We will be visiting Rome, Florence, then Venice in May. After Venice, I’d like to go to a beach/resort to just relax, enjoy some sun and great food for a few days, then fly back to US. Any recommendations? I originally wanted to go to Crete because I had a lovely beach stay there before, but it’s turning into a logistical headache. Also, I am nervous about heights, so, I’m thinking Amalfi coast would be too scary for me. Thanks very much.
Lido di Jesolo and along the beach down to Punta Sabbioni
The Amalfi Coast is not really a beach place.
You won't find a great beach in Northern Italy, in my opinion. I wasn't even that impressed with those in the South of France.
Southern Italy and Greece have nice beaches.
I agree that few European beaches rival the best of the US and Caribbean. Croatia is famous for clean but cold seawater. Where do you want to fly home from? How about Lake Como or Maggiore, and home from Milan? Budget is ...?
We swam in the Mediterranean while in Sorrento in June a few years ago, and it was like an ice cold mountain stream.
Many of the beaches I've been to in Italy are rocky or, at best, pebbley. Lido beach near Venice was nice and sandy, but I would not call it a resort. North of Cinque Terre is the town of Levanto. It is a surfing town with a decent beach.
KathyTN - I have the solution for you. It's Bibione, Italy. It's a lovely beach resort town midway between Venice and Trieste and just 1 hr and 21 minutes from Venice.
https://www.venetoinside.com/discover-veneto/beaches/bibione/
May is not really beach season for Italians. July and August are the month’s locals head to the water. You can find some, nice beaches to walk, view, wade in, but services will be limited and it will not be warm enough to swim, as a rule.
The good news is, as it is off-season, rooms will be cheaper. We stayed in a 5-star hotel in Pesaro (just south if Venice) in October 2017, paying half price for a sea view room with unobstructed views of the Adriatic. Enjoyed beach walks, day trips to Ravenna and Urbino. Temps were in the 70s and only the Eastern Europeans were dipping their toes in the water,
Check out flights out of Croatia, as there is an easy ferry from Venice to Rovinj (but yes mostly rocky beaches).
Late May would be quite lovely; earlier it will be very quiet (not a bad thing) and the water frigid.
If it works out better to stay in Italy, then southern Tuscany and northern Marche have great beaches (check flights out of Ancona for the latter).
Another plug for Pesaro south of Venice. We enjoyed the coastal walks, plus walks into the historic center. Our favorite restaurant was recommended by Laurel, Osteria Pasqualon. We also enjoyed the bicycle paths and took a long ride along the coast, almost to Fano.