Beach Towns in Italy: Coastal Escapes, Local Flavour and Hidden Gems

If you’re after a summer sosta (stopover) on a beach with a warm, welcoming family vibe, panache and some seriously delicious food on the side, the idyllic beach towns of Italy should certainly be on your radar. Rome, Naples and Florence may have their charm, but in summer life in Italy revolves around its 8,000 km of gorgeous coastline. Luckily beach towns in Italy are as diverse as the country’s spectacular landscapes – from Liguria’s swish Portofino to the ancient settlements of Puglia and the extraordinary, soaring Amalfi Coast, so you’re bound to find somewhere to fall in love with!

Whether you’re looking for loved-up hideaways, cultural attractions or family R&R, there’s an Italian seaside town suited to your style of travel. Here’s our pick of the six most gorgeous beach towns in Italy.

Italy's beaches are somewhere for families to come together, celebrate their love and reconnect as they relax, picnic and swim in the sun. Our favourite coastal towns in Italy have everything you need to holiday well in Italian style, from turquoise seas and spectacular scenery to cosy trattorias.

Positano is the most charming Italian beach town along the Amalfi Coast – and the spine-tingling journey to get there on clifftop switchbacks should be on everyone’s bucket list. The town is endlessly photogenic, with villas of ochre and red lurching down the cliffside to the shore, and effortlessly glamorous, thanks to the well-heeled crowds who pour in from across Europe. If you’re into people-watching, you’ll hit gold dust here – look out for Italian politicians, British footballers and rock stars popping by on their super-yachts.
 

Life in Positano passes pleasantly; rise late, sip an espresso in a terrace café, lunch in waterside seafood restaurants and dip your toes elegantly into waves off the pebbled beaches – Fornillo is smaller and quieter than Spiaggia Grande. If you fancy some retail therapy in early evening, artisan-made leather sandals are the local speciality. Shopping done, have a wander through the enchanting streets and fortify yourself with an aperitivo at a beach-side bar – just another day soaking up Positano’s cutesy charm!

• Where: On the UNESCO-listed Amalfi Coast in Campania, south of Naples.
• How to get there: Driving the Amalfi Coast is part of the attraction of a visit, but you can get the bus from Naples.
• Good for: Couples on romantic getaways.
• Where to stay: Base yourself at Mercure Torre del Greco Vesuvio, and you’ll be in striking distance of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Naples too.

It’s a wonder that pretty, brightly coloured San Nicola Arcella is still undisturbed by mass tourism. Perched over the rocky Riviera dei Cedri coastline, this is an Italian beach town of two halves; its historic core zig-zags up a steep cliff, while down at sea level is a photogenic harbour where fishermen pile their daily catch. It’s surrounded by jagged limestone sea stacks hiding tiny shingle beaches in craggy coves – show-stopping displays of natural beauty that surely rival the Amalfi Coast, just without the glitzy crowds!
 

What you will find here is an old-world, unhurried holiday of yesteryear, where you can claim a patch of Calabria beach for yourselves, swim at leisure, linger over lunch and ease into your passeggiata (evening walk) at sundown – all under the watchful eye of the landmark Arco Magno, a limestone rock arch that guards secluded Spiaggia dell’Arcomagno.

• Where: On the Tyrrhenian coastline of Calabria.
• How to get there: A 2-hour drive south of Naples.
• Good for: People who want to be alone!
• Where to stay: The stylish Mercure Reggio Calabria is set to open in December 2026.

When sampling regional specialities plays a major part in your holiday happiness, here are two of the top beach towns in Italy for sampling delicious local produce.

In the once-forgotten wild southern corner of Liguria, the five villages of Cinque Terre National Park cling precariously to rugged cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Still stuck in a time warp, they ooze considerable charm and each is blessed with pocket-sized beaches. Of these little gems, picturesque Manarola has a particularly stunning setting perched 70 m above the waterline, with a near-vertical cluster of pastel-hued cottages sprawling upwards around the harbour and terraced vineyards carved into the cliff sides. It has no sandy beaches, but the rocky coastline around the tiny marina doubles as a sunbathing platform with rocky terraces – join the locals to sunbathe on a black slab and then dive into pristine waves to cool off.
 

Fishing and winemaking are big business here, so come evening, head for a waterfront restaurant for fresh acciughe (anchovies) accompanied by a crisp Cinque Terre dry white. Alternatively, round off your meal with the region’s sweet sciacchetrà dessert wine.

• Where: On the Italian Riviera in southern Liguria.
• How to get there: The Cinque Terre Express railway links the five villages.
• Good for: Foodies and winelovers.
• Where to stay: Booking in at sleek Novotel Genova City allows you to explore the whole of the Cinque Terre coastline.

Following a devastating fire in 1917, the chic Italian beach town of Viareggio was largely rebuilt in beguiling Art Nouveau and Art Deco style; today it’s the preserve of local visitors in the know. Take time off from Tuscany sightseeing and head for the expanse of sun-kissed sand to hire cheery parasols and sun loungers for the day – you’ll have views over the sparkling Ligurian Sea and a backdrop of exquisite architecture.
 

After a dip, stroll along the palm-shaded boardwalk – lined with cafés, restaurants and indie shops, it’s the beating heart of Viareggio. And whatever you do, don’t leave town without tasting the seafood! It’s the major speciality of the region, and a must-try for anyone who loves freshly caught prawns, grilled lobster and delicious fish soup at restaurants along the seafront promenade.

• Where: On the Liguarian coastline in northern Tuscany.
• How to get there: Train, bus or driving on the A12/E80 autostrada.
• Good for: Anyone wanting to combine a beach holiday with exploring Tuscany.
• Where to stay: Choose from several Tuscany hotels within 90 minutes’ drive of Viareggio.

If you like holidays with a slice of heritage sightseeing thrown in, here are two very special beach towns in Italy where you can combine visiting ancient sights with languishing by the sea.

As ancient Greece’s oldest Sicilian settlement, Ortigia is actually an island; it’s reached by two bridges and forms the honey-hued centro storico of the gorgeous city of Siracusa. With a cathedral built over a Greek temple, numerous Baroque churches and palazzos to discover in atmospheric alleys off stately Piazza Archimede, you’d be forgiven for forgetting about the beaches, but this little enclave has several to choose from. The minuscule pebbled cove of Spiaggia di Cala Rossa is a local favourite, and there are wooden sunbathing platforms with ladders leading directly into crystal-clear waves along Lungomare di Levante.

After a leisurely afternoon of catching the rays, join the resident fashionistas cruising upscale boutiques, or pass the evening on a bar-hopping passeggiata along the seafront before tucking into Sicilian fritto misto (fried seafood) in a waterfront trattoria.

• Where: Siracusa Province, southeastern Sicily.
• How to get there: Plane or ferry to Sicily, by train to Siracusa, then a taxi or bus from the station.
• Good for: Culture warriors with a love of sunbathing.
• Where to stay: 30 minutes’ stroll from Ortigia, Mercure Siracusa Prometeo has a spa and rooftop pool.

Big into history? You’ll adore Otranto, an ancient Italian beach town sitting on the Adriatic coast at Puglia’s heel. Here you can laze on the sand or dive straight into its long backstory; first off should be a visit to the cathedral, a Romanesque masterpiece renowned for its medieval mosaic floor depicting the Tree of Life, and the grisly Chapel of the Martyrs, decorated with the skulls and bones of 800 Catholic martyrs. From the ramparts of the mighty Castello Aragonese, a glimpse of the Adriatic twinkling in the sun beckons you to make the beach your next stop.

For daytrippers short on time, there’s a free beach and lido in the middle of town, plus a swimming spot along the promenade. When you are travelling more leisurely, head for the Baia dei Turchi, 10 minutes’ drive north and accessed on a stroll through scented pine forest. Your reward: nigh-deserted white sand and azure waters – Italian seaside heaven!

• Where: Lecce Province, southern Italy.
• How to get there: By car or rail from Lecce or Gallipoli.
• Good for: History lovers looking for downtime on the beach.
• Where to stay: Book rooms at Mercure President Lecce, 30 minutes’ drive north, and you can explore Lecce’s stunning Baroque heart too.

If you’d like some spectacular architecture along with your Mediterranean getaway, here’s our guide to beach holidays in Barcelona. For a seaside break with bags of retro charm, head for the North Sea beaches of Belgium.