The 19 places the travel guides we read name most, what they say about each, and fares from your city.
The places, most named first
From the 6 guides that rank for "best beach towns in italy"
Named by 3 of 61. PositanoCampania, ItalyHouses stack down the cliff, with a quieter second beach at Fornillo.Boats run to Capri, the Grotta dello Smeraldo and Ischia.
Named by 2 of 62. CamogliLiguria, ItalyAbout 40 minutes from Genoa, with a small pebble beach by the harbor.Quieter than the big names; June and late September are calmer.
Named by 2 of 63. San FruttuosoLiguria, ItalyReached only by sea or a hiking path through Portofino Park.Divers can visit the Christ of the Abyss statue on the seabed.
Named by 2 of 64. RavelloCampania, Italy
High above the sea with no beach, but known for its gardens and views.
Best at sunrise or late afternoon, when it is cooler and quieter.
Named by 2 of 65. AtraniCampania, ItalyThe smallest town on the Amalfi Coast, with about 900 residents and a soft sand beach.Feels less crowded than larger Amalfi Coast towns.
6. AmalfiCampania, ItalyA practical base with buses to Ravello and Positano and ferries to Sorrento and Salerno.Once the capital of a maritime republic, with a cathedral on the main piazza.
7. SorrentoCampania, ItalyA good hub, with trains and ferries to Naples and Pompeii.Some travelers find it touristy compared with smaller villages.
8. TellaroLiguria, ItalyTakes effort to reach: winding roads, slow buses from La Spezia, or a walk from Lerici.Far fewer crowds than Cinque Terre.
9. VernazzaLiguria, ItalyOne of the five Cinque Terre villages, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Its natural harbor makes a sheltered place to swim in the village center.
10. MonterossoLiguria, ItalyThe largest Cinque Terre village and the only one with a proper beach.Easy to reach by train, and very busy in high summer.
11. VarigottiLiguria, ItalyThe Bay of the Saracens is one of the few free beaches in Liguria and one of the longest.A rare sandy beach there, so it fills fast.
12. Sestri LevanteLiguria, ItalyThe Bay of Silence is a narrow strip of fine sand, calm out of season.Crowded and noisy in high season.
13. La Pelosa (Stintino)Sardinia, ItalyOn the northwest tip of Sardinia; a daily cap on visitors in high season protects the ecosystem.The Asinara archipelago and Stintino are worth a couple of days.
14. FavignanaSicily, ItalyMain island of the Egadi archipelago, off western Sicily.About 33 km of coastline, with many beaches from Cala Rossa to Lido Burrone.
15. Cala GoloritzèSardinia, ItalyA protected cove on the Gulf of Orosei, reachable by boat or a hard climb.Boat tours of the Gulf from Orosei or Cala Gonone include a stop here.
16. MarateaBasilicata, ItalyThe only coastal town in the little-visited Basilicata region.Clear water, dark sand and pebble beaches between rugged cliffs.
17. LericiLiguria, ItalyBaia Blu is a small cove within walking distance of town.
18. Fontane BiancheSicily, ItalyA small town about 12 km from Syracuse with a 3 km beach and freshwater springs in the sea.
19. San Vito lo CapoSicily, ItalyOn the northwest coast of Sicily, picked as the best beach for families.
Fares from your city
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When to go
Travel guides most often name April to May and September to October as the best time to visit Italy.
Named by 3 of 61. PositanoHouses stack down the cliff, with a quieter second beach at Fornillo.Boats run to Capri, the Grotta dello Smeraldo and Ischia.
Named by 2 of 62. CamogliAbout 40 minutes from Genoa, with a small pebble beach by the harbor.Quieter than the big names; June and late September are calmer.
Named by 2 of 63. San FruttuosoReached only by sea or a hiking path through Portofino Park.Divers can visit the Christ of the Abyss statue on the seabed.
Named by 2 of 64. Ravello
