10 Best Beaches in Naples
What is the Most Popular Beach in Naples?
Beaches in Naples are one of the iconic reasons people come to this stunning city, with endless stretches of white sand, clear, warm waters and fun in the sun. Beaches here offer just about every kind of experience you want, from water sports and building sand castles to simply kicking back and relaxing. Within 2 hours of town are pebble beaches, gorgeous shoreline views and hidden coves that are perfect if you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle for a romantic few hours with that special someone.
Naples has a great deal to offer, including shopping, dining, art and culture, but the beaches are where it’s at. Explore some of the best beaches in Naples.
1. La Gaiola Beach (Spiaggia della Gaiola)
Check out one of the city’s most popular beaches
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
La Gaiola Beach (Spiaggia della Gaiola) is among Naples’ most popular beaches, offering 2 sections that are free to enter and offer unique experiences. One of these sections is inside the Gaiola Underwater Park. This requires you to show a ticket when you enter. The other is open to all with no restrictions. Regardless of which beach you attend, it’s a good idea to get here early, as starting in the late morning they can get quite crowded, and it can be tricky to find a good spot.
One of the best things about this beach is that it’s serviced by the city’s Metro Line 2. It is about 40 minutes southwest of the city centre.
Location: Discesa Gaiola, 14, 80123 Napoli NA, Italy
Open: Daily from 9 am to 1 pm, 2 pm to 6 pm
Phone: +39 081 240 3235
La Gaiola Beach (Spiaggia della Gaiola)
2. Marina Piccola Beach (Spiaggia di Marina Piccola)
See if you can spot a real-life siren
Good for: Couples, Families, Adventure
Marina Piccola Beach (Spiaggia di Marina Piccola (Capri Island)) was made famous by Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’, and offers a sheltered cove with a truly magical vibe. In Homer’s poem, this is the spot where the sirens tried to capture Odysseus. In real life, you probably won’t see a siren, but you’ll find clear, warm turquoise waters ideal for snorkeling as well as a pebbly beach with spectacular views of the iconic Faraglioni limestone spurs soaring over the bay. Even better, just steps away from the beach you’ll find an amazing fine dining establishment with spectacular views of the seashore.
This beach is on an offshore island and takes about 2 hours to reach. It’s best to plan a day trip.
Location: Via Marina Piccola, 80076 Capri NA, Italy
Phone: +39 081 838 6211
Marina Piccola Beach (Spiaggia di Marina Piccola)
3. Bagni Regina Giovanna
Have a romantic interlude where a queen once did
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Bagni Regina Giovanna is located on the Cape of Sorrento and offers a secluded bathing hole with a rocky shore but tons of romantic surroundings. This spot is named for a medieval queen who it’s said had romantic trysts with secret lovers at this particular cove. It’s tucked among aromatic scrub and has warm, calm waters at the base of a flight of stairs. Just offshore you will find a natural stone arch that’s wonderful for Instagram photos, or you can swim to it to explore a small sea cave.
Bagni Regina Giovanna is also home to ruins from the 1st century BCE and a beach bar resort. All of this is about 1.5 hours south of the city centre.
Location: Traversa Punta Capo, 80067 Sorrento NA, Italy
Open: 24/7
Bagni Regina Giovanna
4. Citara Beach (Spiaggia di Citara (Ischia Island))
Explore a scenic island popular with locals
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Citara Beach (Spiaggia di Citara (Ischia Island)) is on the largest island in the Neapolitan Archipelago and offers a laid-back vibe, making it a great spot to soak up some local culture. It’s famed not only for its long but narrow stretch of beach and dark blue waters, but also for the trattorias that line the beach and offer regional delicacies and fantastic dining. Also here is a famed thermal spa, the Poseidon Thermal Gardens, which are fed by volcanic vents and feature over 20 natural hot springs.
The beach is also famed for its spectacular sunset views and clear waters that are ideal for snorkeling. It’s about 2 hours west of the city centre.
Location: Italy
Citara Beach (Spiaggia di Citara (Ischia Island))
5. Marina di Praia
Explore historic sites along a quaint fishing village
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Marina di Praia offers a sequestered and dramatic setting with fantastic views and plenty of nearby attractions to explore from historic sites to a quaint fishing village. The sun only warms this beach for a few hours every day, and that’s the ideal time to walk the pebble-strewn shore. After it’s moved on, you’ll want to check out the medieval tower of Torre a Mare on the beach’s right side for great views, while a smaller, second hidden beach to the east offers a great spot during the high season.
The fishing village is marked by historic seaside churches, fun beach bars and a quirky, yet authentic vibe. It’s about 1.5 hours southeast of the city centre.
Location: Via Praia, 84010 Praiano SA, Italy
Marina di Praia
6. Chiara Beach (Spiaggia della Chiaia (Ischia Island))
Take advantage of ideal bathing conditions
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Chiara Beach (Spiaggia della Chiaia (Ischia Island)) offers powder-soft white sand, a gently sloping sea and a warm vibe with ideal bathing conditions due to the breakwaters. The beach also offers plentiful amenities, so you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. Just steps away, the town offers medieval sites including watchtowers and a 14th-century church, as well as restaurants offering local Biancolella wines that must be sampled to be believed.
On the beach, beach games and water sports are popular, and you can always find a pickup game of volleyball. It’s wide, with plenty of room to spread out. This island paradise is about 1.5 hours west of the city centre.
Location: 80075 Forio, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy
Chiara Beach (Spiaggia della Chiaia (Ischia Island))
7. Maronti Beach (Spiaggia dei Maronti)
Catch fantastic views of the Sant-Angelo Cross
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Maronti Beach (Spiaggia dei Maronti) offers opportunities for a day trip to explore the countryside and enjoy natural springs and views of the Sant’Angelo Cross. This beach has both free and paid neighborhoods. The latter gets less crowded and has more amenities, but even the free beach is clean and offers soft sand and beautiful clear waters. The natural springs are only a 10-minute walk from the beach proper and offer the chance to get away from the crowds on the beach and relax for a time.
The nearby cliffside hotel just a 6-minute walk from the beach offers incredible sunset views and amazing food. The ferry ride takes you about 2 hours southwest of the city centre.
Location: Italy
Maronti Beach (Spiaggia dei Maronti)
8. Bagno Elena
Enjoy a popular beach just outside of the city
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Bagno Elena is a vibrant local beach that’s as popular with locals as visitors, offering stunning views and easy access to the famous Palazzo Donn’Anna right on the beach. This spot gets very crowded during the peak season, so get here early in the day to secure a good spot. Umbrellas and sunbeds are available to rent, and a cafe right on the beach offers the chance to enjoy good eats with spectacular seashore views. The beach is also lined with great hotels and options for lodging at superb prices, making it an all-in-one vacation destination.
One thing that speaks for this beach is that it’s close to the Naples city centre. It’s just about 20 minutes southwest of town.
Location: Via Posillipo, 14, 80123 Napoli NA, Italy
Open: Daily from 8 am to 5.30 pm
Phone: +39 081 575 5058
Bagno Elena
9. Ieranto Bay Beach (AI - Baia di Ieranto)
Relax on a secluded beach near a boutique hotel
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Ieranto Bay Beach (AI - Baia di Ieranto) offers a more secluded option for sun and sand away from the hustle and bustle of local attractions, with plenty of amenities. This beach is located on the Sorrento Peninsula about an hour and 40 minutes from the Naples city centre. It’s been called a hidden paradise of the Mediterranean. Reaching the beach does require a short hike down a cliff, but it’s along a well-marked trail. The crowds are thinner here with a secluded, calm and even romantic vibe.
Nearby amenities include luxury and boutique hotels only about 10 minutes away. This location offers full-service pampering, a gourmet restaurant with private views and even rooms with private terraces.
Location: Via Ieranto, 6, 80061 Massa Lubrense NA, Italy
Open: 24/7
Phone: +39 335 841 0253
Ieranto Bay Beach (AI - Baia di Ieranto)
10. Marina Grande Beach
Explore the jewel of the Tyrrhenian
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Marina Grande Beach (Spiaggia Marina Grande aka Spiaggia di Cala Grande) is a beach in a former fishing village turned vibrant port and setting-off point for island exploration. It offers breakwater bathing, an active port with sleek yachts and brightly painted fishing boats as well as ferries and cruise ships. Some have referred to this beach as the ‘Jewel of the Tyrrhenian’. It is among the largest beaches on the island and offers plenty to see, from elegant seashore views to the stunning boats in the harbor.
The cliff-backed beach offers fantastic viewpoints and the ability to leap into the water, while just steps away you’ll find delicious sit-down and takeout dining. It’s 2 hours south of the city centre.
Location: Via Marina Grande, 270, 80076 Capri NA, Italy
Marina Grande Beach
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FAQ
Is there a secret or secluded beach near Naples I can visit?
The area around Naples has a few tucked away beaches where you can escape the crowds. They tend to be a little harder to access, such as Baia di Ieranto, which you can get to by hiking or taking a boat into the cove. Spiaggia dei Gabbiani is 200 steps down from the cliff top, but strikingly beautiful. You could also try Gaiola Beach; it’s part of a protected marine park so a limited number of people are allowed in each day.
How accessible are the beaches in Naples?
Although some urban beaches like Lido Mappatella and Bagno Elena are easy to reach from downtown Naples, and that might be enough for you, the most accessible option is a little way along the coast at Herculaneum. Here you’ll find a dedicated path to the water and 2 amphibious wheelchairs available for public use. You could combine your beach trip with a visit to the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, which has wide, smooth paths and accessible bathroom facilities.
What is the least crowded beach in Naples?
The least crowded beach is the one that’s the hardest to get to: Baia di Ieranto. It takes a 2-hour hike or renting a boat to reach this secluded cove, and you’ll have to bring everything you need with you as there are no facilities or cafes. The rewards for making the journey are the untouched beauty of the cliffs, the calm, sparkling waters, and the panoramic views of Capri.
What is the most romantic beach in Naples?
If you’re looking for a peaceful spot with dreamy, romantic views, try taking a boat trip to Scoglione Marechiaro. You can rent loungers on the secluded beach, or paddle in the incredibly clear water of the rock pools. It’s a delightful place where couples can spend time unwinding in the sunshine, away from the more crowded urban beaches. Facilities are limited but there may be small boats selling refreshments.
How do you rent equipment for beach sports in Naples?
There are plenty of places where you can rent sports equipment right by the beach. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are the most popular and offer a great way to see more of the pristine coast. Try Kayak Napoli; they also do tours so if you don’t feel confident exploring by yourself. If you like snorkeling, head to Gaiola Underwater Park for a guided tour of underwater roman villas and ruins that includes all the equipment you need.