Need help selecting an Italian beach
 

My 2 college age daughters will be in summer school in Europe this May: LA in London, finishing June 5th, and MA in Greece finishing in Athens June 11. I want to meet them when they finish & travel in Italy. I hope to visit Venice, Florence & possibly Rome with them. Their only request is that we spend some time at a GORGEOUS beach. Our requirements are beautiful beach, & some shopping/strolling perhaps. We do not require nightlife/clubs.
I have looked briefly at the Cinque Terre area, but my girls are not hikers. Is that still a good option for us? Please recommend specific beaches, including the town/area to stay at in order to access the beach.
I have not worked out the details as to what LA & I will do the one week while we are working our way towards Italy (before MA gets out). I also don't know whether to start at the Venice end & work our way towards Rome, or start at the Rome end. If you have any pointers I should consider I welcome them! I have traveled alot & am comfortable with European trains, but I have not traveled in Italy in about 20 years.
I want to offer a sincere THANKS for all of you regulars who contribute to this forum- it is a truly incredible way to learn. Special thanks for Ira's FAQ thread & all you who added to it.

We loved both Sperlonga and Gaeta, south of Rome and reachable by train. Both have plenty of shops.

StCirq - thanks for your reply!

Just wondering, what does "gorgeous beach" mean to your daughters? For example, many Italian beaches feature stones instead of sand.

I also vote for Sperlonga and also add the nearby Terracina and San Felice Circeo. They are not that far from Rome, about an hour and a half by car (100km). The water is pretty clean, Sperlonga is a tiny lovely village with its white houses (as regards the town centre). Lots of shops too.
In San Felice Circeo there is a natural park, you can visit the grotto supposed to have hosted the legendary Maga Circe. There are other grottos which can be visited too. SO I think you will enjoy the place a lot.

Venice does have a beach resort on the Lido. Just a few minutes by vaporetto from P. San Marco.

I spent a day swimming in the Adriatic on Lido with my 2 teenage daughters last year and it was really wonderful. You are only 20 mins from Venice, lots of very nice hotels and great things to do. I would recommend it highly.

viareggio on the west coast. thhey are private pay beaches that are clean, come eith a towel,chair,umbrella and a shack for refreshments

ellenem - yes, you are right - we have come to realize that our idea of a "gorgeous" beach in Italy is changing! We will be in Venice, so I will investigate the Lido and the others - thanks for everyone's suggestions!