Beach holidays in Italy

Pastel-coloured Porto Venere boasts all the charm of the Cinque Terre but is slightly lesser-known. Here you’ve got two pebbly beaches to choose from, Spiaggia dell'Olivo and Spiaggia di Arenella, both with shallow, clear water. For that postcard picture, you’ll want to head to the harbourside, teeming with small boats and the awnings of waterside cafés. It’s the perfect place to snap a shot of the higgledy-piggledy pink and orange buildings that seem to jostle for space on the waterfront. For some peace and quiet, catch a sunset at Byron’s Grotto on the headland.

Positano is a celebrity hotspot that’s possibly the most photographed beach on the Italian coast. The tiny shingle cove is popular for both swimming and relaxing on yachts, gazing up at the pastel-toned buildings clinging to the green cliffs above. Part of the appeal of this trendy beach – besides the warm, sheltered sea – is ensconcing yourself in one of the cliffside bars and watching the shades of sunset play on the bay. Alternatively, head to one of the myriad stylish restaurants hugging the sand.

The Amalfi Coast boasts no shortage of beautiful beaches drawing honeymooning couples and yachters. However, if you head off the main Amalfi route down the winding country roads to Nerano, and then tackle the easy 45-minute walk to Baia di Ieranto, you’ll think you’ve cracked Italy’s best-kept secret. This pebbly inlet is an idyllic suntrap sheltered by pine-covered hills. You’re bound to feel intrepid as you pull off your hiking boots and spring into the limpid water or soak up the rays on the warm rocks. Bring a picnic for this no-amenities adventure.

Large, uncrowded beaches are hard to come by on Italy’s mainland, but Marina di Alberese is a true gem. This five-mile sandy stretch is situated in a nature reserve that limits car numbers, so you’re guaranteed sunbathing space. The wild, soft-sand shore is backed by dunes and a pine forest and is strewn with desert-island driftwood. Away from the car park, it’s popular with nudists, but it’s also a hotspot for families, walkers and wildlife too. Those seeking peace in nature and a revitalising swim will be at home here.

Capri is the island that needs no introduction, as famous for its green interior and chic towns as for its dreamy coastline. Spiaggia Marina Grande is conveniently located right next to where you’ll jump off the ferry. Lined with bars and restaurants and speckled with colourful umbrellas, this cheerful cove is a delightful place to rent kayaks or simply peg out on the pebbles and enjoy the bath-temperature water. It’s very popular, but one of the largest beaches on the island. Steps from the shore there are top-rated restaurants with fabulous views.

Isola Bella is a tiny rocky outcrop tucked just beneath the hilltop town of Taormina. The isle itself, connected to the main pebble beach by a thin strip at low tide, is not open to visitors, but you can snorkel in the fabulously clear waters around it. It’s a classic Italian beach – slightly crowded but very pretty, with phenomenal shades of green and blue offset by stunning pinks at sunset. Nip down from town on the cable car and join locals for an aperitivo at the café-bars that line the seafront.

On Italy’s southernmost island, the water is so incredibly clear and blue you’ll think you’ve landed in the Maldives. Spiaggia dei Conigli is a spacious stretch of white sand with a huge, shallow bay. Pack your snorkel, because the views underwater are as good as those on the surface. It’s surrounded by sparsely covered headlands and weathered white cliffs, accessible only via a winding stone path down the hillside. Back at the top of the hill you’ll find one small bar, but you’ll want to pack provisions.