Seaside Tourism – Postcards from some of the most beautiful beaches in

Surrounded on three sides by water and with two islands (Sardinia and Sicily) larger than some countries, it‟s no wonder that is renowned for its beaches. With 7,500 kilometres of coastline, the myriad charming beaches in Italy are the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate amid turquoise waters and powdered white sand. We can certainly say that Italy is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Whatever your taste in beach resorts, you are likely to find it somewhere here. There is, in fact, a great variety of beaches in Italy, from grand sculptural rocks to wide open sandy bays and perfect paradises. It doesn‟t matter if you like secluded bays with calm waters quietly lapping onto the shore or fashionable holiday destinations full of celebrities and high-class restaurants, the beaches in Italy are impressive in every way and there is something for everyone.

The beauty and variety of beaches that characterize the Italian coastline are well represented by the region with the longest coastline in Italy: Sardinia, where we find some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy.

A) Cala Goloritzé

Cala Goloritzé is one of Italy‟s most famous beaches, located at the base of a ravine on Sardinia‟s central eastern coast, in the province of . It‟s tiny, but no less beautiful with its limestone cliffs, soft ivory sand, and striking, blue-green water. In fact, it is so special that it was made a

UNESCO site in 1995.

One of the most photogenic destinations in the region, the beach is only accessible by boat or by hiking down a mountain track for about an hour and a half.

This enchanting beach is also famous for the rock needle about 143 metres high, known as “The

Aguglia”, which towers above the bay, and for the natural arch on its right-hand side.

Make sure to bring your snorkeling equipment as the waters here are crystal clear. This is probably one of the best beaches for snorkeling in all of Sardinia. Take a swim around the rocks to catch sight of the many fish – just make sure not to forget your goggles!

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B) Cala Granara,

Located on Isola di Spargi in the , Cala Granara could almost be mistaken for a tropical Tahitian beach. Here in fact we find powder-soft white sand and shallow turquoise water, with pretty palms and lush island plants as the backdrop.

The shallow turquoise waters are perfect for snorkeling and the silvery sand begs for all-day sunbathing.

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C) Spiaggia di Tuerredda

One of the most amazing beaches on the southern coast of Sardinia, Spiaggia di Tuerredda is a few kilometres from Chia. Its natural beauty and warm waters are just two of the many reasons why vacationers love to spend their summer holidays here.

You will find a number of beachfront bars and restaurants at Spiaggia di Tuerredda, as well as magnificent views of Isola di Tuerredda, located 150 metres off the coast.

Some of the most popular water activities at Spiaggia di Tuerredda include kayaking and paddle-boarding. This amazing beach is also a perfect destination for snorkeling.

The only downside to this popular beach is that it gets quite overcrowded during the peak season of July and August.

But even in the off-season, this beautiful beach is a must-see: the sea here is such a perfect shade of pale blue it doesn‟t seem real, and since it is sheltered from the strong cold Mistral winds, the water is warm enough for swimming well into fall.

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D) Chia

Less than an hour by car from Cagliari, the locality of Chia gives its name to a series of pristine bays, which stretch from the little peninsula of Bithia, once a sacred Phoenician site, to Capo

Spartivento, from where narrow creeks, deserted coves, and inspiring mountain views impress.

Chia‟s beaches are numbered among Sardinia‟s finest: spacious, with white, powdery sand, and marvellously clear water. Among them, we will mention at least Su Giudeu, Porto Campana, and

Cala Cipolla.

In season, you will find all the necessary facilities, including parasols (absolutely essential on these shadeless expanses), and bars, hotels and b&bs are handily placed.

Just inland the Spartivento and Chia lagoons are important flamingo breeding grounds.

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E) La Pelosa,

Transparent blue waters slowly lap the long curve of ivory sand that makes up La Pelosa Beach.

This Sardinian oasis is just around the corner from the little village of Stintino, in Capo Falcone

(Province of ). 300-meters long, La Pelosa could compete with some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

The beach is a popular spot for local families and groups of friends to spend days off together, which creates a fun and welcoming atmosphere. It has clean shallow waters for quite some distance, making it ideal for children, while the deep azure waters are great for experienced swimmers.

A 16th Century watchtower, the Torre della Pelosa – which was used for defending the island – sits on rocks that jut out into the sea. Popular with divers, the sun-washed tower is an iconic landmark along this part of the coast.

Make sure to get here early during the summer: this place is so beautiful that it can understand- ably get quite crowded with both locals and tourists.

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F) Cala Brandinchi

About 7 kilometres north of San Teodoro, in North-Eastern Sardinia, Cala Brandinchi has been nicknamed „Little Tahiti‟ and is in fact one of Sardinia‟s most beautiful and famous beaches. More than 700 metres long, the bay is an arc of fine, soft, white sand lapped by crystalline turquoise waters and surrounded by pinewoods and sandy dunes. The hump of Isola Tavolara rises on the horizon.

The shallow waters of the bay make Cala Brandinchi ideal for children, while the length of the beach is perfect for a relaxing stroll along the shoreline.

Other activities at Cala Brandinchi include snorkeling, pedal boating, and kayaking. You will also have the opportunity to watch flamingos and kingfishers in the lagoons in the pinewoods sur- rounding the beach.

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G) Costa Smeralda

Costa Smeralda is a coastal area and tourist destination in North-Eastern Sardinia extending for about 55 kilometres. It belongs to the municipality of and is part of the region of

(which is the name of the North-Eastern region of Sardinia).

With its fantastic white-sand beaches nestled in countless bays, its crystal-clear sea that gleams in all shades of blue and green, the unusual shape of the granite rocks, and the craggy mountain ranges covered by centuries-old trees, Costa Smeralda is probably the most famous stretch of

Sardinian coastline in the world.

The history of this paradise on earth started in 1961 when two English Gentlemen, John

Duncan Miller (a banker) and Patrick Guinness (a brewer), went on a trip on their yacht along the

Sardinian coasts. They were fascinated by the sea water colours, from crystal-clear to emerald- green, the marvellous sandy beaches and the beauty of the untouched Sardinian nature. Once back home, they excitedly reported about this place to a friend. They persuaded him to go there too and see the beauty of the island himself. This friend was the millionaire Ishmaelite prince Karim Aga

Khan IV, a smart, cultured man, and the spiritual leader of some 20 million Ismaili Muslims worldwide. He took the risk, and in 1962 he formed a consortium of associates, which purchased miles of coastal land from local herders and fishermen.

Aga Khan gave Costa Smeralda its luxury-brand name, a name, “Emerald Coast”, due to the beautiful colour of the sea, that is, its brilliant blue-green waters. He hired top French and Italian architects to fashion, from scratch, an ersatz medieval-Moorish village (the town of ).

He brought in Robert Trent Jones, an English-American golf course architect, to design a world- class golf facility, the Pevero Golf Club. He erected an exclusive yacht club with Prince Rainier of

Monaco on the board. Costa Smeralda quickly became one the most popular places among the international Jet-Set.

Jaques Couëlle, one of the most famous architects of the sixties and member of the Costa

Smeralda Consortium, built the 5-star hotel in the most beautiful bay of the whole

8 coastal area and created a new architectural style which was called the “neo Sardinian” style. From that moment on, for all the projects that were to be carried out and for all the structures that were built, great attention to environmental impact had to be paid. Natural materials like granite, clay, and wood were used as well as natural colours like brown, ochre, yellow, pastel colours, rock-grey or white.

The development of the Emerald Coast went on very quickly: luxury hotels, villas, apartment areas, entire villages and yacht harbours were built. In 1964, the airline company Alisarda

(Meridiana until February 2018, now Air Italy) was established to connect the island of Sardinia to continental Europe.

Along the whole coast of this area, beautiful beaches are lined up like pearls on a chain. Among the numerous beautiful beaches in Costa Smeralda, we will mention at least the following:

- Spiaggia del Principe (named after the Prince Aga Khan)

- Capriccioli

- Liscia Ruja

- Pevero

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