Italy's Best Beaches

Surrounded by water on all sides, Italy has miles and miles of beautiful and unique beaches. From swimming coves to picturesque seascapes, there's something for everyone.

Cinque Terre

Visitors flock to Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera for great hiking, pretty beaches and romantic cliffside villages.

Amalfi Coast

Positano on the Amalfi Coast has been a welcome beach retreat since the days of Roman nobility and the ancient Greeks.

Located off the Sorrento peninsula, Capri is a rocky, mountainous island beloved by starlets and jet-setters.

Sunbathers and fancy yachts compete with the beach's natural beauty along Sardinia's Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast.

Tuscany is known for its rolling hills, great wine and superb scuba diving in Monte Argentario's coves and bays.

Sicily's many beaches include sandy white shores and exotic black sands, making for a unique island getaway.

The best beaches in Venice are found on Lido, a 7-mile long sandbar sitting in the Venice Lagoon and Adriatic Sea.

Puglia

Most tourists don't make it all the way down the spur and heel of this boot-shaped country, but they're missing out. Southern Italy's Puglia region has not only over 400 miles of stunning coastline, but seafood specialities that alone are worth a trip.

The Tremiti Islands

The Tremiti Islands, often called the pearls of the Adriatic Sea, are a string of islands including San Domino, San Nicola and Caprara. San Domino is the largest and most developed of the 3 and is known as the "green pearl" with its lush vegetation.

Viareggio

Tuscany's largest beach town, Viareggio is one of the farthest points south on the Italian Riviera. Viareggio is a classic resort town with art nouveau buildings, bustling nightlife and endless food, but it's best known for its wild Carnival festival, a tradition since 1873.