Eastern Sicily’s Best Beaches
Buongiorno lovers of Sicily!
While Sicily has something for everyone and every taste, if you’re thinking of visiting this stunning island in the summer, fall, or late spring, the Sicilian coast and its gorgeous beaches are undoubtedly at the top of your “to-do” list.
Sicily gets hot, especially in summer, so a few trips to the beach will certainly be in order during your visit. Thankfully this island has more glorious beaches than you could possibly fit into a single trip (or 2, or 3, or 10!), so you’ll have ample options!
If you’re planning a trip here you’ve probably already learned this, but Sicily is incredibly diverse and while it has more fantastic beaches than you can count, it also offers much more than that. The island is filled with charming historic towns, beautiful renaissance cities, pristine wilderness, mountains, vineyards, and jaw dropping geological formations.
Since we know your trip here will be focused on some of those things as well, we’ve tried to note when beaches are close to interesting nearby towns or other attractions. This way you can easily combine a beach visit with some sightseeing.
One thing to note: Sicily is not well served by public transportation, so if you’re planning to visit multiple of these beaches and want to have the freedom to also explore the nearby areas, you’ll need to rent a car.
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Table of contents
Randello beach
Sampieri
Carratois
Marianelli
Calamosche
Vendicari
Riserva del Gelsomineto
Isola Bella
Spiaggia di Alì Terme
Montagne di Sabbia
Le Lampare
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Map of Eastern Sicily’s Best Beaches
For this article, we sat down with Catania-based guide and Sicily travel expert Mirco, to get his insider info and local insight on some of his favorite beaches. Mirco lives in eastern Sicily, so our list focuses on the beaches in that part of the island.
While there are just as many beautiful stretches of sand and sea along the western coast, trying to cover all of Sicily in a single article would be overwhelming and counterproductive. Too many options makes choosing anything impossible!
Eastern Sicily’s Beaches
The beaches of eastern Sicily, which is made up of the provinces of Messina, Catania, Syracuse, Ragusa and Caltanissetta, are characterized by both fine golden sand and rocky/pebbly shores.
While there’s no set rule and there are always exceptions, south of Catania is where you’ll find mostly sandy beaches, while to the north you have more rocky and pebbly shores.
The rockier coast starts in the fisherman’s village of Giovanni li Cuti and covers the entire northeastern coast up to and around Messina. As you head north and west from Messina, along the Tyrrenean Sea, the beaches start to become mixed, with some rocky and others sandy.
I prefer wilder, less developed beaches with few amenities and smaller crowds, so this list mostly focuses on natural beaches rather than resort-style ones. Of course, we know that everyone has different interests and preferences, so you’ll also see some of the big names and famous spots.
Our list is fairly spread out over all of eastern Sicily, but if you look at the map above, you’ll see that some of the beaches are more or less one after the other, meaning you can easily beach hop between them in a single day.
We’ll begin along the southern coast of eastern Sicily and gradually work our way up north and west, tracing the coastline the entire way.
Enjoy!
Spiaggia di Randello
Randello beach is a long strip of sand and dunes enclosed in a large inlet between Punta Braccetto and Scoglitti. Part of the Cava Randello integral nature reserve, a protected area in the territory of the municipality of Ragusa, Randello is bathed by the Mediterranean Sea and protected by a vast pine forest.
While you might think that such a beautiful beach would be crazy crowded, this is never the case. The sand stretches on for miles, giving plenty of space for everyone to spread out and set up camp without bumping into one another.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Ragusa, Scicli, Modica (50 km)
Find it on Google Maps here.
2. Sampieri Beach
Sampieri is the beach of my childhood and it’s where my love for Sicily really started. With its waves of dunes which evoke the African desert, this is probably one of the wildest beaches in Sicily.
The beach is on the eastern side of the province of Ragusa, in the municipality of Scicli, which is a baroque town recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site. There are lots of amazing beaches around here, but Sampieri is unquestionably the best.
You’ll know you’re at the right beach when you see the shell of the old burned down brick factory across the water from you.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Scicli, Modica, Ragusa (40 km)
Find the beach on Google Maps here.
3. Carratois Beach
In the province of Syracuse, specifically the town of Portopalo di Capo Passero (which is an interesting fisherman’s village with a very big port), sits Carratois beach. This is the extreme south-east corner of Sicily, which divides the Mediterranean and Ionian Seas.
Not far from here is another more famous beach called “the two seas beach”, but I prefer this one! Carratois is an amazing beach: it’s a long strip of white sand, big dunes, and lovely light blue water that is extremely fresh in summer period.
If you’re in the area you should absolutely make some time for this beach, and even if you don’t find yourself nearby, it may be worth making the trip here!
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Noto (30 km)
Find the beach on Google Maps here
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4. Marianelli Beach
If you’re looking for natural beaches undisturbed by development, Marianelli beach is the spot for you. In the Province of Syracuse and not far from the famous Baroque Unesco town of Noto, the beach is part of the Vendicari Nature Preserve.
Founded in 1984, this is one of the best preserves in Sicily. Arriving here, we have left the Mediterranean Sea behind in favor of the Ionian. The entire chain of beaches along this part of the coast, going north to south from Eloro, Marianelli, Calamosche, Vendicari, and San Lorenzo is amazing.
You could easily spend a whole day at any one of them, or you could pick a few and pass a few hours at each, beach hopping your way along the coast. Marianelli is a naturist beach, of which there are a few in Sicily.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Noto, Syracuse (40 km)
Find the beach on Google Maps here
5. Calamosche Beach
Calamosche is the most famous beach in the Vendicari Preserve. It is a sandy cove that extends for about 200 meters, bordered by two rocky promontories that shelter the beach from the sea’s currents. The result of the protected cove is a natural “sea pool” with water that is perpetually calm and crystalline, even on windy days.
If you’re not convinced by my description, know that Calamosche was declared “the most beautiful beach in Italy” in 2005. It is an amazing and unique beach, with its only defect being that it is completely overcrowded with people in the summer.
If you plan to visit Sicily in early autumn or late spring (when it should still be warm enough for swimming), you’ll have this magnificient beach to yourself.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Noto, Syracuse (40 km)
Find the beach on Google Maps here
6. Vendicari Beach
Still in the Vendicari Nature Preserve, Vendicari beach is the longest stretch of sandy shores in the entire protected area. It’s famous for its turquoise blue water and, above all, for the enchanting old tuna factory (the so called “Tonnara”) that you can admire from the shore or walk over to and explore.
The beach faces west so it’s also an amazing place to watch the sunset.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Noto, Syracuse (40 km)
Find the beach on Google Maps here
7. Riserva del Gelsomineto
Leaving the Vendicari Nature Preserve behind and traveling north towards Catania, we arrive at the Spiaggia di Gelsomineto. About 20 minutes away from the towns of Syracuse and Noto, and an hour from Catania, this beach is perfect if you’re looking to combine some sun and sand with historical urban sightseeing.
Personally, this is one of my favorite beaches, because it is immediately backed by a small pine forest where you can set up camp in the shade and find some respite from the sweltering Sicilian summer heat and sunshine.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Noto, Syracuse
Find the beach on Google Maps here
8. Isola Bella
Isola Bella beach is probably one of the most famous in all of Sicily. About 15 minutes from Taormina, and around a half hour from Forza d’Agrò and Savoca (the towns of The Godfather films), this is another beach that can easily be visited as part of a full day of sightseeing.
Here, there is a small beach with tiny pebbles rather than sand, and a rocky island just offshore, which can be reached on foot by a thin strip of sandbar. Now you can you guess why we call it “Isola Bella” (beautiful island)!
This is a truly gorgeous spot, and its beauty and importance was officially recognized in 1998, when it was turned into a nature preserve.
Fame brings crowds though, so in the summertime be prepared for beach towels, umbrellas, and loungers to cover almost every inch of the shore here. This is one of the busiest beaches in Sicily.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Taormina, Forza d’Agrò, Savoca
Find the beach on Google Maps here
9. Spiaggia di Alì Terme
Continuing north and leaving the province of Syracuse behind us, we’re heading on to Alì Terme beach, near the Strait of Messina. Looking across the water, you’ll be admiring the Calabrian coast, which is perfectly visible from here.
About 25 kilometers from Messina and not much further from Forza d’Agrò, Savoca, and Taormina, Capo Alì is close to everything. This is one of my favorite beaches along this stretch of Sicily, and it offers a long thin strip of pebbly virgin coastline.
The landscape surrounding the beach is quite varied and the sea here is perfectly clear, almost transparent. The water becomes deep quickly and is very cold, so if you’re looking to shock your senses this is the place for you!
This is a popular place for sport fisherman and nature lovers, and it’s also a naturist beach, similar to Marianelli.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Messina, Forza d’Agrò, Savoca, Taormina
Find the beach on Google Maps here
10. Montagne di Sabbia
Photo: sicilian_dunes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Montagne di Sabbia (“Sand Mountains) cascade spectacularly down into the sea from the rocky promontory of Capo Rasocolmo. This is a marvel of nature and people come to see it at all times of year, but especially in the summer.
About twenty kilometers from Messina on the Tyrrhenian Sea, we are in the far northeastern corner of Sicily. At the foot of the promontory, you can enjoy a vast panorama that takes in everything from Capo Milazzo to the Aeolian archipelago, with these “Sand Mountains” covering the entire stretch.
The sea here is crystalline and the water is perfect for swimmers. Another naturist beach, this is a must visit when in eastern Sicily.
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Messina
Find the beach on Google Maps here
11. Le Lampere
At Spiaggia Le Lampere we find ourselves almost on the border with the Province of Palermo, in the area famous for the “Fiumara d'Arte”, an open-air museum of monumental works of art. Here, in the village of Castel di Tusa there is the beautiful Lampare beach.
This beach is Blue Flag certified, which recognizes the quality of the water and the the entire surrounding maritime area. The seabed here is mostly made up of stones and pebbles (part of the reason why the water is so clear), and the impressive sea stacks sitting just off the shore make the beach instantly recognizable.
Le Lampere is nestled between the Madonie and Nebrodi parks, both of which offer fantastic nature and great hiking opportunities. 90 kilometers from Palermo and 160 from Messina, you’re probably not going to visit this on a day trip from either city, so make sure you have a plan for staying somewhere nearby. I assure you, this beach is worth the drive!
Nearby cities and towns of interest: Tusa, Cefalù (90 kilometers)
Find the beach on Google Maps here
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