17 Ways To Go To The Beach Like The Italians Do (2024)

Defining a rarified slice of jet-set life in the 50s and 60s when the world’s top celebrities frolicked off the gilded shores of Portofino and Positano, and showcased by the country’s renowned filmmakers like Fellini, Visconti and Wertmuller, Italy’s seaside is an endlessly alluring attraction—not only for themagnificent scenery, but also for the glamorous pizzazz Italians bring to their beachgoing. So how do you head to the sea the way the Italians do? Here Cassandra Santoro,CEO of Travel Italian Style, a New York-based travel company specializing in custom Italian itineraries, shares her savvy insights. (Santoro spends six months a year in Italy, often living in top coastal towns.) We added a few suggestions, too, to come up with 17 tips to help you enjoy the Italian beach scene to the max. (Note: As at any beach, follow dermatologist-recommended precautions in regard to sun exposure and bring plenty of sunscreen and cover-ups).

1. Beach clubs are a big part of the seaside scene in Italy, but it’s easy to find one that suits your style. Some clubs (they are called bagni or stabilimenti here) can be quite chichi, but most are relaxed, family friendly and allow you to buy day, week or seasonal passes (rates vary widely). Usually these bagni have restaurants or dining facilities. “Some of my friends choose their beach club based on the lunch menu!” says Santoro. At the club you can rent a lettino or sdraio (lounge chair), ombrellone (beach umbrella) and towel, with access to showers and changing rooms.

2. While Italians may not like straight queues, their bagni are arranged with an amazing linear precision. It’s as if Carson from Downton Abbey went around with a butler stick, measuring the distance between rows and chairs. “Since beach space is often at a premium, creating a perfect line-up is the only way to arrange these sun beds in such small areas,” says Santoro. Like going to the theater, you pay according to where you sit, so the first row will cost more (if available—sometimes that prima fila gets booked months in advance and won’t be reassigned, even if there’s a no-show), but it provides an excellent spot for all the people watching.

3. Be prepared. Some of Italy’s legendary beaches are rocky. Very rocky. For travelers used to the powdery sands of the Hamptons and Florida, the pebbly shorelines of parts of the Italian Riviera and other coasts can appear daunting. But learn to navigate them as the Italians do. “Beaches with rocks and small pebbles are what they know,” says Santoro. “Traditions are important in this culture, and Italians often spend time on the same beaches they enjoyed as children, regardless of the rocks. They wear flip-flops until they get to the water, so it doesn’t seem to faze them."

Rubber water shoes that look like clogs, sold in seaside beach stores, are also popular for walking over the stones. They’re a good investment—if you’re not used to the rocks and don’t have the proper shoes, you can end up looking like you had too many Negronis as you stagger along the beach.

4. But there are plenty of Italian beaches that are sandy, too. For rock-free beaches “go to Sardinia, the Tuscan coast in the Grosseto and Livorno areas, or to the nature reserves in Sicily, Puglia and Calabria,” says Santoro.

5. Often, there will be stairs. Sometimes lots of them. Don’t forget, manycoastal towns were built into the sides of hills or mountains, hence the stairs needed to connect various levels. The One Fire beach in Praiano, near Positano, has more steps (there are 400!) than the Spanish Steps, but you can get a boat to forego the treks down and back up. "If you are trying to avoid steps head to Puglia which has flat land with beautiful beaches. Otherwise, stick to the Tuscan coast and Sicilian seaside towns such as Cefalu or Mondello," says Santoro. "Or Santa Margherita Ligure on the Italian Riviera." Beaches on theVenetian Lido are also an option.

6. You don’t have to look like a tourist. “Foreign men stand out as they often wear long board shorts while most Italian men wear Speedos or more fitted suits,” says Santoro.Destination logo shirts can also be a giveaway that you’re a visitor. "Often foreign women will go formore practical clothing such as shorts, a tank top and flip-flops, whileItalian women will wear sheer cover-ups and flattering wedges or sandals."

7. Bikinis rule. And get changed after each dip in the sea, so bring a few."I find the best way to work on that summer glow in Italy is with a bikini or monokini," says Santoro.

8. There are no age limits with bikinis. “The grandmas are just as confident as their children and grandchildren in wearing them,” says Santoro, noting the aplomb with which they pull it off.

9. At famous resorts and beach clubs, Italians don’t hesitate to wear costume—and real—jewelry. “This trend is more obvious in Capri, Positano and at other well-known beach clubs throughout Italy,” says Santoro. “This seasonlarge, colorful fringe earrings, bright-colored accessories and retro-shape, oversized shades are popular,” says Santoro. “I'm supporting the trend by flaunting big, costume-jewelry earrings.”

10. At the see-and-be-seen beach clubs the designer labels come out in force.Think Hermes’ sandals and Bora Bora totes, Pucci bikinis and decorative Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses. But most everywhere you go Italians keep image—la bella figura—in mind when at the beach. “I commend them for swimming, sunbathing and boating in their best attire,” says Santoro. “I am not sure how they pull it off!”

11. As for footwear, the traditional, handmade custom sandals are always on-trend in the South. “One of my favorites is a shoemaker on the island of Ischia, Maria Rosaria Ferrara,” notes Santoro.

12. Italians at the beach will break for one to two hours at lunch. While some pack a picnic, or do a quick pizza lunch, many Italians, particularly on Sunday, opt for a sit-down at a local seaside restaurant or head back home if they live near or are renting a house by the sea. Since a lot of the bagni have restaurants or dining facilities, lunch is often a few steps from the water.

13. “A good way to get a taste of all the local specialities is to ask for the house antipasti.” says Santoro.“This normally is a combination of fresh fish, polpette (meatballs made with fish), or even some grilled vegetables. The Campania seaside [where you find the Amalfi coast] is always about mussels, clams and shrimp. Sometimes the local fish can be enjoyed as antipasti with lemon and oil,or as aprimoserved on pasta. It's popular along the coast to have grilled fish such as pesce spada (swordfish), alici marinate (fresh marinated anchovies), tuna, calamari and octopus. You can also taste fresh ricci (sea urchin) in larger seaside cities such as Naples.”

14. The summer drink to order: White wine with peaches. “Pesche al vino is particularly popular for a summer mid-day drink,” says Santoro. “The proper peaches to use in the wine are percoche, which are yellow on the inside and a bit less soft than other peaches.”

15. In August all of Italy seems headed for the beach, so get an early start. “On Sundays from about 9:30 AM to 4 PM, the traffic going to the seaside is consistently heavy,” says Santoro. “If you haven’t reserved a spot I recommend arriving as early as 8:30 AM.”

16. But try to reserve. “For popular beach clubs in the South of Italy, you’ll want to book one to two weeks prior to arriving,” says Santoro. “For local beaches a few days before is a good idea.”

17. You can usually stay late. Many bagnini, or lifeguards, are on duty until sunset."They aregreat about staying on until the beach clears," says Santoro. "The bagninimay start to clear the chairs around you, but in mostcasesare patient with leaving the beach open until 7 or 8PM."