Italian Steps - Beaches - Cultural notes

Fact File

• Most coastal hotels have their own private beaches that are closely monitored by hotel staff, and are usually reserved for hotel guests. Non-guests can enjoy these beaches, but will have to pay for the privilege and rent a sunshade, un ombrello, and a sun-lounger, una sedia a sdraio. Rental is usually al giorno, by the day, and prices vary according to the quality of the hotel.



• If you don't want to pay, you'll be restricted to the smaller public parts of the beach. On some beaches this area can fall between adjacent private sections. You can usually tell if it's free to sit on it by the absence of rows of sunshades. Quality and cleanliness of the public areas can vary greatly, but you can find many unspoilt public beaches, particularly on the smaller coastal islands such as Ponza, off the coast of Lazio.



• The Amalfi Coast, located just south of Naples, is one of Italy's most popular coastal areas, and home to the famous towns of Amalfi, Positano and Ravello. It's here that you'll find the once infamous 'Island of Sin', Capri. For centuries it has been a retreat of sorts - indeed Emperor Tiberius used to hold orgies on the island - but today it's a retreat for the European jet set. A must see attraction on Capri is the magical Blue Grotto, an ocean cave located on the north-west side of the island. Light mysteriously enters the cave from below and gives the water inside a luminous blue glow.



• Lying only 10 km. from the mainland, Elba is the largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest of Italy's islands. With a coastline measuring 147 km, the island has more than 100 beaches, all with different characteristics. The historical period that made Elba famous was the brief exile of Napoleon in 1815. Bonaparte left a significant mark on the island, and his two residences at Villa di San Martino and Villa dei Mulini are now national museums.



• Ischia is the largest island in the Bay of Naples and one of the most important holiday destinations in southern Italy. It's also a famous thermal resort, with ancient spas such as the Antiche Terme offering treatments with radioactive water containing salt, bromine and iodine.



• Just off the coast of Lazio, the island of Ponza is a paradise of turquoise waters, secluded beaches and lush vineyards. In the summer it can be pretty crowded with Italians flocking in from Rome, though tourists are still something of a rarity.



• Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean. Situated in the middle of the Western Mediterranean, it lies just 12 kms from Corsica. The scenery is dramatic and diverse, ranging from rough and primeval landscapes to gentle, golden sand dunes.



• Sicily lies just off the tip of the boot of Italy and is part of the Aeolian Islands. This group of small islands is popular for its crystal clear waters, and are ideal for diving and underwater fishing. Beaches here have black sand, due to the rich soil from nearby active volcanoes. Europe's largest and most active volcano, Mount Etna, towers above Sicily's eastern shore. Taormina is another picturesque and immensely popular resort town within sight of the volcano.



• The crowded beach resort of Rimini on the Adriatic Sea in north-eastern Italy is as close as you get to the over-crowded 'costa' beaches typical of southern Spain. The first public bathing area was created in 1843 but the boom time came in the 1960s and 1970s when it was established as the mecca of sun, sea, sand and discos. The beaches are fine and sandy, if a little crowded, but if sun bathing or people watching isn't your thing, there's also deep-sea fishing, hot springs and restaurants to keep you occupied.