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Katy in Umbria

Umbria: a local's perspective for an authentic Italian escape

You are here: Home / The Four Seasons / Summer / Tips On How To Enjoy The Beach In Italy

Tips On How To Enjoy The Beach In Italy

08/01/18 | Summer

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Thinking about an Italian beach holiday this year?

Ever visited Rome in August and wondered where all the Italians have gone? The answer is simple, find a beach!

Thinking on heading to the beach while visiting Italy in the summer? To escape the crowds the best time to go is midweek in June, July or September. The month of August is when Italians escape city life for the beach or escape the heat with a week in the mountains.

But maybe you’re looking to experience Italy like a local? Or keen on some good old fashion culture shock? In that case, an Italian beach holiday in August is the way to go. It’s amazing just how many people can cram themselves and their umbrellas along the coastline.

My Perfect Day At The Italian Seaside

My time at the seaside is very similar to how Italian toddlers enjoy the beach. It goes something like this: Eat a sweet breakfast of pastries (the best part of being in Italy on holiday) and a cappuccino, and then go swimming from mid to late morning.

We then return to where we’re staying for a leisurely picnic type lunch. Even boiling water for pasta is to much extra heat. Usually, we’ll have bread, cherry tomatoes with a local mozzarella, a fennel-flavored salami called finocchiona from Tuscany, and melon and prosciutto.

After lunch it’s nice to take it easy and have a nap, returning to the beach at around 5pm to avoiding the hottest part of the day.

Italian seaside
A great spot for snorkelling

So What Do You Need For A Successful Italian Beach Holiday?

  • An umbrella. You’ll need some shade, especially if you plan on spending the afternoon at the beach. Pretty much any beach you go to you’ll find an umbrella with 2 lounge chairs underneath for rent. In August I strongly recommend renting one so that you don’t end up with sunstroke and being lobster red!
  • Towels, goggles, and sunblock. A towel so you can at least remove the sand, goggles/snorkeling gear to deal with the high salt content in the Mediterranean, and sunblock is mandatory on any summer trip.  The snorkeling gear is great if you’re near rocks, then you can check out the colourful fish!
  • Water shoes. Crocs or something similar if you’ll be on a rocky shoreline. Flip flops for walking on the beach (I hate flip flops so I always use crocs)
  • A book and a crossword puzzle. Be like the Italians! Many spend most of their time out of the water getting their vitamin D and relaxing by reading and solving puzzles.
  • Small bills and change. If you’re driving, you’ll need to pay for parking. A cornetto is a must (not only does cornetto mean croissant, but it is also the pre-made and wrapped ice cream cone).

Sandy Beach
At the end of a day at the beach

Which Coast Should You Choose?

In Italy, you have different seas to choose from. Central Italy has the Adriatic sea in the Le Marche region. The Tyrrhenian sea is found in the Lazio and Tuscany regions.

The Adriatic side is better on the budget, with sandy beaches full of sun umbrellas and wonderful seafood. Young families and a busy nightlife mix for a lively atmosphere.

The Tyrrhenian side has a rockier coastline, but there are sandy beaches and island escapes. Being Tuscany, and northern Lazio, it is more expensive. Called ‘La Maremma’ this part of Tuscany and Lazio is full of cowboys called Butteri. This means there are more meat dishes, especially wild boar, and fewer fish dishes in restaurants.

The Health Benefits Of The Seaside

I love to go to the beach, the salt water is so nice on my skin as I sometimes get eczema. I’ve even heard of Italian doctors prescribing a holiday at the seaside to help with stuffed up sinuses and for general well being!

Timing Your Italian Beach Holiday

We prefer to avoid August when prices are higher and the sheer volume of people can overwhelm, but that doesn’t stop most people. Normally we go enjoy our beach holiday in short doses, a few weekends in June, July, and September.

So if you’re here in Italy from late spring to early autumn get to a beach and enjoy!

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