Best beach town in Italy?
#1
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Best beach town in Italy?
Hi again! We had been considering going to Positano while in Italy in May 2015, and now are wondering if there is a better beach town to go to? There are 2 parents, 4 young adults and 1 5 year old traveling together. My daughter is the one that really wants to go to the beach while in Italy.
#2
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A lot of this depends on what the rest of your itinerary is, and also what works for your family as a "beach". Many Italian beaches have no sand, but pebbles and rocks. Many are "private" in that they require you to rent a lounger and umbrella.
In May, quite a few coastal spots in Italy can be a bit chilly for swimming or suntanning by Italian standards, but not by San Francisco or Oregon standards (and even So. Calif swimmers are usually more comfortable with May beach temps in Italy than Italians are.
Where else will you be? Positano is really tough to get to, plus expensive. If you will be near Rome, and if you have yet to look up Sperlonga, do a google search and see if that would work for you.
Otherwise, Italy has miles and miles and miles of coastline, so there are lots of options if you won't be near Rome.
In May, quite a few coastal spots in Italy can be a bit chilly for swimming or suntanning by Italian standards, but not by San Francisco or Oregon standards (and even So. Calif swimmers are usually more comfortable with May beach temps in Italy than Italians are.
Where else will you be? Positano is really tough to get to, plus expensive. If you will be near Rome, and if you have yet to look up Sperlonga, do a google search and see if that would work for you.
Otherwise, Italy has miles and miles and miles of coastline, so there are lots of options if you won't be near Rome.
#3
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It's pricey, but this past summer my boyfriend and I stayed in a town called Camogli - it was an incredible trip. The hotel we stayed at is called Cenobio dei Dogi and it definitely catered to families - there were a lot of children there while we were staying. There is a private beach and pool, and three restaurants at the hotel. The town itself is also very walkable, and very convenient to get to without a car. We took the train from Milan and it was about two hours. I highly recommend it! There were a few other hotels we walked passed that also looked beautiful.
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I cannot recommend Positano highly enough as a vacation destination, but not necessarily because of the beach itself. The Mediterranean scenery is spectacular but the beach is small and covered not with sand but with volcanic ash and pebbles. Don't get me wrong. I am not trying to dissuade you from going there, but if you are looking to spend the day sunbathing on powdery white sand, this is not the place. I have been to many pristine beaches in Florida, California and the Caribbean, but I would rather be in Positano. Monterosso al Mare on the Cinque Terra is another nice beach town.
#5
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Why don't you ask your daughter what kind of beach town she wants? Isolated bays? nightlife? scenic surroundings? Lots of sand?
Also, where will you be traveling from and where will you go afterwards? Will you be driving or taking trains and buses?
Some of the best beaches in Italy are in Sardegna, but that's really a long haul from almost anywhere else.
Also, where will you be traveling from and where will you go afterwards? Will you be driving or taking trains and buses?
Some of the best beaches in Italy are in Sardegna, but that's really a long haul from almost anywhere else.
#6
There are some good beaches around Paestum, Agropoli and Castellabate on the other side of the Gulf of Salerno from Positano.
The problem is what else do you want to do as they are all quite a distance from the more common tourist sites (although Paestum has a supurb museum and famous Greek Temples)
The problem is what else do you want to do as they are all quite a distance from the more common tourist sites (although Paestum has a supurb museum and famous Greek Temples)
#11
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Just echoing the others: Where else are you going (flying in and out of ???)? How much time do you have? Early May, or late May? Rocky beach, or sandy beach?
With weather possibly being iffy, and sea temps rather cool, I would want the town to be somewhere with other attractions.
With weather possibly being iffy, and sea temps rather cool, I would want the town to be somewhere with other attractions.
#12
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Sardinia has the best beaches by far.
But all beaches in Italy will be completely deserted in May, may be except some holiday ghettos popular with people from Northern Europe. Is that what your daughter is looking for?
Things begin to open in June with a peak in August.
But all beaches in Italy will be completely deserted in May, may be except some holiday ghettos popular with people from Northern Europe. Is that what your daughter is looking for?
Things begin to open in June with a peak in August.
#14
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I used to live in Beverly Hills, and spent a lot of time surfing the waves at Zuma Beach in Malibu. It's difficult to find anything quite as comparable in Italy.
The first time I visited a beach in Italy I was shocked. The color and quality of the sand (if you can find sand) is nothing like I've experienced elsewhere in my travels.
Bidderosa Beach in Sardinia is one of my favorites. but unless you're going to Sardinia, it's not convenient. You'll stand a better chance of finding higher quality sand in the south, such as in Puglia, Calabria, and Sicily, already mentioned.
I love Positano, but I do not love the color of its sand. Once you spend a summer or two on East or South Hampton beaches on Long Island, you get spoiled by very white, high quality sand that looks and feels so luxurious under your bare feet.
The first time I visited a beach in Italy I was shocked. The color and quality of the sand (if you can find sand) is nothing like I've experienced elsewhere in my travels.
Bidderosa Beach in Sardinia is one of my favorites. but unless you're going to Sardinia, it's not convenient. You'll stand a better chance of finding higher quality sand in the south, such as in Puglia, Calabria, and Sicily, already mentioned.
I love Positano, but I do not love the color of its sand. Once you spend a summer or two on East or South Hampton beaches on Long Island, you get spoiled by very white, high quality sand that looks and feels so luxurious under your bare feet.
#16
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"Going to Italy for the beach is like going to England for the food. Yes, you can do it, but why would you"
Crap.
The best beaches in Europe are Italian.
Some of best restaurants in Europe are in England.
Find some new jaded jokes.
Crap.
The best beaches in Europe are Italian.
Some of best restaurants in Europe are in England.
Find some new jaded jokes.