Sandy beaches in Liguria

Liguria does have sandy beaches, just not everywhere. Most of the long sandy stretches are on the western coast, between Diano Marina and Varazze, led by Alassio, Laigueglia, Loano, Pietra Ligure and Celle Ligure. On the eastern Riviera di Levante sand is rarer and easy to list: Lavagna, Baia delle Favole in Sestri Levante, Moneglia, Fegina in Monterosso and the stretch between San Terenzo and Lerici.

This guide is written for families: for each beach you get the real surface (fine sand or sand mixed with gravel), how the seabed slopes, whether it holds a 2026 Blue Flag and how easy it is from the train. If you are after coves, rocks and views, read our guide to the most beautiful beaches in Liguria.

Summary table

Beach	Surface	Seabed	Blue Flag 2026	From the train
Calandre (Ventimiglia)	golden sand	shallow	no	about 2 km from the centre, then a path
Arma di Taggia	light sand	shallow at the Fortezza	yes	Taggia-Arma station
Diano Marina	fine sand, about 3.5 km	shallow	yes	station outside the centre, shuttle
Andora	fine sand	shallow	yes (new in 2026)	Andora station
Laigueglia	sand	shallow, gentle slope	yes	station in town, not all trains stop
Alassio	fine sand, over 3 km	very shallow	no	a few minutes’ walk
Loano	sand and fine gravel, about 2 km	slopes slowly	yes	a few minutes’ walk
Pietra Ligure	sand, fine gravel in places	shallow for a few metres	yes (Ponente)	a few minutes’ walk
Finale Ligure (Finalmarina, Finalpia)	sand and fine gravel	gentle slope	yes	a few minutes’ walk
Varigotti	sand and small pebbles	rocky at the sides	yes	no station, bus from Finale
Celle Ligure	fine sand	shallow, gradual	yes	a few steps
Varazze (Ponente Teiro)	sand	gentle slope	yes	a few minutes’ walk
Lavagna	sand, mixed with gravel at Cavi	breakwaters	yes	Lavagna and Cavi stations
Baia delle Favole (Sestri Levante)	sand and fine gravel, about 1.5 km	gentle slope	yes	walk from the station
Moneglia	coarse sand and fine gravel	calm behind breakwaters	yes	about 500 metres
Fegina (Monterosso)	sand and fine gravel	gradual	no	right in front of the station
San Terenzo and Venere Azzurra (Lerici)	fine sand	shallow	yes	no station, bus from La Spezia

How to choose a beach for children

In Liguria “sand” often means sand mixed with fine gravel, coarser near the water’s edge. It is not a problem, but a pair of water shoes saves little feet. The beaches with truly fine sand are Alassio, Andora, Laigueglia, Diano Marina, Celle Ligure and San Terenzo.

Three things matter more than the colour of the sand. The seabed: it should slope gently for several metres. Facilities: lifeguard, showers, shade and a bar nearby. The train: with a station a few minutes away you skip the hunt for parking, which in summer is the real problem along the whole Riviera. The Blue Flag, awarded by the FEE, rewards water quality and services; in 2026 Liguria has 35 municipalities on the list.

One last note: most of these beaches are largely taken up by private beach clubs (stabilimenti), where you rent an umbrella and sunbeds. Free beaches exist but fill up early. A middle way is the “spiaggia libera attrezzata”: entry is free and you only pay if you want to rent an umbrella or sunbed.

Riviera dei Fiori

Calandre, Ventimiglia

West of the mouth of the Roia, about 2 km from the centre of Ventimiglia, the Calandre is one of the few golden sand beaches in the province of Imperia. The seabed slopes gently and there are rocks and greenery around. You reach it on foot along a coastal path, so it is awkward with a pushchair; there is one serviced section. Storms can wash the sand away, and the beach changes shape from year to year. Details in the beaches of Ventimiglia.

Arma di Taggia

At Arma di Taggia the beach is light sand for over a kilometre, with a 2026 Blue Flag. The Fortezza stretch has a shallow, sandy seabed, good for small children. Taggia-Arma station is on the Genoa–Ventimiglia line, a few minutes from Sanremo.

Diano Marina

Diano Marina has about 3.5 km of fine sand, from the marina to the rocks of Capo Berta, with plenty of beach clubs, free beaches, serviced free beaches and areas for pets. It holds a 2026 Blue Flag and also the Bandiera Lilla for accessibility. The one drawback: since 2016 the “Diano” station has been outside the centre, linked by a shuttle bus. By car, the town lists several free car parks.

Sanremo, on the other hand, is not a sand destination: its beaches, Tre Ponti included, are shingle and pebbles with a few patches of coarse sand.

Baia del Sole: Andora, Laigueglia, Alassio

Andora

Andora joined the Blue Flag list for the first time in 2026, with the Colombina, Foce Rio Mezza’acqua and Trinacria beaches. The beach is deep and of fine sand, with free sections alternating with modern beach clubs: less famous than its neighbours, and often quieter.

Laigueglia

Between Capo Mele and Capo Santa Croce, Laigueglia has a continuous sandy beach with a gently sloping seabed, in front of an old fishing village whose lanes open straight onto the sand. The eastern stretch holds a 2026 Blue Flag. There is a free beach by the pier with a play area nearby; the station is in town, but not every regional train stops.

Alassio

More than three kilometres of fine, pale sand that does not burn your feet, and water so shallow that children play in it for many metres: for families Alassio is hard to beat. On the other hand, free beaches are few, towards the port and towards Albenga, and in August beach club prices are among the highest in Liguria. In 2026 Alassio is not on the Blue Flag list. The station is a few minutes from the sea. Zones and parking: beaches of Alassio.

Loano, Pietra Ligure and Finale

Loano

About 2 km of sand mixed with fine gravel, with no rocks, from the marina to the Borghetto border: in Loano children can stand for several metres. 2026 Blue Flag. Besides the beach clubs there are serviced free beaches; in summer 2026 three of them (Delfino, Lampara and Murena) offered a free service helping people with disabilities or limited mobility into the water. Everything in the beaches of Loano.

Pietra Ligure

In Pietra Ligure the coast is almost entirely sandy and the western stretch holds a 2026 Blue Flag. The most central free beach is Spiaggia delle Barche, in front of the old town; towards Borgio Verezzi the free stretches are wider. Two bonuses for families: two serviced free beaches for dogs (RinTin Beach and Ex Leonessa) and free car parks near the sea, the largest at the former sports ground. See the beaches of Pietra Ligure.

Finalmarina, Finalpia and Varigotti

In Finale Ligure the central beaches, Finalmarina and Finalpia, have sand and fine gravel, a gently sloping seabed, beach clubs alternating with free stretches and the station a few minutes away. They are among the town’s six 2026 Blue Flag beaches. A few kilometres east, Varigotti has a long beach of sand and small pebbles in front of colourful houses, also with a Blue Flag: there is no station, so take the bus from Finale. Details in the beaches of Finale Ligure.

Celle Ligure and Varazze

Celle Ligure

The beaches of Celle Ligure are fine sand with a shallow, gradual seabed, and the station is a few steps from the sea. For a family week the favourite area is Celle Piani, the widest beach, with play areas and services; at its far end, before the breakwater, there is a free section. 2026 Blue Flag for both the western and eastern beaches. See the beaches of Celle Ligure.

Varazze

In Varazze the Teiro stream splits the seafront in two: to the west the beach is sand with a gently sloping seabed, the right choice with small children; to the east the bottom is mixed and the water gets deep sooner. Both, together with Arrestra, hold a 2026 Blue Flag. Free beaches in the centre are few and small. See the beaches of Varazze.

Riviera di Levante

Lavagna

Lavagna has more than three kilometres of beach from the port to Cavi, on the border with Sestri Levante: sand in town, a mix of sand, gravel and stones at Cavi. Beach clubs and free stretches alternate and breakwaters keep the sea calmer. 2026 Blue Flag for the Lungomare. There are two stations, Lavagna and Cavi.

Baia delle Favole, Sestri Levante

On the western side of the isthmus of Sestri Levante, the Baia delle Favole (“Bay of Fables”) is about one and a half kilometres long, with fine sand and gravel, a gently sloping seabed, beach clubs and free beach. It has a free beach equipped for people with disabilities, and its northern section holds a 2026 Blue Flag. The name was coined by TV host Enzo Tortora in honour of Hans Christian Andersen. With children it is easier than the nearby Baia del Silenzio, where summer access is capped: see the Baia del Silenzio guide.

Moneglia

The beach of Moneglia is about a kilometre long, coarse sand and fine gravel. In the first half, between Punta Sant’Elmo and the stream mouth, offshore breakwaters break the waves: this is the best area for small children, with a serviced free beach. 2026 Blue Flag; the station is about 500 metres away. See the beaches of Moneglia.

Fegina, Monterosso

The only real wide beach in the Cinque Terre is Fegina, in Monterosso, right in front of the station: sand mixed with fine gravel and a gradual seabed. There are two free sections, but in July and August after 9.30 am finding space is hard. No Blue Flag. See the beaches of Monterosso and our guide to the Cinque Terre beaches.

San Terenzo and Venere Azzurra, Lerici

Between San Terenzo and the centre of Lerici the beaches are fine, pale sand, with shallow water and a flat promenade that suits pushchairs. San Terenzo has a free section and a serviced free section; Venere Azzurra, free with rentals, has a car park and bus stop opposite; the Lido di Lerici is shallow for a long way out. Lerici holds a 2026 Blue Flag. There is no station: take the bus from La Spezia. See the beaches of Lerici.

Practical tips

• Book ahead: for July and August, reserve your umbrella and sunbeds days or weeks in advance, especially at weekends.
• Free beaches: arrive by 9 am. In June and September the sea is still warm and you can find space at the last minute.
• Train: the coastal line serves almost all these beaches; Varigotti and Lerici are reached by bus.
• Dogs: rules change every season with local bylaws. Pietra Ligure and Diano Marina have dedicated areas; elsewhere, ask the beach club.
• Rough sea: with a south-westerly wind waves reach even the shallow beaches: respect the lifeguards’ red flag.
• Where to stay: to choose a base, read where to stay in Liguria and our guide to the Riviera di Ponente.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the sandy beaches in Liguria?

Mostly on the western coast: Diano Marina, Andora, Laigueglia, Alassio, Loano, Pietra Ligure, Finale Ligure, Celle Ligure and Varazze. On the eastern coast: Lavagna, Baia delle Favole in Sestri Levante, Moneglia, Fegina in Monterosso and San Terenzo in Lerici.

Which sandy beach is best for toddlers?

Alassio for its very shallow water, Loano and Pietra Ligure for services, parking and trains, Celle Ligure for fine sand and a station a few steps away. On the eastern coast, Baia delle Favole and San Terenzo.

Are the beaches in Sanremo sandy?

No. Many websites say so, but Sanremo’s beaches, Tre Ponti included, are shingle and pebbles with a few patches of coarse sand. For sand near Sanremo, go to Arma di Taggia or the Calandre in Ventimiglia.

Does Alassio have a Blue Flag in 2026?

No, Alassio is not on the official 2026 list. Nearby Laigueglia and Andora are, as are Loano, Pietra Ligure, Finale Ligure, Celle Ligure and Varazze.

Are there sandy beaches in the Cinque Terre?

Only in Monterosso: Fegina beach, in front of the station, is sand mixed with fine gravel. The other villages have mostly rocks and pebbles.

Which sandy beaches are easy to reach by train?

Alassio, Loano, Pietra Ligure, Finale Ligure, Celle Ligure, Varazze, Moneglia, Sestri Levante and Monterosso have stations a few minutes from the sea. In Diano Marina the station is outside the centre; Varigotti and Lerici have no station.