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Italy’s glamorous Amalfi Coast has long been a summer playground for the elite, from the days of the Roman Empire right up to the dolce vita heyday of the 1960s, when Sophia Loren had a villa there and Jackie O would go yachting around Capri. It’s no wonder this little stretch of paradise is so beloved—the way the sunlight shimmers on the sea, turning it a thousand shades of aquamarine, emerald green, and deep cobalt as it laps against the rocks; the verdant landscape where bougainvillaea and jasmine bloom; the beach clubs with their neat rows of umbrellas in bright orange, blue, or white all combines to create an irresistible mystique.
Days spent on the beaches of the Amalfi Coast are the picture of il dolce far niente. You might bring a book to read as you sunbathe in the morning; go for cooling dips in the sea; toss on a caftan for a long, lazy lunch of spaghetti with clams and crisp white wine on the deck of a beach club; and take a post-prandial nap in the shade of an umbrella before freshening up for an aperitivo and dinner out on the town. From long stretches of sandy beach to little rocky coves, these are our favorite beaches on the Amalfi Coast.
Marina Grande, Positano
Is it the most pristine beach? No, but it is one to make a beeline for if you want the most Instagrammable views of Positano with those jaunty orange umbrellas in the foreground and the pastel-hued buildings seemingly tumbling down the mountains in the background. There are a handful of beach clubs here; we recommend La Scogliera, which is the one farthest from the ferry docks.
Fornillo Beach, Positano
Just behind all the kiosks selling tickets for the ferries, there’s a steeply sloping pedestrian-only street called the Via Positanesi d’America—so called for the town’s many emigrants to the United States. Follow it up and walk about 10 minutes, passing by the old Torre Trasìta watchtower, and you’ll end up at this pretty little beach, which tends to be favored by locals. The beach clubs here are a bit more spartan than the ones on the main beach and you can still get an Aperol Spritz for under $10.
Marina Grande, Amalfi
Amalfi’s main beach is quite a sight to behold, especially viewed from the road leading to Atrani. Naturally, these beach clubs tend to be popular, so go early to snag a lounge chair or else try your luck on the margins, where you’ll find a small patch of spiaggia libera. Our pick for lunch here is the Ristorante Marina Grande or the Lido Azzurro, on the other side of the ferry docks.
Marina Piccola, Capri
There are no sandy beaches in Capri; this is one of the few pebble beaches that’s accessible on foot and sunbathers tend to occupy every square inch of it in the summer. The water is glorious, though, and there are a handful of beach clubs, ranging from the casual Lo Scoglio delle Sirene to the swanky Da Gioia, which is now operated by the luxurious Hotel La Palma (its sunbeds are reserved for hotel guests, but anyone can dine at the restaurant).
Marina Grande, Capri
Just next to the port where the ferries arrive, the largest beach on the island also tends to draw crowds. It has a long stretch of pebble beach, which tends to be favored by families, and some patches of spiaggia libera. About a half of a mile away, you’ll find the lovely Bagni di Tiberio beach club in the spot that was favored by the emperor Tiberius.
La Fontelina, Capri
The most exclusive beach club in Capri, La Fontelina isn’t so much a beach as it is a rock platform studded with blue umbrellas and lounge chairs. If you’re looking for that iconic Slim Aarons version of Capri, this is where you’ll find it, but it comes at a steep price and tends to book up before the season even begins.
Gavitella Beach, Praiano
This lovely beach in the little village of Praiano has views that stretch from Positano to Capri and the Li Galli islands. This beach is bathed in the sun’s rays until the evening and is especially beautiful at sunset. Take a boat to get there or wear comfortable shoes; from Piazza San Gennaro, you’ll have to descend 400 steps to reach it.
Vietri Beach
Known best for the production of hand-made ceramics, Vietri sul Mare is the last town on the Amalfi Coast before you reach Salerno. It has a large, sandy beach with shallow water that tends to be popular with families.
Maiori Beach
Like the beach in Vietri, Maiori Beach is large and sandy, making it popular for families with small children. The scene here tends to be more local (or Neapolitan, anyway) than the touristy beaches in Positano and Amalfi.
Fiordo di Furore
Descend the 200-step staircase from the coastal highway and you’ll reach this picturesque little beach set in a majestic fjord. Just be warned that it only gets a few hours of sunlight each day, so go in the morning or you won’t be able to do much sunbathing.
A version of this article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller.
