Italy is a country that attracts tourists year round. A variety of leisure activities are distributed here by season. In winter, skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts are welcomed by the Italian mountain resorts of Cervinha, San Martino di Castrozza or Bormio. In spring and autumn, it is time for excursion vacations. It is in the offseason, when it is still not very hot, it is best to visit the sights of Rome, Tuscany, Naples. But the summer, which in the Mediterranean climate of Italy lasts until the end of September, many tourists spend on the beaches. Which coastal resort of the country to choose? This article will be devoted to our article. After all, someone is looking for where to relax in Italy on the sea is inexpensive, and someone is going to take a small child on a trip. Others prefer secluded wild beaches, give entertainment to others and developed resort infrastructure. But Italy is able to satisfy any request. After all, this is a country of five seas: the Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenian, Ligurian and the Mediterranean that unites them all.
When to go to Italy by the sea
The beach season of this country opens in early May. And you can swim and sunbathe comfortably until the end of September, and in Sicily and in the south of the Apennine "boot" - until the last decade of October. But tourists, both foreign and local, Italian, are a people committed to established traditions. Since summer is considered the time for a beach holiday, then you need to go to the sea from June to August. Such a strange, from the point of view of common sense, schedule of tourist influx makes it possible for frugal travelers to spend their holidays in a country of the European Union quite budgetally. The second half of September and the beginning of October is the time when the question of where to relax in Italy on the sea is cheap, just not worth it. Unprecedented discounts are announced in the most chic front-line hotel "at the curtain" of the beach season. And at the same time it will be very comfortable to explore various historical and cultural attractions that cannot be counted in every corner of Italy.
Tours and prices for 2016
Let's start with tips for travelers who love other people planning and organizing their holidays for them. In any travel agency you will be colorfully written out where to relax in Italy on the sea is the best, and provide with a mass of advertising brochures. But you are unlikely to be able to count them all. After all, there are a lot of such places. Italy is a long peninsula extended into the sea, and you can get to the nearest beach from anywhere in the country in an hour or two. The coastline of the state stretches for seven thousand kilometers. And 5,000 of them are beaches. Tours to Italy provide an opportunity to combine excursions and relaxation at sea. True, such a trip will cost more than just hanging out on a golden sand. An example of an economy tour is a week-long vacation in Emilia-Romagna. A choice of travelers are offered hotels in Cervia, Cesenatico, Cattolica, Milano Marittima, Riccione, Rimini. Such a tour costs from two hundred and fifty euros. The same purely beach vacation, but on the islands (Sardinia, Sicily, Capri) will cost twice as much. And finally, moving from city to city and excursions will add another five hundred euros to the final cost of the tour.
Italy: where to relax at sea with a child
Relatively short flight, comfortable weather that does not require acclimatization, not at all exotic food, excellent service and reverence of local residents to young travelers - all this makes the country attractive for families to spend their vacations. And no matter where to relax in Italy at sea: throughout the country there are various entertainment venues for children. For example, in the small resort of Riccione there are as many as two water parks - “Beach Village” on the beach and “Aquafan”. In Aquafoli, near Venice, all water attractions are located in the tropical jungle. “Land of Miracles” - this is the name of the entertainment town “Mirabilandia”. In addition to forty attractions, they offer guests to visit the circus, ballet on ice, stunt shows and a 3D cinema. Fiabilandia is another amusement park that can compete with Disneyland Paris. Children will surely enjoy the Italy in Miniature open-air museum. All the sights of this country with ancient history and rich culture are presented on a scale of one to twenty-five. You can look at the exposition from above, taking a ride on a monorail tourist train.
Beach Italy by region. Liguria
Now it's time to consider the country's top coastal resorts. They can conditionally be divided into regions. Each of them has first-class service, but different climatic characteristics, nature, beaches. Let's start from the far north-west of the country. The French Riviera with the romantic name Côte d'Azour in the east smoothly flows into Italian Liguria. The main city in this province is the brilliant Genoa. Where to relax in Italy on the sea in Liguria? In Genoa itself, there are not so many clean beaches. But they are found in abundance on the Ligurian Riviera. True, to find sand among them is quite difficult. Most of the beaches here are pebble, and there are rocky coasts. The lack of sand is compensated by the bohemian atmosphere: after all, San Remo is located on the Ligurian Riviera, and Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Monaco, Antibes are located behind the symbolic border. The top resorts of the Ligurian coast are Alassio, Rapallo and Bordighera.
Tuscan Maresma
Moving further south along the coast. We are met by ancient Tuscany - the heart of Italy. Museum cities such as Florence and Siena are located here. And where to relax in Italy on the sea in Tuscany? On the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea there are many first-class resorts. The most famous are Lido di Camaiore and the island of Giglio. The latter is famous for its clear, like a tear water, for which we appreciate the divers. Attention should be paid to the resorts of the eastern Ligurian coast. The glamor in this part of the Riviera is less. But there are more good beaches. Resorts such as Rapallo, Santa Margherita and Portofino are in demand among tourists with children. Among the most famous resorts in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea in Tuscany are Versilia and Viareggio. Beautiful beaches are located on Cape Fenayo.
Sardinia
If you ask a local resident where it is better to relax in Italy by the sea, he will surely answer you: “Of course, on the islands!” We already mentioned Giglio. Now he is a mecca for divers, and in ancient times he was famous for his quarries. Many ancient forums and palaces of the Renaissance erected from granite from the island of Giglio. But you will find many more historical sights in Sardinia. This is a large island. Such famous resorts as Marina di Capitana, Santa Margherita di Pula, Orosei, Kia, Arborea, Quartu Sant Elena, Pula, Villasimius and others are scattered along its coast. If you are planning a vacation in Sardinia in May or the end of September, choose the southern part of the island. Beach vacations here can be combined with an exciting excursion program. After all, once the island was inhabited by mysterious people - sards, who left behind themselves bizarre towers and other buildings. To be closer to the famous Caves of Neptune, you should settle in Alghero (north-west coast). You will find plenty of entertainment in Costa Smeralda and Porto Rotondo.
Neapolitan Riviera
Surely many have heard the beautiful song "Come Back to Sorrento." It is dedicated to the city in the Gulf of Naples, now the top resort. Sorrento's hallmark is the steep cliffs on which, like swallow’s nests, stuck at home. Looking from the rocky ledges at the setting sun, Lord Byron, Charles Dickens, Stendhal and even Gorky drew inspiration from the beauty of the Neapolitan Bay. It was easier for them: they did not pay ten euros a day for access to the beach. If you are looking for where it is cheap to relax in Italy by the sea, then you are clearly not here. To save on the beach, choose a front-line hotel with your own piece of coast. In the capital of Campania, Naples, tourists will find an exciting educational experience. Pompeii on the background of the volcano Vesuvius, Castel Nuovo castle, Palazzo Reale, the fortress of St. Elmo - this is just one percent of all the attractions that the region is rich in.
Capri
Naples has few clean and well-maintained beaches. But the capital of Campania is connected by ferry with the wonderful, just fabulous island of Capri. Here many world celebrities once improved their health or simply enjoyed their lives, including Maxim Gorky and Fedor Chaliapin. Marina Grande is the place where relaxing in Italy at sea will be relatively inexpensive and pleasant. The resort is deservedly called the Capri Gate. In Marina Grande it is good to stay if you want to travel around the whole island.
Ischia
Very close to Capri is another tiny piece of land in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Despite its modest size, there are more than enough sights on Ischia. And the main ones are thermal springs. And if you are interested not only in the question of where in Italy you can relax at sea, but also where to get better, then feel free to go to Ischia. The main city of the island - Porto - is big and full of entertainment. There are also spa centers here. But the best thermal springs, healing mud and other miracles are in the famous La Mortella garden. Some terms on the island are known since ancient times. And now, in many of the hotels there, the pools are filled not with simple, but with mineral thermal water. From other historical attractions, reviews are advised to visit the Aragonese castle.
Sicily (Italy): where to relax at sea in September
The “pebble” that kicks the Apennine “boot” is an amazing island. Sicily is famous for the volcano Etna, stories and films about the mafia, wonderful nature and Greco-Roman culture. The island is chosen by both surfers and divers, as well as lovers of a calm measured rest. If you crave entertainment, stay at Giardini Naxos. This fishing village has now turned into a large resort full of first-class hotels. The beaches of Giardini Naxos have a lot of fun on the water, and in the town itself there are discos, night clubs and restaurants. Ancient Syracuse will appeal to lovers of excursions. There are also many attractions in Messina, Catania, Agrigento and, of course, in the capital of the island of Palermo. To see the real Sicily, go to Cefalu. A relaxing holiday awaits you in Letojanni, Taormina, Sant Alessio Siculo and Marina d'Agro. The best beach is considered to be Li Kuti, near Catania, where volcanic sand is interspersed with boulders of frozen lava.
Puglia
On the forums discussing where to relax in Italy by the sea, the reviews praise this southern region, which is located on the “heel” of the “boot”. It is environmentally friendly, cheaper and, importantly, with a long beach season. In Puglia, you can comfortably swim and sunbathe in April and October. What beach resorts exist in this province? In its northern part, in the Gargano area, reviews recommend the town of Vieste with the beautiful Pizzomunno beach. If you go further south, you get into Vignanotica. Here, according to tourists, a beautiful bay is located on the entire Adriatic Sea. Divers are attracted by the underwater oasis of Capitolo near Monopoli. Wilderness conservation area Torre Guacheto. The cities of Otranto, Taranto, Bari are filled with historical and cultural monuments. Other interesting places to mention include Santa Maria de Leuca, Gallipoli and Brindisi.
Adriatic coast of Rimini
The climate of the Veneto region is cooler due to the proximity of the mountains. But if you ask the question “where to relax in the sea in Italy in the summer”, you can’t imagine a better place than the Adriatic Riviera Rimini. Even in July, the temperature here does not exceed +25 ... +27 . Here it is worth mentioning the resorts of Riccione and Cattolica, as well as the multi-kilometer beach of Marina Centro.