Hilltop villages, clear water, beautiful beaches, and delicious food. These are all things you can expect to find in our top 10 Italian coastal towns. You can reach all of them quickly and easily by train from all over Italy – in fact, for some of them, the scenic train journey to get there is half the reason why you should go.
- Vernazza, Cinque Terre
- Vietri sul Mare, Amalfi Coast
- Rimini, Emilia-Romagna
- Sperlonga, Lazio
- Viareggio, Tuscany
- Polignano a Mare, Puglia
- Sorrento, Campania
- Scilla, Calabria
- Tropea, Calabria
- Cefalù, Sicily
1. Vernazza, Cinque Terre
Representing the beautiful Cinque Terre on our list, Vernazza packs a lot into one tiny, colourful village – an authentic marina, brightly coloured houses, dramatic rocky coastline, a historic bell tower, even a secluded swimming hole and cliffside restaurants. Doria Castle, clinging to the rugged hillside, is a local highlight. The railway line connecting the Cinque Terre is one of the most spectacular journeys in Italy. And Vernazza is a convenient starting place for hiking to the other Cinque Terre villages. Especially Corniglia and Monterosso, which have the best swimming beaches in the area!
From La Spezia Centrale, hop on the Cinque Terre Express and take in the beauty of the Ligurian coast.
2. Vietri sul Mare, Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is the epitome of what beautiful Italian coastal towns can be. While many Amalfi Coast towns have come to rely on tourism, Vietri sul Mare has remained a traditional fishing village. That has helped this quaint but vibrant seaside town retain a high level of authenticity. In cliffside restaurants, you can taste possibly the best tuna and sardines you'll ever try. Stroll the winding old streets up to the town's central beacon, the Church of Saint John the Baptist, for incredible ocean views.
The only Amalfi Coast town with a train station, Vietri sul Mare is a mere 8 minutes from Salerno and 53 minutes from Naples on Trenitalia trains.
3. Rimini, Emilia-Romagna
With impressive historical buildings to match its 10 miles of sandy beach, Rimini has long been a favourite among Italian coastal towns. It is Italy's biggest beach resort – you could spend all day every day in different parts of the beach, and after a month you might still be discovering new spots. It's not all about swimming and sunbathing here, though, as Rimini's nightlife scene is almost as famous as its beach.
Only an hour away from Bologna on Frecciarossa or Frecciabianca trains, the capital of the region that gave the world Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and so much more, Rimini is a gastronomic paradise. On Frecciarossa trains you can enjoy plenty of high-quality services, including free WiFi and onboard entertainment Le Frecce portal, large leather armchairs, at-seat power sockets and a welcome service with complimentary drinks and snacks in all classes except for the Standard one.
4. Sperlonga, Lazio
If you're in Rome and are planning to go to the beach, head to Sperlonga - we promise you won't be disappointed! Sperlonga is well-known for its whitewashed houses, which are clustered together on a steep headland, and its beaches are among the most popular ones near Rome for the beauty of their landscape and crystal-clear sea.
You can reach Sperlonga in about an hour and a half from Roma Termini on regional trains operated by Trenitalia - simply get off at Fondi-Sperlonga station and take a bus to the town centre, which is wonderfully perched on a small promontory.
5. Viareggio, Tuscany
Situated in the north of Tuscany, near the hills where the marble for Michelangelo's "David" was quarried and only 15 minutes by train from Pisa and its leaning tower, the beachside resort town of Viareggio is no stranger to history and culture. Since 1873, Viareggio has hosted one of the biggest and best annual Carnival celebrations in Italy. At just under two miles long, its seaside promenade is lined with Art Nouveau buildings. Other architectural masterpieces in town include the Savoy Cinema, dating to 1925, and the 16th-century Matilda Tower, which harks back to Viareggio's early days as a defensive maritime outpost for the Republic of Lucca.
6. Polignano a Mare, Puglia
Think turquoise waters and white-pebble beaches, Roman ruins and whitewashed houses. Puglia, wrapping around the heel of Italy's boot, is loaded with beautiful beach towns. And Polignano a Mare may well be the best of the lot. The town's iconic abbey and 16th-century tower, overlooking the sparkling Adriatic Sea from the top of a cliff, offers a photo opportunity you won't want to miss.
Polignano a Mare is less than 40 minutes away from Bari on a regional train.
7. Sorrento, Campania
Looking back towards the ancient city and Mount Vesuvius from across the Gulf of Naples, the location of Sorrento is enough in itself to warrant its status as one of the finest Italian beach towns. So the fact that it throws ridiculous historical beauty and otherworldly rugged landscapes into the mix is just unfair.
Given its topography, it's a tricky place to drive – but it's easy to walk around. And its central train station, located near Piazza Angelina Lauro in the city centre, is well serviced by commuter trains from Naples as well as other towns and cities.
8. Scilla, Calabria
Laden with beautiful beaches, colourful terracotta towns, stunning landscapes, and rich culinary heritage, it's hard to understand why Calabria doesn't get as much attention from foreign visitors as its other Italian counterparts. Not that we're complaining. Calabria's sense of being undiscovered is what gives it much of its magic. Nowhere is that more evident than along Calabria's Purple Coast (Costa Viola). And no Purple Coast town encapsulates that magic as completely as Scilla.
Scilla's winding streets of sun-baked buildings tumble down towards the Tyrrhenian Sea, where restaurants serve the freshest of fresh seafood and the spiciest of 'nduja, Calabria's famous spicy spreadable sausage. The regional train to Scilla from Tropea (1h 20m), tracing the coast before jutting inland to Rosarno, is a beautiful journey.
9. Tropea, Calabria
Another magic coastal town you shouldn't miss in Calabria is Tropea. With its stunning scenery, turquoise water and rich history, Tropea is the perfect destination for your summer holiday in Italy. And as if its beauty wasn't enough, this beautiful beach town also has a lively local wining and dining scene, so you'll never be at a loss for places to perch for a perfect sunset aperitivo.
You can easily reach Tropea by train from Scilla in about 1h 30m on Trenitalia's regional trains. Make sure you get a window seat - the rocky coastline between Tropea and Rosarno is simply breathtaking.
10. Cefalù, Sicily
It's hard to decide which of Sicily's many beautiful coastal towns deserves to be included here because in some ways they all do. But it's just too hard to go past Cefalù. Looking like it's been chiselled straight out of the cliff that looks over it, Cefalù has long been a centre of culture and commerce in Southern Italy, yet it has resisted the urges of modernisation.
Besides its beautiful beach and delicious food, Cefalù, 40 minutes from Palermo, is best known for its incredible Norman cathedral. This imposing building with its twin towers was built in the 12th century and is decorated with elaborate Byzantine mosaics. It's one of the nine churches making up the Arab-Norman Palermo UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With so many to choose from, we know it can be hard to decide which Italian coastal towns to visit. If you need any more information or help on how to book train journeys in Italy, check out our Trains in Italy page.