Going to the Beach in Italy

If you're traveling in Italy during summer, you'll probably want to go to a beach. Going to the seaside is very popular with Italians, especially on Sundays, and Italian beaches can be very crowded in summer. Most seasides have private beaches where you pay a fee that usually gets you a clean beach, dressing room where you can leave your things, a lounge chair, a beach umbrella, a good swimming area, toilets, and a bar.

Some of the most popular seaside regions on the mainland are the Amalfi Coast, the Tuscany beaches, and the Italian Riviera, especially around Portofino. Here you'll find beautiful scenery as well as nice beaches.

If you're in Rome and want a day at the beach, I was told at my hotel that the best place to go is Ostia. While it might not be as glamorous as some of the other beaches, it has been cleaned up in the past few years and has some nice private beach areas available for day use. Ostia beach is known for its dark sand. To get there, take the metro to Piramide, then take the Ostia-Lido train. You could stop off to see the ancient Roman ruins at Ostia Antica on the way, too.

Although there's a lot of water in Venice, there are no beaches or places for swimming. If you're in Venice and want to swim, try the beaches on the Lido, accessible by bus.

Italy Seaside Pictures: Portofino Pictures
Italy Seaside Pictures from Europe for Visitors:  Liguria Coast |  Cinque Terre
Italy Seaside from the Cruises Guide: Portovenere Pictures

^{Italy Beach Picture at Santa Margherita Ligure by Martha Bakerjian 2006 © about.com}