A selection of the best beaches in Southern Italy takes you to some spellbinding places: Sardinia, Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, and more.
With such an abundance of coastline, southern Italy offers a wide gamut of beach experiences from the wild and remote to the colorful, full-service luxury of the stabilimenti, as Italian beach clubs are called.
Pack your sunblock, your best beach read, and don your most fashionable swimwear as you dive deep into the best southern Italy beaches to discover.
Poetto Beach, Cagliari
Poetto Beach, Cagliari
On roughly the same latitude as Naples, Caligari, the vibrant capital of Sardinia, is one of the most fascinating cities in Italy’s lower half.
A key part of its allure is Poetto Beach. This five-mile crescent of sand is one of Europe’s finest city beaches. Its pearlescent shallows extend for what seems like miles into the Tyrrhenian, and the abundance of spiaggia libera, or free beach ensures an easygoing experience if you don’t want to pay for a beach club umbrella.
As you’d expect of a city beach, it’s full of life. Kite surfers, volleyball games, and roller skaters on the promenade add a kinetic contrast to the masses basking beneath bright umbrellas. Clubs like La Palmette offer superb Italian cuisine like gnocchetti with squid ink and seared baby squid to satiate your appetite as you while away a sunny afternoon.
Isola Bella, Taormina
Isola Bella, Taormina
Would Taormina be as famous if it didn’t have one of the best beaches in southern Italy lying at its metaphorical feet? Possibly—however, there’s no doubt that Isola Bella enhances the appeal of this famous Sicilian town.
Situated beneath the cliffs of Taormina, Isola Bella looks like the cover illustration for a romance novel. A silvery whisper of an isthmus connects the beach to a rocky islet that, come high tide, is cut off by the sea.
Isola Bella, Taormina
Adding to that romantic impression is the house on the inlet and the story behind it; the island once belonged to an Englishwoman exiled to Sicily after a flirtation with a prince.
This Sicilian beach is wonderful for a lazy beach day before catching the cable car to Taormina to stroll the cobblestone streets in the late afternoon sun.
Spiaggia Marina Grande, Capri
Spiaggia Marina Grande, Capri
When people think of the shining island of Capri, it’s seen more as a place to explore than relax. Somewhere to wander amid tumbling bougainvillea, dine with a sea view—try Ziqù Terrace—or explore the ruins of a Roman emperor’s holiday home.
Regardless, don’t forget your swimsuit. Spiaggia Marina Grande, a sand and pebble beach hidden on the other side of the breakwater from Capri’s only port, is wonderful for boat-watching. Spot the sleek luxury yachts sending bow waves rippling over the shining sea as the warm water washes your ankles.
Join the locals and launch yourself off the rocks into the clear, bottle-green depths. When you’re hungry, walk the short distance to the town and its sellers of cones of fritto misto. Add a squeeze of sharp lemon and devour your crispy seafood while regarding Vesuvius across the sea.
Poseidon Thermal Gardens, Ischia
Situated on the Neapolitans’ favorite staycation spot of Ischia, the Poseidon Thermal Gardens are a must if you’re vacationing on this fun and photogenic island.
Poseidon Thermal Gardens, Ischia
As the name hints, the Poseidon park taps into the island’s thermal springs. Select between 20 steamy bathing areas, saltwater pools, and a steam grotto to open the pores. The park itself is stunning, backed by high cliffs and merged with the island’s tropical flora.
Poseidon doesn’t disappoint when it comes to its seafront. Long sinews of sand complete with sunbeds fringe the Tyrrhenian Sea. Enjoy a massage in the salty sea air while listening to the gentle murmur of the breakers.
Spiaggia Costa Merlata, Ostuni
Spiaggia Costa Merlata, Ostuni
Not far from the sugar-cube architecture of Ostuni, Puglia’s Costa Merlata offers some of the best beaches in southern Italy.
This wiggly section of the coastline is pockmarked with sea caves, inlets, and grottoes lapped by the azure waters of the Adriatic. This eroded limestone topography gives Costa Merlata, “the serrated coast” its name.
The gin-clear water ensures that it’s popular with snorkelers, and the low-rise cliffs offer natural wind protection for sunbathers.
The coast’s eponymous beach is an attractive all-rounder while nearby Spiaggia di Torre Pozelle offers convenience—but with the risk of crowds. You could try Spiaggia Lamaforca for that facilities-free but unspoiled scene.
Read: Best Places to Visit in Southern Italy
Spiaggia Torre Guaceto, Brindisi
Spiaggia Torre Guaceto, Brindisi
The Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve is a swathe of macchia-covered dunes and wetlands located between the historic maritime hubs of Brindisi and Monopoli. At its heart is the Spiaggia Torre Guaceto—a bronze strip of sand offering crystal-clear shallows thrilling with darting fish pursued by their shadows over the sandy seabed.
From the car park, haul your beach bag aboard the shuttle to reach the beach; otherwise, it’s a good half-hour walk in the sun. After rumbling through the scrubby dunes, you’ll be delivered to an uncrowded slice of Puglian paradise and one of the best beaches in southern Italy.
Despite what you might expect to find in a pristine nature reserve, the facilities were upgraded a few years ago. There are bathrooms accessible for everyone, so you only have to pay for one of the beach club’s tiki-style umbrellas and loungers if desired.
Punta Prosciutto, Salento Peninsula
Punta Prosciutto, Salento Peninsula
Punta Prosciutto promises ham but delivers beach bliss. One of the most beloved beaches on the Salento Peninsula, the town of Punta Prosciutto derives its name from the sandy, scrubby, hook-shaped point bordering the western extent of the beach.
The beach itself is perfetto—sugar-soft sand that slips beneath the water so clear it’s almost invisible but for the elastic refractions of light. The shallows slink towards deeper water for about a hundred feet.
It’s popular, as the ranks of beach clubs attest, however, there’s also a generous portion of free beach to sink an umbrella into. Punta Prosciutto is very popular with families, so if you’d like to avoid the Italian family beach day hullabaloo, arrive early or head to the sanctuary of the clubs.
Torre Lapillo, Salento Peninsula
Torre Lapillo, Salento Peninsula
A mile of pearlescent sand lapped by the Ionian Sea, Torre Lapillo is one of the best beaches in southern Italy.
The Salento region has a reputation for outstanding beaches, including Punto Prosciutto and Baia Verde near Gallipoli. Torre Lapillo is, for many, first among equals with these. From the deliciously warm shallows, you’ll spot the handsome outline of the renovated medieval watchtower, Torre di San Tommaso, at the far end of the beach.
Well-colonized by beach clubs, the beach also has several lively bars close to the sand. The Waikiki offers a surf vibe, albeit in a place where waves are rarely higher than your shin as well as refreshing, minty mojitos.
Spiaggia di Mari Pintau, Sardinia
Spiaggia di Mari Pintau, Sardinia
Drive east for 20 minutes from Sardinia’s capital of Cagliari—spotting flamingoes from your car—and you’ll soon arrive at the turn-off for Spiaggia di Mari Pintau.
A small, thrillingly blue bay with a crescent of beach, Mari Pintau feels like a find. It’s mostly smooth pebbles, but wade into the shallows and the pebbles sink away into soft sand. Snorkelers congregate near the rocks where the bright fish gather.
Pick up a cocktail at the kiosk and soak up Mari Pintau’s unspoiled beauty: the verdant hills, the shapely umbrella pines, and the colors of the sunset muddling in the limpid water.
Spiaggia di Chia, Sardinia
Spiaggia di Chia, Sardinia
Chia Bay is a noted area of coastal beauty on the southern extent of Sardinia. It’s here you’ll find the dove-white sands of Chia Beach, regularly regarded as one of Sardinia’s best beaches.
Not only is this an exemplary Sardinian beach—turquoise shallows, soft sand, the scent of aromatic scrub—it’s also a brilliant beach for history. Walk north and follow the path through the junipers to the Torre Chia headland and you’ll find its namesake Spanish watch tower. Walk further in the same direction and you’ll come to the ruin of an ancient Phoenician city.
Spiaggia di Cala Sinzias, Sardinia
Spiaggia di Cala Sinzias, Sardinia
Spiaggia di Cala Sinzias is a ribbon of butter-yellow sand between Monte Macioni and Sant’Elmo in Sardinia’s Castiadas region.
Comparisons to the Caribbean are fair—the sea is emerald in the shallows before compressing to a vivid blue haze on the horizon, sailboats anchor offshore, and the entire nearly two-mile beach is cradled within lush headlands shaded by shaggy eucalyptus and silver-leafed olives.
This outstanding beach is relatively off-the-beaten path compared with some of Sardinia’s other headline stretches of sand. Nevertheless, it’s well served by the bars and restaurants of the town, ensuring all appetites are catered for.
Spiaggia di Cala Pira, Sardinia
Spiaggia di Cala Pira, Sardinia
Just under a ten-minute drive south of the stunning Spiaggia di Cala Sinzias, you’ll come to the smaller, more private-feeling Spiaggia di Cala Pira.
Despite the presence of some low-key vacation homes concealed among the dwarf palms, the beach at this protected cove nonetheless has a more wild, unexpected feel to it than many on Sardinia. Adding to its appeal is the jagged outline of Serpentara on the horizon, an island with a silhouette distinguished by ruined watch towers.
Protected from winds by scrubby promontories, the beach is peaceful. Be sure to arrive early in summer, however, as at least some of that castaway vibe is dispersed by the crowds. You’ll usually find a food truck parked at one end.
Giardini Naxos Beach, Naxos
Giardini Naxos Beach, Naxos
If it’s a crowded day on Isola Bella, close to Taormina, travel south to Giardini Naxos for all of the beach-towel space required—and then some.
The Giardini Naxos beach sweeps along the Sicilian coastline for one mile in front of Naxos, one of the island’s major beach towns. Set on the Bay of Naxos, the town looks out on the peaceful Ionian Sea.
In summer, the colors of the stabilimenti, arranged in severe territorial lines, make the beach look, from above, like a giant interior design color swatch. Choose your favorite citrusy color, or find your way to Schisò and the softest sands of this epic beachfront.
If you’re coming from Taormina, you’ll find the area of free beach near the San Pancrazio church. Retire to the cacti-lined lungomare, the promenade, for a pot of lemon granita in the shade at one of the many sea-view cafes.
Spiaggia di Letojanni, Sicily
Spiaggia di Letojanni, Sicily
Should Isola Bella be crowded, and you traveled to Giardini Naxos yesterday, then head north to Letojanni.
This lesser-known beach town in Sicily, popular with the locals, has a more relaxed feel than Taormina and Naxos. Offering a selection of stabilimenti and free beach areas, Spiaggia di Letojanni is a mix of sand and smooth pebbles. On a sizzling Sicilian August day, the pebbles can deliver a natural hot stone massage through your towel.
You’ll find regular toilet blocks, cafés, and restaurants along its mile-long length. Sit down for authentic Italian antipasti served with a smile at the Ciao Ciao beachside restaurant and pizzeria.
Spiaggia di Positano, Positano
Spiaggia di Positano, Positano
Possibly the most famous beach in southern Italy, Spiaggia di Positano is more than simply a band of pebbly sand laid like a platinum mat before the town’s candy-colored architecture.
Maybe don’t think of it as a mat, but instead as the town’s true piazza, with its footprint extending into the Tyrrhenian to include the gin palaces moored offshore. Everyone, whether on beach or boat, is part of the same ecosystem, posing, diving, basking, and reveling in the Amalfi’s photogenic synergy of Italy’s and Nature’s designs.
If you balk at the uber-premium prices of the clubs, you’ll find a channel of spiaggia libera between the jaunty umbrellas of the stabilimenti. It can be overcrowded, and it’s certainly not the softest beach underfoot, but the vibe and surroundings make visiting it one of the best things to do in Positano.
Capri
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