the finest and most modern hotels are also located in this area, making your stay luxurious and refined. Tourists flock to this area to be pampered and to relax under the warm Italian sun.

Ravenna Coast Beaches - There are nine coastlines in this area with beaches and modern amenities offered by the most exciting vacation resorts. You'll find plenty of wide open unspoiled clean beach areas and inviting warm waters that are perfect for swimming or various water sports. Whether you want to just soak up the sun, walk the coastline and explore the beauty of the area, or indulge yourself with shopping, dining, and night life, the Ravenna area has a lot to offer!

Lerici Beaches - The beaches in this area are known for their soft inviting white sand and warm inviting water. They have won awards for having the cleanest beaches in Italy. There is one free beach area open to the public and several pay beach areas. The pay areas have chairs and umbrellas to rent, but be sure to bring a towel to lay on at the free beach area! This area is great for kids to play in the sand, and is a very beautiful spot to relax and watch the sailboats and people in canoes go by.