Best Beaches in the Gulf of Poets

The Gulf of Poets offers some of the best beaches in La Spezia province, alternating pebbly coves, cliffs and sandy shores along the part of Italian Riviera that stretches between Liguria’s Cinque Terre and Tuscany. You have a varied choice of charming bathing spots, some of which are popular and easy to reach, while others are secluded. Renting a boat or being ready to hike in nature are great options if you want to reach secret beaches in the Bay of Poets.

Palmaria Island & Portovenere Beaches

Some of the most beautiful beaches in La Spezia’s province are on Palmaria Island, just across Porto Venere. These include Spiaggia del Pozzale, Spiaggia di Punta Secco, and the island’s main beach called Spiaggia Palmaria. All of these have at least a beach club where you can rent parasols and sun loungers. Other bathing spots are more remote and can be reached with some hiking or by boat. Examples are Cala dell’Ammiraglio, a beautiful bay dominated by the island’s ancient Fortress; and Cala Fornace (or La Maiella), a small and evocative pebble beach surrounded by rocky cliffs covered with vegetation.

In the village of Portovenere, there are the Sporting and Arenella beach clubs along Via Olivo, overlooking Palmaria Island and the surrounding colorful houses. Read more on “Portovenere’s Best Beaches” here.

Beaches in Lerici, Fiascherino and Tellaro

Just before reaching Lerici from either Portovenere or La Spezia, you will find one of the most beautiful beaches in the Gulf of Poets. It’s called La Baia Blu because of its crystal-clear blue waters, and is in the fraction of Pozzuolo, in an inlet between Punta Santa Teresa and Punta Galera. The beach of San Giorgio is an interesting bathing spot in Lerici: just walk through the tunnel under the town’s castle to reach it! San Terenzo also has a small beach under its castle, called Spiaggia della Marinella, and another along the village promenade. For a larger beach, head to Venere Azzurra in the bay between Lerici and San Terenzo.

Fiascherino features two beautiful, exotic-like beaches called Cala Maramozza di Levante and Caletta di Lerici (also known with the names of Caletta di Fiascherino or Cala Maramozza di Ponente). The beaches are divided by a small, rocky promontory and you can reach them with the steps that connect the road right to the sea.

Around the tiny village of Tellaro you can easily reach Spiaggia La Vittoria and the rocks of Trigliano for some panoramic jumps right in front of the marina. If you have a boat or if you are up for an adventurous and impervious hike, go to the Spiaggioni di Tellaro where you will find pristine sandy beaches.

Punta Corvo Beach in Montemarcello

Not far from Tellaro, in one of the last territories of the Gulf of Poets before entering Tuscany, there is the mesmerizing beach of Punta Corvo. It is located in a pristine creek along the Montemarcello Promontory (municipality of Ameglia). The beach is reachable only from the sea or with a steep path with about 700 natural steps departing from the town of Montemarcello. Spiaggia Punta Corvo consists of landslide material: it was created with the crumbling of the surrounding rocks and for this reason, the sand has a dark gray color. It’s a magical beach dominated by rocky cliffs and surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation.

Beaches between Porto Venere and Cinque Terre

Although the following beaches are not geographically located on the Gulf of Poets, they do belong to the province of La Spezia and are simply too beautiful not to be mentioned. The stretch of coastline between Portovenere and Riomaggiore (the first of the Cinque Terre villages if you are traveling towards Genoa) is endowed with great natural beauty. In particular, the cliffs of Campiglia in the Albana – Tramonti area are among the most spectacular wonders of nature in Liguria.

From the village of Campiglia, you can hike through trails that take you to the beaches of Persico and Le Rosse. The downhill hike to the beautiful Persico Beach, which is long and stony, takes about one hour but it is not too difficult. To reach Le Rosse Beach, which is a hidden gem, you have to take a more impervious detour, but it’s absolutely worth it. Admire the dark gray vertical walls of the Muzzerone Cliffs and the red rocks of Tramonti: “Le Rosse” denotes the red color of the cliffs that are rich in iron oxide while “Le Nere” refers to the blackness due to the presence of slate.

The best beaches in Cinque Terre include Spiaggia di Fegina in Monterosso al Mare, which is the largest and most popular beach you will find in the area; the secluded Spiaggia di Guvano in Corniglia; and the small Spiaggia di Riomaggiore.

Next to the Gulf of Poets: Beaches in Tuscany

The Gulf of Poets shares the border with Tuscany, and specifically with one of Italy’s most exclusive beach resort areas: the Versilia Riviera. Portovenere is just one-hour drive away from the prestigious beaches of Forte dei Marmi, Marina di Pietrasanta and Lido di Camaiore. For more beach vacation ideas, read “Italian Riviera Experiences: Portovenere & Versilia”.

Photo Credits:
Cover and Palmaria Island by Maurizio Pessione maupes.wordpress.com.
Punta Corvo from parks.it.
Le Rosse & Muzzerone Cliffs by wildtrips.net.