Beaches in Ventimiglia

The town-centre seafront

East of the mouth of the Roia the town has a long pebbly shoreline, divided between beach clubs and free beaches. It is the most convenient choice if you are staying near the station or want to combine the sea with sightseeing.

Free beaches with facilities

On passeggiata Trento e Trieste there are three free beaches with facilities, Libeccio, Maestrale and Scirocco, where you can lay your towel down for free or hire a sunbed and umbrella. They are handy if you don’t want to book.

The beach clubs along the promenades

Along passeggiata Cavallotti and passeggiata Oberdan and around piazza Marconi there are several beach clubs with a bar and restaurant, including Marco Polo, Il Brigantino, Miramare, San Giuseppe, Margunaira and Stella Marina. They offer the usual family-friendly services. In July and August it is worth booking your umbrella.

Spiaggia delle Calandre

West of the mouth of the Roia, about 2 kilometres from the centre, the Calandre beach is one of the few sandy beaches in Liguria. The sand is golden and the seabed shelves gently: it suits children and anyone who doesn’t like swimming out of their depth. Rocks and vegetation around it keep it fairly wild.

You reach it on foot along a coastal path, and there is also a section with facilities. Le Calandre is fragile, though: storm surges can leave the sand under water and the beach changes shape from one season to the next. On days when the mistral blows, the waves bring out the surfers.

Towards the border: Capo Mortola and Balzi Rossi

Along the Aurelia towards France, the coast turns rocky. Here the water is clearer and deeper, ideal for snorkelling, but there are few facilities.

Spiaggia delle Uova

Pebbles

In the Capo Mortola and Balzi Rossi area, the Spiaggia delle Uova (“Beach of the Eggs”) is named after its round, pale pebbles, smooth as eggs and polished by the sea. It is one of the most photographed stretches of the coast.

Baia Beniamin

A small cove hidden in nature in the Capo Mortola area, still unspoilt. It has no facilities: bring water and shade, and find out about the route before you go.

Balzi Rossi

PebblesRocksBeach clubs

At the foot of the red cliffs, a short walk from the Ponte San Ludovico border crossing, there are rocks and small stretches of flat pebbles where you can swim. Next to them is La Spiaggetta dei Balzi Rossi, a private beach club with sunbeds, a restaurant and a boat service from Monaco, which you book online. Before or after your swim you can visit the Balzi Rossi prehistoric museum, open Tuesday to Sunday.

Tips for the seaside in Ventimiglia

• Bring water shoes: even where there is sand, the way into the water can be pebbly.
• On Fridays the seafront is taken over by the market: choose Le Calandre or the beaches towards the border, or come on another day. Everything about the market is in the Ventimiglia market guide.
• For La Mortola and the Balzi Rossi, go in the morning, when there is more space on the rocks and the sun is not yet high.
• Combine the sea with a visit: the Hanbury Gardens are at La Mortola, a few minutes from the beaches near the border.
• The rules for dogs vary from beach to beach and from season to season: ask the beach club or check the signs at the entrance.