La Spezia, a city located in the Ligurian region of Italy, has long been a commercial harbor and also an Italian military location. Surrounded by mountains, it's a typical Mediterranean port and has the perfect weather for spending time at the nearby La Spezia Beaches. Sitting on the coast directly at the center of the The Gulf of La Spezia, the city offers several beach areas for anyone who loves scuba diving, fishing and water sports.

Lerici Beaches and the Gulf of Poets

The Gulf of Poets is also known as The Gulf of La Spezia, and was named this due to the fact that many of the world's most famous poets have visited and even died here. The beaches in this area boast a great deal of natural beauty including jagged cliffs and grottoes to explore, in addition to the many small fishing villages located here. Lerici, also called 'The Pearl of the Gulf' is the largest fishing village in the area and sits directly across from the town of Portovenere. At Lerici, you'll find the remains of a 13th century castle in the old quarter section which looks out over the bay. Lerici is a multi-time winner of the European title "Bandiera Blu," or the Blue Flag, an award given to seaside resorts for their clean beaches, unpolluted waters and quality of service.

Levanto Beaches

Levanto is a commune in the Province of La Spezia and features a couple of beautiful beach areas. The main beach is close to the village and has an untouched natural environment that's perfect for hiking and exploring. The sands on this beach are very fine and a beautiful off-white color. You'll find clean blue waters, unique natural rock formations and views of the antiquated buildings and properties in the surrounding mountains. It's a rather long and narrow beachfront, but still perfect for basking in the sun, swimming or engaging in other water sports. Bonassola Beach is also close to the village of Levanto. This beach features both small pebbles and fine sands. The beachfront here is shorter and narrower and sits at a sloping angle.

Fiumaretta and Sarzana Beaches

Sarzana and Fiumaretta are also communes of the area and each has their own beautiful beach. Sarzana Beach consists of both pebbles and sand, but is a darker shade than some of the neighboring beaches. It's a long stretch of beach, but it's narrow and perfect for lounging in the sun or strolling along the water. Fiumaretta has very fine sands that are whiter than most, and it has amazing rock formations.