Are you headed to the beach this weekend but dreaming of the shores of Italy? The Italian coast has some of the world’s best beaches. We asked the editor of Dream of Italy, Kathy McCabe, to share her favorites. Plus, keep reading for an unbeatable deal for the Dream of Italy newsletter to help plan your next Italian vacation. 

With 4,500 miles of coastline, a beach isn’t too far from most Italian destinations, but not all Italian beaches are created equal: some are pebble-filled and narrow, others offer pristine, wide sandy expanses. In the summer, many Italian beaches are managed by private beach clubs that offer chair and umbrella rental to the public and beachside dining. While there are so many great beaches in Italy, these are five of my favorites:

Pescoluse (Puglia)

Credit: Flickr Creative Commons, user: Googlisti

This beach, on the heel of Italy in the region of Puglia, is called “the Maldives of the Salento,” (Salento is the name of this area) for its turquoise water, pristine white sand and the small mounds of sand out in the shallow sea bed that look like tiny islands. Stretching for five miles, Pescoluse’s beach is protected by natural dunes.

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