Amalfi Coast beaches are among the most scenic and glamorous in the whole of Europe. The Amalfi Coast is a UNESCO-listed stretch of Italy’s sultry Sorrento Peninsula, lying between the Mediterranean and the region’s sloping wine terraces and lemon groves.
Some of the best beaches in the Amalfi Coast are found in the sizzling resorts of Amalfi and Positano, while others are in calm coves only accessible by boat.
You could rent a Vespa and tick off multiple beaches in one day, in true Italian style. Or just settle for your favorite, lie back on a lounger, and sip an iced cocktail.
Marina Grande Beach, Positano
Marina Grande Beach, Positano
One of the most sought-after destinations on the Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy, Positano has long attracted Hollywood stars and Europe’s glitterati for its cosmopolitan ambiance.
The jaunty Marina Grande Beach is Positano’s main sandy stretch—set against a backdrop of the resort’s colorful buildings, clinging to the emerald-green hillside.
Marina Grande Beach, Positano
Pack your chicest swimwear as few beaches are as glamorous as this one. Neat rows of striped parasols and comfy sunbeds line the shore while a jetty juts out into the sea, where water taxis and boats bob gently.
The water here is deliciously clear and perfect for swimming. Bring your snorkel and goggles if you’re keen to explore the Amalfi Coast’s underwater world, where you could spot grouper, octopus, and sea urchins.
Positano
There is no shortage of restaurants surrounding Marina Grande Beach. Opt for an alfresco table for breathtaking views of the bay at Restaurant Buca Di Bacco. Perhaps try mouth-watering dishes of spaghetti with anchovies and juicy cherry tomatoes slathered in olive oil, and fresh local fish.
Tag on a visit to one of the Amalfi Coast’s best museums, the nearby Mar, the Roman Archeological Museum, just a short walk from Marina Grande Beach. This jaw-dropping museum houses a partially-excavated Roman villa and ancient artifacts found in Positano.
Spiaggia di Maiori, Maiori
Spiaggia di Maiori, Maiori
Spiaggia di Maiori is one of the best beaches in the area. Whereas most beaches here feature pebbles, Maiori features sugar-soft sand.
Take a leisurely walk on the picturesque promenade before finding a spot on Spiaggia di Maiori. The longest beach on the Amalfi Coast offers a public section at either end, sandwiching the Moorea Beach Club.
Spiaggia di Maiori, Maiori
One of the many great things about Spiaggia di Maiori is its location, spread out in front of the lively town, making it easy to combine shopping, dining, and exploring with a relaxing spell on the shorefront.
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Minori Beach, Minori
Minori Beach, Minori
Located in the center of the Amalfi Coast, Minori Beach lies on the seafront of a small town that’s home to the remains of a Roman villa dating to the first century.
Visiting here is one of the best things to do on the Amalfi Coast, as the attractive shore is a mixture of sand and shingle, lined with elegant buildings, cafés, and restaurants.
Minori Beach, Minori
Dive into the warm water for a restorative sea swim before drying off to relax on the beach or enjoy people-watching from the promenade.
You’ll want to save time for discovering Minori’s historic lanes and backstreets, too. See the beautiful Basilica of Saint Trofimena and browse the wonderful selection of independent boutiques.
Fornillo Beach, Positano
Fornillo Beach, Positano
One of the best things to do in Positano is to visit the raffish Fornillo Beach, a pebble-filled seashore carved into the Amalfi Coast.
Fornillo is Positano’s second-largest beach and, although just moments away from Marina Grande, it’s a world away from the biggest beach in this town on the Amalfi Coast.
Fornillo Beach, Positano
To reach Fornillo Beach, take the coastal footpath from Marina Grande. The route takes around 10 minutes and offers spectacular views. You could also take a water taxi from the main beach.
The water is clean and clear, with kayak rental available from the beach. Orange-and-green striped umbrellas provide plenty of shade, while the local restaurants do delicious seafood and salads.
Marina Grande Beach, Amalfi
Marina Grande Beach, Amalfi
Flanked by dramatic cliffs, the sweeping Marina Grande is one of the most iconic Amalfi Coast beaches.
Marina Grande is pebbly, but that doesn’t put patrons off. Amalfi town’s main beach is a vibrant spot where a mix of locals and vacationers from around the world bask on the sun loungers and bathe in the warm water.
Amalfi
Several watersports are available on this Italian beach, including parasailing, kayaking, wakeboarding, waterskiing, and tubing. Boat tours are on offer, too, for excursions to Capri and other destinations on the Amalfi Coast.
Marina Grande Beach boasts an outstanding collection of seafood restaurants, wine bars, and sophisticated cafés on the promenade.
Duomo di Amalfi
Before you relax on the beach, delve into Amalfi town’s culture and history. Narrow alleyways weave from the seafront towards the ninth-century Duomo di Amalfi, the town’s elaborate cathedral, featuring a pretty bell tower, accessed via a series of steep steps from the main square.
Chiostro del Paradiso, Amalfi
Seek shade in the Chiostro del Paradiso, a 13th-century Moorish-style cloister with 120 columns. Snap up a bottle of limoncello, olive oil, dried pasta, and floral ceramics from the many gift stores.
If you’re into offbeat museums, check out the Museo della Carta, which looks at the history of paper-making in Amalfi. You could also breathe in the zesty scent of fresh citrus at the town’s lemon grove on a guided tour.
Fiordo di Furore, Furore
Fiordo di Furore, Furore
Fiordo di Furore—which translates as Fjord of Fury—is a slither of pebble beach in a thin cove between Amalfi and Positano, near Conca Dei Marini. Tall cliffs with clinging Mediterranean shrubs tower on both sides of Fiordo di Furore.
Fiordo di Furore, Furore
Travelers can reach the beach via 200 steps built into the rocks, stealing a photo on the way down of the glistening blue sea and the narrow arched bridge that joins either side of the cliffs above the fjord.
Arrive early in the day if you plan to sunbathe. By early afternoon, the beach is fully shaded by the cliffs. Sun loungers and parasols are available for rent.
Spiaggia di Laurito, Positano
Spiaggia di Laurito, Positano
While most Amalfi Coast beaches are perfectly preened, Spiaggia di Laurito has a welcome, wilder feel.
To get to Spiaggia di Laurito, take a water taxi from the center of Positano or walk via the 400-odd step staircase from the main coastal highway. Just remember that you’ll have to walk up the stairs again after your day of relaxation.
Laurito is a lovely spot for swimming, snorkeling, and bathing. There’s a jetty where you can dive into the water and a restaurant behind the beach.
Aperol Spritz
Cool off with a deserved ice-cold Aperol Spritz as you gaze out at the idyllic scenes on the beach.
Il Duoglio Spiaggia, Lone
This small pebble beach in the village of Lone lies at the bottom of the cliffs that characterize the Amalfi Coast. Be prepared for the long walk down to the shorefront, with around 400 steps to reach the water’s edge.
Like many of the smaller beaches on the Amalfi Coast, Il Duoglio Spiaggia is also accessible by water taxi.
Il Duoglio Spiaggia offers day trippers all of the essentials for a tranquil day at the beach, including sun loungers, a casual beach bar, and a restaurant. Take the plunge off the jetty or paddle around the bay on a kayak hired from the beach.
Grotta Dello Smeraldo
Il Duoglio Spiaggia is just a short distance from the Amalfi Coast’s Grotta Dello Smeraldo.
Take a boat from Il Duoglio Spiaggia to gaze at the sea cave’s dangling stalactites, shoots of stalagmites, and clear, emerald-green water.
Marina di Cetara, Cetara
Marina di Cetara, Cetara
Cetara is a beautiful fishing hamlet with pastel-colored houses below the green Lattari mountains.
Cetara’s charming beach is sandwiched between the busy marina, lined with traditional fishing boats to one side, and the centuries-old Tower of Cetara to the other.
Marina di Cetara might be small, but it offers umbrellas, sunbeds, and direct access to outstanding seafood restaurants. Try some of the local specialties that Italy is known for, like fresh anchovies, tuna, and lemons.
Marina di Vietri, Vietri Sul Mare
Marina di Vietri, Vietri Sul Mare
Beautiful walks, a historic center, and serene beaches make Vietri Sul Mare a must-visit spot on the Amalfi Coast.
If you’re visiting Vietri Sul Mare from Naples, consider taking the train, with a direct line skirting the coastline and cutting through Pompeii, which takes roughly one hour.
Marina di Vietri, Vietri Sul Mare
Marina di Vietri is a family-friendly beach with loungers, watersports, and plenty of places to eat and drink.
A ferry service operates from Vietri Sul Mare to various towns and seaside villages on the Amalfi Coast, including Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Amalfi, and Minori.
Vietri Sul Mare has a tradition of fanciful ceramics. Pick up a hand-painted bowl, vase, or serving platter as a reminder of your Amalfi Coast vacation.
Marina Di Praia, Praiano
Marina Di Praia, Praiano
Enjoy a taste of la dolce vita in Marina di Praia, a characterful pebbly cove wedged between vertical cliffs.
This glorious spot has reclining loungers, an ice-cream kiosk, a trattoria with outdoor seating, and a scattering of wooden rowboats.
Marina Di Praia, Praiano
While the cliffs are sometimes bathed in a golden glow, the beach is mostly shaded. Arrive early to secure one of the limited sunbeds, or do as the locals do and throw down a towel on the low-lying rocks. Paddle along the shore in a kayak, or allow the sea to cajole you in for a swim.
Spiaggia di Atrani, Atrani
Spiaggia di Atrani, Atrani
Just a 10-minute walk from Amalfi, sun-kissed Spiaggia di Atrani is often overlooked by travelers in favor of its more polished neighbor.
Located in a bustling fishing village that has old-world charm, Spiaggia di Atrani offers the perfect setting for a day at the beach. There’s a shallow shore and loungers and umbrellas available for hire.
This pleasant strip features a backdrop of several viaduct arches below peach-hued buildings and ancient churches.
Spiaggia di Atrani, Atrani
Combine a restful stint on the beach with a wander around the hilly old town. Visit the ancient Church of San Salvatore in Atrani’s main square and the Collegiate Santa Maria Maddalena, next to the beach.
Le Arcate is a lovely spot for a bite to eat overlooking the beach. Share slithers of octopus, fried squid, marinated anchovies, and tomato-smothered pizza.
Spiaggia Cavallo Morto, Maiori
Spiaggia Cavallo Morto is a true explorer’s beach. Tucked away midway between Minori and Erchie, it’s a beautiful stone and shingle cove with shimmering, jade-green water.
There are no facilities here and Cavallo Morto is challenging to access from Amalfi Drive, the region’s coastal highway. The trade-off is a peaceful, undisturbed beach with few other visitors around.
Pack a towel and a picnic and take a boat from Cetara or Maiori to Cavallo Morto. You could also make your way to Spiaggia Cavallo Morto by kayak from Maiori.
Cool off with a dip and take in the serenity of this under-the-radar spot.
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Spiaggia Del Lannio, Cetara
Spiaggia Del Lannio, Cetara
Snuggled beneath a four-arched viaduct and rugged cliffs, Spiaggia del Lannio is the quieter of Cetara’s two beaches.
To reach the sandy shorefront, walk the short distance from the center of Cetara, following the coastal path past the town’s ancient tower, cliff-hugging houses, and deep-green cypress trees.
Before you arrive at the beach, make sure to snap a pretty picture of Spiaggia del Lannio’s uniform of stripy umbrellas and floating pedalos.
A pared-back section of beach is open for visitors to lay down a towel. Relish an exhilarating swim, or rent a paddle boat before enjoying a refreshing drink at the beach bar.
Spiaggia Arienzo, Positano
Spiaggia Arienzo, Positano
Around 300 steps lead down to the pretty Spiaggia Arienzo, a small bay with a public section of beach.
Spiaggia Arienzo has a magical secluded feel and is usually uncrowded, making it one of the best beaches on the Amalfi Coast.
Positano
Go for a swim and afterward, savor delightful dishes of fresh shrimp, prosciutto and melon salad, and grilled fish at the charming Arienzo Beach Club Restaurant.
Pack aqua shoes to wear on the rocky shoreline. If you don’t fancy the walk, you could also take a boat.
Read: Best Beaches In & Near Naples, Italy
Amalfi
With a combination of shocking-pink bougainvillea, the vivid blue of the sparkling sea, and Crayola-colored houses dotted on the hillsides, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful beach destinations in Europe. Discover our voyages to the Amalfi Coast and book your next European getaway.
