Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Italy has miles of coastline and naturally miles of beach. Not all coastline in Italy is amenable to a beach because some is more amenable to harbors or jagged cliffs. I had the good fortune to be able to enjoy some of the best beaches in northern Italy and they were in San Remo, Levanto, and Rimini.

San Remo is in the northwestern area of Italy, in an area considered to be the Italian Riviera. Very near to France, San Remo has a temperate climate and wonderful beaches. In the month of June the Mediterranean Sea was warm enough for me to swim there. Known as a resort city, San Remo has wonderful beaches and hotels, and many of the hotels have private beaches. Use of these beaches, which are called lido, usually is included with the price of a hotel reservation. This typically includes two lounge chairs and a beach umbrella, and sometimes a cabana as well. A public beach area is always available in addition to the private beaches.

Levanto is a family friendly town which makes a good base for visiting the Cinque Terre in Liguria. The train runs through Levanto and it makes for easy access, while not as expensive as staying within the Cinque Terre villages. The beach at Levanto is great not only for swimmers but for surfers as well. Its length is a plus and the sand at Levanto is not full of stones. The clean water and the giant waves make Levanto a favorite for surfers. Recently a world surfing championship was held in the waters of Levanto. I found the crescent shape of the beach to be a perfect spot for sunset photos, and I enjoyed watching the surfers as they rode the waves in to shore.

I visited this beach just before the summer season began, so things were fairly quiet. In season the beach is filled with chairs and umbrellas as sunbathers soak up the hot sun. Above the beach is a promenade and shops and restaurants are easily accessible.

Rimini has long been considered one of Italy's favorite beaches. In the summer months it is also one of the most crowded. Rimini is located on Italy's eastern coast, and its beaches sit on the Adriatic Sea. Because of its nine miles of sandy beaches, Rimini attracts Italians and European travelers all summer.  When I spent an afternoon on the lovely beaches of Rimini, I spent four euros for a beach chair and an umbrella. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.

Italy has many other beaches, some smaller and some larger. These are just a few of the beaches in the northern part of Italy. A day at an Italian beach was the perfect reprieve for me after walking around in the hot sun exploring ancient ruins and architecture.

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Follow Margie on her blog at margieinitaly.wordpress.com

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas

Rimini has been the summer hotspot in Italy since 1843 especially for the Italians. Known for beach parties and seaside vacations, Rimini is the place to go for a summer vacation and in August the place is completely packed. With nine miles of sandy beaches, 500 bars and 20 nightclubs Rimini has plenty to do. For families there are amusement parks, water parks and family-friendly hotels so everyone has a good time.

Located on Italy’s Adriatic coast in the Emilia-Romagna region, Rimini has two parts, the beach area and the historic center. With 143,000 people Rimini is a fairly large city and actually has its own airport located in nearby Miramare, five miles from the city center of Rimini. Rimini Airport is also known as Federico Fellini Airport, named after the well-known Italian film writer and director who was born in Rimini.

Beaches

Many of the beaches are private with their own facilities, beach hits, cabanas, lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent at reasonable prices.  Some have sporting activities and games and many have outdoor restaurants and bars. Early in the day you can see the employees raking their section of the beach to make the sand appear even finer. 

There are also areas of public beach and since no one really owns the beach nothing prevents beachgoers from walking over to a private beach area as long as they stay near the water’s edge. Some of the beaches have children’s play areas as well.

Entertainment

Rimini is sometimes considered Italy’s answer to Disneyland since there are quite a few entertainment venues for children and families. Fiabilandia, a family theme park, is in nearby Rivazzurro and a short walk from the beach. Its attractions, rides and 4D cinema make this amusement park a favorite.

The Aquafan water park in nearby Riccione features a wave pool, water slides and white water rapid rides and is the largest water park in Europe and fun for both children and adults.

Attracting over 600,000 visitors a year the popular Italy in Miniature  has been a popular attraction in Rimini since 1970. What started out to be 20,000 square meters has grown to 85,000 square meters. There are over 270 miniatures which are scaled to 1:25 and 1:50 size. This park is situated in nearby Viserba and features scaled models are Italy’s major landmarks and monuments. Little Venice is a scaled reproduction of the Grand Canal complete with gondolas, bridges and palazzi and is scaled at 1:5.Italia in Miniatura is one of the most popular entertainment parks in Italy and fun for the entire family.

Rimini has it all for a family fun vacation in the summertime.  After a day at the beach there are plenty of other activities to keep the entire family entertained.

The Delfinario Rimini (Rimini Dolphinarium) is yet another fun place where visitors can be entertained by live dolphin shows and see and learn about the various marine exhibits. It is centrally located next to the main public beach.

Guest Post By: Margie Miklas