7 beaches near Genoa: Where to go for sun, sand, and surf

If you are heading to Genoa, you might have a long list of fun activities to enjoy that you have been dying to try. However, you can also enjoy pebble beaches, sandy beaches, and fun in the sun near Genoa. This is one of the best places to head for a beach day and for beach resorts if that is your favorite kind of beach trip.

Before you head to the best sandy beaches near Genoa, think about what you're going to do with any unneeded luggage. Rather than taking it to the beach with you, head to a Bounce bag storage in Genoa to drop everything off. That way, your stuff will be safe, and you can relax at the beach rather than worrying about your bags.

Boccadasse Beach

This is one of the closest beaches near Genoa, and you will have no trouble getting here. While this is not one of the best beaches in Genoa if you love soft sand, you will enjoy the lovely scenery and the beautiful weather. This is not a huge city or a big beach, but you can still spend most of the day here wandering around and seeing the sights.

Boccadasse Beach travel distance from Genoa

It only takes about ten minutes on the bus to get to this little town centre and to enjoy the lovely pebble beaches.

Activity recommendations

There are various delightful ice cream places that you can head to if you want something sweet and refreshing while you walk on the beach, or you can browse the shopping streets and look for souvenirs and local products.

This is a quaint fishing village full of charm, so it's not just about the beach here. In fact, the pebble beach is not ideal for swimming, and the water quality is not as good as at other beaches in Genoa, but the surrounding ambiance of the beach area is lovely.

Be sure to choose one of the local restaurants with a view to have dinner before you head back to town. There are lots of tasty places to eat, and you can watch the waves lap on the shore while you have your meal.

Camogli

Camogli is an area with charming colorful houses and old buildings perched on the cliffs above the ocean. You will love the clear water here and the sandy beach. You can also wander the promenade along the ocean and see the water from up high, as well as see it in person as you walk along the water's edge.

Camogli travel distance from Genoa

You can get on the train at Genova Piazza train station, and this trip will take you about 30 minutes. You will find that the bus or car ride will be about a half hour as well.

Activity recommendations

You can rent a boat and leave from the beach here to enjoy a lovely sunset, or you might want to rent umbrellas and enjoy the sunshine as the waves lap against the beach all day. This is a great place to take in the beauty of the area as there are many old buildings and lots of historical sites to enjoy.

This is the beach that is most photographed in the area near Genoa, and you will see why when you head here. This is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and you will have access to a variety of different restaurants, beach resorts, and more if you choose to spend a little more money during your visit here.

San Fruttuoso di Camogli

This gorgeous beach near Genoa offers you access to a little bay near an abbey. This is a picturesque and absolutely charming location that feels pulled right from the front of a postcard. This is one of the best small pebble beach locations near Genoa, and you will be able to enjoy the sun and the water quality during your day.

The abbey is one of the most striking features of this area, and many people come here just to say that they have enjoyed hanging out on a beach with a historical building looming over it. There are not many places in the world where you could enjoy this kind of unique experience, and history buffs will want to consider this spot a must-visit beach.

San Fruttuoso di Camogli travel distance from Genoa

You will have to drive here, and the trip will take you about an hour.

Activity recommendations

There are not many restaurants or places to get a drink here, but all of the options are really nice and cozy. It can be really busy in August here, so you might want to pick the shoulder season or the low season to visit if you want to avoid the crowds. Tourists flock here, which means that the summer months can be really busy. Finding a spot to sunbathe might be hard during the peak of the tourist season.

This is one of the best beaches for a historical setting, but the size of the space is such that it can be quite crowded during peak periods. You should take a break during the middle of the day if it's too crowded to go shopping or to check out the lovely old buildings and tour the abbey as well.

Baia del Silenzio (Sestri Levante)

This is one of the most famous beaches in Italy, not just in Genoa. You will be immediately charmed by the colorful buildings and houses in the surrounding area. As far as Genoa beaches go, this is one of the beaches that you need to put on your list if you want to head to a place that is beautiful and completely memorable.

Baia del Silenzio travel distance from Genoa

You can drive to this Genoa beach in about 40 minutes, or you will need to plan on an hour and a half to get to this location via the train station.

Activity recommendations

A sunset cruise or a sunset dinner is a good idea if you head to this lovely beach among the Genoa beaches on this list. You will be treated to a gorgeous spread of orange, gold, and yellow light that spreads out over the water. This is not a pebble beach, it is a sandy beach, which makes sunbathing here really enjoyable. You can rent an umbrella and a beach chair and enjoy the beach all day long.

Snorkeling is really fun here, and you can also rent a paddle board and enjoy some time just connecting with nature as you enjoy the clear and relatively still water of the bay. For a really spectacular view, climb up to the promontory of Punta Manara or instead wander into town and explore the narrow streets, colorful buildings, and the beauty of the city centre itself.

Baia dei Saraceni (Varigotti)

Tropical beaches that are suitable for a postcard scene are what you will find here, and this lovely, sandy beach with turquoise waters is ideal for swimming and a day of fun. This beach gets its name from the Scoglio dei Saraceni (Rock of the Saracens), which was a common landing point for merchants during the days when ship travel was how goods were delivered along the Italian coast.

Baia dei Saraceni travel distance from Genoa

You will need to drive to this beautiful sandy beach, and the drive will take you about an hour.

Activity recommendations

This beach costs around €5.00 to access, but it is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and is worth every penny. The fee is used for the upkeep of the beach, which means that this is one of the cleanest and most impressive of the Genoa beaches. For a relaxed beach outing or access to a large sandy beach with great swimming, this is the place to go.

There are free parking spaces right by the beach, and you can easily walk into town to find amenities and dining. It takes just a few minutes to walk to the closest restaurants and cafes, meaning that you don't need to bring a lot of food or other kinds of supplies with you when you head here for a day of fun in the sun.

Santa Margherita Ligure

This is a blue flag beach, which means that the water quality is superb. This is a great option for snorkeling, swimming, or paddleboarding, and many people come here just to enjoy access to this kind of water. You will find that this is one of the finest Genoa beaches for many reasons, and you might want to put this beach spot at the top of your list of things to do and see when you visit Italy.

Santa Margherita Ligure travel distance from Genoa

It takes 45 minutes to get to this lovely beach by car. It takes about an hour on the train and bus.

Activity recommendations

Only certain sections of the coast here offer access to rent beach beds and umbrellas, but the sand is soft, and the beach is fairly quiet. You will not have to compete for space as you would at one of the small beach locations in this guide, meaning that a day of lounging and working on your tan is easy to arrange here in Santa Margherita.

The town here is larger than in some of the other beach areas, so you can shop, enjoy lots of great restaurant options and also get a little break from the sun. Consider booking a table at one of the many lovely fine dining spots to have a meal with an incredible view of the water and the setting sun.

Arenzano

This charming village is one of the older towns in Italy, and the incredible beauty of the buildings as well as the lush vegetation around the beach, make this one of the most impressive seaside locations to visit during your time in Genoa. Like a few of the other locations on this list, this is a gorgeous beach that offers so much ambiance that it's hard to look away from the scene in front of you.

Arenzano travel distance from Genoa

This beach location is about a half hour from Genoa's downtown.

Activity recommendations

There are lots of beach resorts here, which is one of the primary draws to the area. You could consider making this a spot that you spend an extended period in. There are swimming pools and seaside bars to enjoy at these resorts, as well as the chance to be pampered in ways that you can't get in Genoa itself.

Consider renting snorkeling gear here and enjoying the beautiful fish and other marine life that are everywhere in the water. You can also rent a boat or go on a tour and enjoy a sunset cruise while you are treated to a meal and drink. There are lots of ways to make the most of your time here at this charming beach location, and you could easily choose to extend your stay in this spot over the weekend to make the most of what Arenzano has to offer.

Conclusion

If you have enjoyed the beaches in Genoa and still want something else to do, there are so many weekend trip options from the city that you'll never be bored in this picturesque and historical region of Italy. Additionally, the best beaches in this guide are great if you're visiting Genoa on a budget. Aside from chairs and an umbrella, transportation, and refreshments, you won't have to spend a lot to swim and relax on beautiful sandy beaches.

Spending part or all of your day at the beach can be a great way to get a break from the hustle and bustle of a busy travel experience. You will not regret enjoying these lovely beaches in Genoa, no matter how busy you plan to be with other activities during your trip.