Italy: east coast or west coast?

From one shore to another: Italy’s two seas

Head to one side and you will spot the audacious heights of the western shoreline, crowned with medieval bastions. Head to the other, and there is the gentle Adriatic, with its secret beaches and Byzantine heritage. The Italian coasts combine fun times with gastronomy and a meditative ambiance. Set off on a journey along the Italian shoreline, where every stop reveals a piece of history and the eternal scent of la dolce vita lingers in the air.

Italy’s west coast: iconic villages and ancient heritage

Bathed by the waters of Liguria and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the west coast deserves to be explored at a gentle pace. From Renaissance settlements to hilltop medieval villages, this coastline boasts a sophisticated lifestyle among ancient sites and enchanting landscapes.

Cinque Terre: the Italian Riviera from on high

Nestled within the cliffs of Liguria, the hanging villages of Cinque Terre watch over the Italian Riviera. In Vernazza, you can wander through the maze of narrow streets, where the scent of freshly baked focaccia wafts around every corner. Further south, the dazzling facades of Riomaggiore huddle above the water’s surface, while in Monterosso, the sea air mingles with the scent of lemon blossom.

On higher ground, Corniglia looms above terraced vineyards. From this natural vantage point, you can gaze out over a sapphire sea, life’s hustle and bustle a world away. It is in this UNESCO World Heritage Site that the Italian Riviera is at its most romantic, suspended in time and embracing a wide open horizon.

Portofino exudes an almost unreal elegance on the Ligurian Riviera. Nestling in a tiny bay, its pastel facades and moored boats mark the entrance to the ancient “port of the dolphins”, the Portus Delphini praised by ancient writers. It is the ideal place to while away a day or two, catching a glimpse of the occasional fin as you look out onto the bay.

The quintessentially Italian shores and islands of Tuscany

To the west of the Chianti hills lie the wonders of the Tuscan archipelago. At Portoferraio, on the island of Elba, Medicean fortresses stand guard over turquoise bays fringed by aromatic maquis scrubland. Giglio and Montecristo loom large on the horizon. Livorno, a pretty, historic town criss-crossed by canals, is your gateway to the treasures of Pisa and Lucca.

Further south, the Maremma offers wild landscapes not dissimilar to the Camargue region of France. In this ornithological haven, the famous Saturnia hot springs gush out of the rocks. The unspoilt coastline stretches as far as the peninsula of Mount Argentario and the port of Santo Stefano. It’s the perfect place to savour local cuisine packed with seafood and sun-drenched wines.

Rome: embrace eternity

From the arches of the Colosseum to the labyrinthine alleyways of Trastevere and the baroque sights of Piazza Navona, in Rome, antiquity collides with boisterous urban life. Enjoy a gelato on the steps of Piazza di Spagna, savour a caffè stretto on Campo de’ Fiori before heading to the Trevi Fountain and making your vow to come back soon.

Beyond the Aurelian Walls, Lazio also boasts treasures that are often overshadowed by the brilliance of the Eternal City. In Tivoli, the gardens of the Villa d’Este stand in contrast to the imperial remains of the Villa Adriana. Further north, discover Viterbo, its medieval quarter of San Pellegrino and its Papal Palace ringed with hot springs. To the south, the coastline stretches as far as the fortress of Gaeta and the Abbey of Montecassino, where rugged cliffs and sacred spaces coexist in harmony.

Naples: between light and shadow

Vibrant and generous Naples is an open-air theatre. Get carried away by the Parthenopean city’s zest for life along Spaccanapoli. The bustle of the city’s markets is matched by the contemplative silence of its baroque churches, where the chiaroscuro of a Caravaggio sometimes peeks out from the shadows. From the gardens of the Capodimonte Museum, the panorama stretches out to Sorrento, Vesuvius and Capri, sometimes even reaching as far as Ischia.

Naples is also a mecca for European archaeology. Echoes of the past greet you at every turn, from Pompeii to Herculaneum, frozen in stone and time, to the mystery of the Cave of the Sibyl in Cumae. And while harmony reigns supreme in the temples of the ancient Greek colony of Paestum, the landscape gets hillier along the Amalfi coast, where the towns of Ravello and Positano look out over cobalt waters.

Calabria: sunlit Magna Graecia

Wild and luminous, Calabria’s rugged terrain looks out over the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas. From the white architecture of Tropea to the port of Scilla, winding roads take you past hilltop villages and secret coves. Lined with bergamot and prickly pear trees, these landscapes exude a singular fragrance.

This coastline bears the imprint of Magna Graecia, the ancient cradle from which Hellenic culture flourished in Italy. In Reggio, the archaeological museum hosts the Riace bronzes, two metal warriors dating to the 5th century BCE which were found off the coast. In the hinterland, panoramic roads lead up to solemn stone towns bearing witness to a culture that has managed to preserve its fierce identity.

Island pride in Sicily

Opposite Calabria lies another indomitable land, this one a mosaic of Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman and African influences. The island lays out its unique mix of cultures from the baroque white of Ortigia to intoxicating Syracuse and the theatre of Taormina. While the smoking top of Mount Etna forms a dark triangle against the azure sky, the Aeolian archipelago offers a glimpse of the glowing slopes of Stromboli, the volcanic sentinel of these mythical waters.

The ancient heritage continues in Agrigento, at the heart of the solemnly serene Valley of the Temples. In the far west, Trapani unveils its pink-tinged salt marshes. The rather lunar landscape recalls this historic trading post’s Phoenician past, and the scent of citrus fruit now mingles with a salt-inflected breeze.

Italy’s east coast: Adriatic beaches and baroque charm

Less rugged than its Tyrrhenian sister, the Adriatic coast boasts long stretches of sand and singularly sophisticated art towns. Here, the influence of eastern culture and Byzantium permeates the architecture while, inland, a pastoral secret Italy lives according to centuries-old traditions.

Venice: intimate Serenissima

Saint Mark’s Square and the Rialto remain iconic, but Venice truly reveals itself to visitors who know how to get off the beaten track. From the Zattere quay in Dorsoduro, take the vaporetto to Giudecca. Formerly a vegetable garden and holiday resort for the Doges, this island is now home to avant-garde galleries and secret gardens. Further east, the Arsenale and Castello are authentically Venetian. Here, laundry hangs in the windows and life is in full swing.

But Venice also has the brightly-coloured houses of Burano, the glass-blowers of Murano and the Byzantine remains of wild Torcello. And outside the lagoon, why not extend your time exploring Veneto from Treviso to Padua via the twinkling lights of the Po Delta.

Ravenna: Byzantine beauty

A former imperial capital and world-renowned mosaic town, Ravenna combines a peaceful atmosphere with extraordinary Byzantine heritage. One excellent example is San Vitale, a 6th-century jewel whose splendid blue and gold mosaics are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just a little further on, the mausoleum of Galla Placidia unfurls its arcades and spectacular starry vault, bearing witness to a thousand-year-old link with the Middle East.

Your stroll will undoubtedly lead you to the tomb of Dante Alighieri, the illustrious exile. In the shade of cobbled streets, the scent of cappelletti al ragù in the trattorie distracts you from the sense of history that wafts on the breeze. This is where you really feel the soul of Ravenna in all its authenticity, with every little square of glass telling a forgotten story.

Rimini: from Fellini to the Renaissance

Set back from the beach at Marina Centro, this seaside village with its old-fashioned charm has a hidden but exceptional heritage. One aspect of it is Alberti’s masterpiece the Malatesta temple, a true statement of Renaissance artistry with a façade inspired by Roman arches. From the Bridge of Tiberius to the Arch of Augustus, the city’s ancient roots intertwine with the painted facades of San Giuliano, a fishing quarter where memories of local boy Federico Fellini still linger.

In the evening, the piazzette come to life with concerts and convivial terraces lit by fairy lights. Here you can enjoy a fine, crisp piadina, the local speciality par excellence. This combination of architectural splendour and Romagnol hospitality is the town’s beating heart. It makes for a fun place to stop over, true to the local way of life.

Abruzzo: the power of nature

At the heart of secret Italy, Abruzzo is filled with protected natural spaces and villages forgotten by time. From the narrow streets of Scanno to the high plateaux of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, ochre stone citadels watch over the Adriatic. This unspoilt medieval past extends right down to the shores, offering unusually deep views of the sea. What a way to rediscover the charms of simplicity.

On the coast, between Ortona and San Salvo, the trabocchi stand on their poles away from the shore. These structures built on stilts in the 17th century were once fishermen’s wooden shelters, and some now offer visitors the chance to sample grilled arrosticini, or little mutton skewers. They make a peaceful place to hover over the waves and savour Abruzzo hospitality on the open sea.

Lecce: the Florence of the south

The capital of southern baroque, Lecce carved its history in limestone that captures every ray of sunlight. In the Piazza del Duomo, the cathedral and episcopal palace display impressive goldsmith’s crafts. A few steps away, the vestiges of the Roman amphitheatre recall the city’s ancient past, while the palaces’ balconies abound with mascarons, monsters and chiselled floral motifs.

But Lecce’s artistic soul is also evident in its papier-mâché workshops. This is a traditional Salento craft and craftsmen have been creating statues and decorations here according to an age-old tradition since the 17th century. As you hop between palaces, local wine in the olive groves is the perfect way to round off your exploration of this warm place, bathed in the bright southern light.

This wonderful surprise lies at the gateway to Puglia. The white limestone cliffs of the Gargano promontory tower above the Adriatic. This wild land is filled with scents of pine and salt from the narrow streets of Vieste to the Umbra forest. In this sanctuary, the sea carves the rock into monumental arches and secret caves. It exudes character.

Photo credits: ©StudioPonant/ Alexandre Herbrecht; Aurélien Corlay; Olivier Blaud; iStock

Sail away to discover the most beautiful shores