Hi everyone,
We are heading to Tuscany from UK with a group of pals to spend a week in a villa in August - however we’d like to head out there a bit earlier to do 4-5 days exploring the area with our two boys 6 & 10 before then.
Can anyone recommend nice beaches nearby? We’d also like to do a night in Florence.
Any recommendations would be amazing. We love swimming and snorkelling in turquoise still seas!
Posted by
9674 posts
There are beaches, but nothing like what you have in Florida or California.
Why pay to fly to Italy and go to the beach.
Tuscany is loaded with fantastic places INLAND.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
12164 posts
The beaches will be very crowded in August as it is the main summer vacation month for Italians. Most decent beaches also require reservations. You cannot simply go throw out your blanket or towels.
That said, Sardinia is popular it an island so perhaps has transportation issues for you. I can attest to the calm seas (but no idea about snorkeling) of the Adriatic. Pesaro and Rimini are less than 3 hours from Florence by train. Note just getting a reservation for hotel and beach may be challenging already.
Posted by
6435 posts
The southern part of Tuscany has gorgeous natural beaches. Sandy on the mainland (I especially liked Feniglia and Maremma park beaches), rocky and dramatic on the Monte Argentario promontory. Let us know how wild ( or not ) you want it. Further north, beaches near Baratti are pretty, and there is a near archaeological site nearby by Populonia. Lots of Etruscan sites scattered throughout.
Of course it will be hot, and book asap.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17279 posts
I can suggest a lot of nice beaches in Tuscany, but many locations are not easily reachable without a car. So tell me if you plan to rent a car or not, and where in Tuscany (north, south, or center) your itinerary will take you.
Valadelphia is correct in saying that the most beautiful beaches in Tuscany are in Maremma (southern Tuscany coast), including the Mt. Argentario peninsula and also the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago (Elba, Giglio, etc.).
I would encourage you to visit the Tuscan coast, because the beaches will be more enjoyable than in the UK, and way closer to the UK than Florida or California. By the way I can attest that beaches in California may be beautiful to see but as soon as you set a foot in the water and get a frost bite, even in summer, you will immediately hope you had gone to a beach in Tuscany, unless of course you are a seal.