The Best Beaches (sandy and non-sandy) in Cinque Terre and Surrounding Areas

If you are looking for beaches in the Cinque Terre in the summer, you should know that these five villages are visited by visitors from all over the world for its unique landscape: houses surrounded by terraced green hills perched above stunning rocky cliffs that plunge directly into the sea…and which have little to do with sand. The region is mostly dominated by rocks, and in each village of Cinque Terre, there are one or more sea access points made of rock or concrete, chosen long ago to facilitate water access.

However, not all villages are like this. In some Cinque Terre towns or nearby areas, you can also find the much-loved sand or something very close, such as fine pebbles that resemble a sandy beach.

If you’re one of those who love sandy beaches, below you’ll find a list of all the beaches in Cinque Terre and its surroundings, within an hour’s distance from the five coastal villages.

Happy reading!

Sandy Beaches in Cinque Terre

Monterosso

The most spacious beach in Cinque Terre is undoubtedly in Monterosso, as it is the largest of the five villages. Both in Fegina (the newer, more extensive part closer to the train station) and after the tunnel leading to the old town, you’ll find fine sandy beaches, including free public beaches.

Vernazza

Vernazza’s beach creates a perfect backdrop to the village, which resembles a small jewel box. It’s located at the end of the main street and, though small, it’s absolutely charming. From the beach, you have a view of the colorful little harbor.

Corniglia

Corniglia offers a tiny sea access via a concrete platform, which you reach by descending a long staircase from Piazza Largo Taragio to the small harbor. It’s not exactly convenient. Corniglia would have an enviable sea access point near the station, but unfortunately, it’s currently unsafe and therefore inaccessible. We hope it will be renovated and made accessible in the coming years.

Manarola

In Manarola, you can access the sea via concrete platforms and ladders. There are two main spots: the Marina of Manarola and Palaedo.

Riomaggiore

Like Manarola, Riomaggiore doesn’t have a sandy beach, but rather large, imposing rocks, which are also great for diving. The most beautiful ones are reached via the walkway that leads from platform 2 of the train station to the port of Riomaggiore. Alternatively, there are the rocks at the port or a fairly large pebble beach located just beyond the ferry dock.

Sandy Beaches Less Than an Hour from Cinque Terre

EAST of Cinque Terre

Portovenere and Palmaria Island

There’s no doubt that Portovenere deserves a visit at least once in a lifetime, just to admire the beauty of the rocks that support the Church of San Pietro in Portovenere and surround it, creating natural wonders like the Byron Cave. So, we can say that a sandy beach isn’t exactly a must-see in this small village, but it does exist. A very small beach is located at the beginning of the pedestrian walkway, close to bars and restaurants. A slightly larger one is further ahead, near the exit for cars from the village, and it’s called Spiaggia dell’Olivo.

Palmaria Island also offers pleasant, clean waters, but it doesn’t have sandy beaches (only pebble or rocky ones).

San Terenzo, Lerici, and Fiascherino

Continuing east, after Portovenere and La Spezia, you reach San Terenzo and Lerici, connected by a delightful 40-minute seaside walk (3.1 km). San Terenzo has two beaches: one behind the castle, recently made accessible after the walkway was restored, and the other on the main street.

At first glance, Lerici seems to have only a swimmable port, where large rocks can accommodate your towels. However, if you walk through the tunnel that also leads to the elevator for the castle (which is definitely worth a visit), you’ll find a beautiful bay of sand stretching more in length than width.

By car, after Lerici, you’ll find Fiascherino just 5 minutes away (or 15 minutes by bus, or 30 minutes on foot along the road). Here, too, you’ll find a lovely sandy beach in a stunning natural setting. If you reach Fiascherino, don’t miss a visit to the village of Tellaro. The area also features beautiful trails that connect the small villages and lead to the Montemarcello-Magra-Vara Natural Park.

Here, you’re practically at the border with Tuscany, and you can immediately notice the flat landscape. Indeed, from the beaches of Ameglia and Marinella di Sarzana, you’ll find vast stretches of sand, with the “small” downside of less clean and transparent water. It all depends on your priorities!

Levanto and Bonassola

Ten minutes by train from Monterosso, you’ll find Levanto, a charming village full of things to explore, with a large sandy beach. Most of the beach is occupied by beach clubs, but there are also free sections. If you walk through the tunnels to Bonassola, you’ll find a series of small sandy or fine pebble beaches with very clean water, including a beach dedicated to dogs (read the article about the Cinque Terre with your dog). After about 40 minutes (3 km) of walking through tunnels, you’ll reach Bonassola. Here, there’s a spacious and very beautiful beach, frequented mainly by locals. The village itself is also worth a visit!

Deiva, Moneglia, Sestri Levante

In a maximum of one hour by train from Cinque Terre (consult here the train time table), you can reach Sestri Levante, passing through the towns of Deiva Marina and Moneglia. If your priority is finding really spacious beaches, opt for Deiva Marina first and then Moneglia. However, if you want to combine beach time with a visit to a typical Ligurian village, we recommend Sestri Levante, which, in addition to having a beach that encloses a small jewel, namely the Baia del Silenzio, is architecturally stunning.
Here, you’ll also find a wide range of food and wine offerings and charming clothing and souvenir shops.