Its seaside towns combine Mediterranean charm with Italy’s distinctive sense of style. But those with ports and harbours add an extra element of life and adventure. Discover Italy’s most scenic coastal towns.
Whether you enjoy sailing or simply like to sit on the waterfront watching the boats coming in and out, Italy’s coastal towns are full of life. At the smaller harbours you’ll see fishermen bringing in their catch, or maybe spot celebrities on their yachts. At the bigger ports, cruise ships and ferries bring happy tourists to explore the beautiful town centres and historic fortifications.
Such habourside towns offer a great base from which to explore the Italian coastline and travel to other islands and countries. Buy a property near the port and you can enjoy their waterfront cafes and restaurants with the freshest seafood you have ever tasted.
Here are some of the advantages of buying by a coastal town.
Sail the Med
Buying an Italian property and a boat will enable you to fully appreciate the stunning scenery and Mediterranean waters. The Italian coastline is 7,700 kilometres long with over 500 marinas and harbours. Between them, they offer over 156,000 tourist yacht berths, with modern facilities.
Popular areas for mooring a yacht include Portofino (Liguria), Punta della Dogana (Venice), Brindisi (Puglia) and various locations along the Amalfi coast, and around the coast of Sardinia. While many people are aware of Italy’s Blue Flag beaches, 80 marinas in the country also fly the Blue Flag. For all things boating, you can visit one of the big boat shows in Genoa, Venice, Bologna or Montichiari.
Go island hopping
Italy has around 65 passenger ferry ports serving routes to Italian islands and other countries. The most popular is Livorno, in north-west Tuscany, with sailings to the islands of Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily and Capraia. Other main ferry ports include Genoa, Naples, Brindisi, Ancona, Palermo and Civitavecchia near Rome.
Cruise ships
Not everyone wants to be in a city where cruise liners call – although it’s certainly good for business for cafe owners and souvenir sellers! Italy has 20 ports that can accommodate cruise ships, including Naples, Genoa and Trieste. Near me in Puglia there are Bari, Brindisi and Taranto.
Enjoy the catch of the day
There is something special about taking a morning stroll along the harbourside, to see the little fish in the clear waters and the seagulls following the fishing boats. Italy has some 328 registered fishing ports, each with a unique charm and beauty. A good example is Portofino, with its colourful buildings and picturesque harbour, while down in Puglia the fishing village of Polignano a Mare has stone houses that blend beautifully with the cliff.
Unique events in ports
On trips to Italy, you may have experienced a local festival with processions through the streets. In the port towns these events often involve boats. Such as, the Festa in Bari on the 8 May, that includes the statue of Saint Nicholas being carried by a fishing boat. Port towns may also host boat races and regattas. For example, in September there is the historic Venice regatta. Which sees a parade of historic boats travel along the Grand Canal, as well as competitive rowing races.
Tall Ship attracts thousands to ports
From Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus to Italy’s gold-winning sailors at last year’s Olympics, the Italians have been great sailors. That includes Columbus’s contemporary, explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who gave his name to America.
The Amerigo Vespucci visits Puglia (Massimo Todaro / Shutterstock.com)
An Italian tall ship with his name, used to train the Italian navy, is currently on a tour around the Mediterranean. It is calling in at 18 ports (mostly Italian), where it allows people to tour the upper decks. The free passes are greatly sought after and quickly get fully booked, as they are gradually released on the Tour Vespucci website. At every port thousands of people come to see this beautiful ship.
The Italian ports next on the journey include Palermo (7-11 May), Naples (13-17 May), Cagliari (19-24 May), Gaeta (26-29 May), Civitavecchia (30 May-3 June), Livorno (4-8 June), Genova (10 June). However, it’s not just in Italy that Vespucci has drawn the crowds. Prior to the Mediterranean tour the ship sailed to 35 ports in 30 countries around the world, promoting Italy and the “Made in Italy” brand.
Free Wifi ports
The official Italian Tourism website Italia.it has begun to offer free wifi in some tourist ports. The network is already available in the ports of Bari, Barletta, Brindisi, Catania, Cetraro, Crotone, Porto Empedocle, Isola delle Femmine, Manfredonia, Marsala, Messina, Milazzo, Palau, Peschici, Pozzallo, Pozzuoli, Roccella Ionica, Santa Margherita Ligure, Termoli, Terracina, Vieste e Vibo Valentia. You simply connect to the “WiFi-by-ITALIA.it”.
Here are a selection of great port towns around the Italian coast.
Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia
Trieste is the biggest commercial port in Italy. The San Giusto Marina is in a great central location near the old port and can accommodate boats up to 120 metres, including a special section for mega yachts.
Trieste’s canals and restaurants
When the Amerigo Vespucci tall ship made it’s homecoming to Italy, it’s first port of call was Trieste. Here it was welcomed by thousands of people and a fly past by the “Frecce Tricolori”. On that day the aircraft carrier “Cavour”, and the landing helicopter dock “Trieste” were docked there. The Trieste is the largest ship in the Italian fleet and serves as both an aircraft carrier and a platform for amphibious operations.
Originally built in the 13th century, Trieste’s Porto Vecchio (Old Harbour) was enlarged in 1869. Within walking distance of the port is the Majestic Piazza Unita d’Italia, Europe’s largest seafront square. In this area, you will see some very Grand Palazzo buildings, and elegant coffee houses. In fact, Trieste is often referred to as Italy’s Coffee Capital, due to being the major port for coffee imports during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Evidence of this can also be seen in the neo-classical architecture. However, Trieste has many other historical structures too, including a roman amphitheatre, an 11th century castle and it’s very own Grand Canal built in the 1700s.
Genoa, Liguria
Genoa is a vibrant Italian port city, known for its rich history, elegant architecture, and delicious cuisine. The city’s historic centre is the largest in Europe and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It features medieval buildings, winding alleys, beautiful churches and fine houses built for noble families of the past.
Sunrise in Boccadasse, a neighbourhood in Genoa
Many people travel through its port, which has five cruise docks and thirteen ferry berths, dealing with four million passengers annually. There are also marinas built to accommodate yachts. Popular tourist spots in the port area are the historical lighthouses and the kilometre-long promenade. Also, not to be missed is the amazing Aquarium of Genoa, which contains 600 species, from sea horses to dolphins.
Sanremo, Liguria
Positioned in the beautiful setting of the City of Flowers and Music, the port of Sanremo is one of the most picturesque harbours in Liguria, and among the most popular tourist ports in Italy. In Sanremo, you can see boats up to 90 metres long, luxury charters and impressive private yachts. The Portosole marina is one of the largest in the Mediterranean, with over 800 berths.
Many VIPs come to Sanremo on their luxury yachts, especially during the summer and the Sanremo Festival week. In the marina area there is everything you need, including a ship chandler, assistance for onboard electronics, and specialised boat laundry. Plus, for those who want to buy a home base a short distance from the marina there are new property developments with sea views.
Portovenere, Liguria
Another Liguria port worth a mention is Portovenere. This idyllic ancient village is located at the western end of the Ligurian Gulf. The houses here are typical of the Maritime Republic of Genoa, being built primarily as homes, but also as defensive buildings, in case of attack from the sea. In addition to the colourful buildings in the beautiful port area, there are defensive walls strengthened by towers, and a castle.
Porto Venere on the Ligurian coast of Italy
These impressive structures are the reason Portovenere was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status. Today the port has thirty berths for boats of between ten and fifty metres. You can also rent a boat, go on a fishing trip or enjoy a boat tour to local coves and islands.
Porto Santa Stephano, Tuscany
At the southern end of the coast of Tuscany, Porto Santa Stephano is is part of the Costa d’Argento. It’s position on a promontory gives it the feel of an island, surrounded by sparkling blue sea. This peaceful town has a population of less than 9,000 people and has a great history of seafaring. Every year on 15th August, Porto Santo Stefano recalls its maritime tradition with the Palio dell’Argentario. This includes an exciting rowing competition between the four districts of the town. The origin of this relates to a local legend about a “tartarone” (typical fishing boat) escaping from the sight of pirates. The accompanying celebrations include feasts, and a historical parade.
Today the port is divided into an old and new part, and is the heart of tourist and fishing activities. Porto Santa Stephano has become an internationally important centre for sailing and recreational boating. Of course, another big attraction in the area is the great selection of beaches. These range from stretches of sand to rocky coves.
Salerno, Campania
Salerno has a medium-sized harbour, located on the Gulf of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is a natural harbour that uses a coastal breakwater and can easily dock ships over 200 metres. Overlooking the splendid Gulf of Salerno, the city blends ancient and modern to provide residents and tourists with everything they need for year-round living. There is a well-preserved historic centre, an elegant promenade, and restaurants offering delicious seafood. For great panoramic views head up to the Arechi Castle.
Taranto, Puglia
The Port of Taranto is a major commercial and naval port, and more recently cruise ships have begun visiting here. A walk from the port to the town, takes you through the old historic centre, which has many tall buildings crying out for someone to renovate them. Then at the end of the street you will be amazed to see two columns of the ancient temple of Poseidon.
On the waterfront, opposite the columns, there is the Aragonese castle, which offers free guided tours every day. Despite being a fairly large city, nature is all around, there are oyster beds in the harbour, flamingos further down the coast, and the Jonian Dolphin Conservatory is based in the old town, from where they research the local dolphin population. In the Gulf of Taranto they have identified six species. But it is the Spinner dolphins that have the largest population of around 20,000.
A dolphin has been chosen as the mascot of the 2026 Mediterranean Games, which Taranto are proud to be hosting from 21st August to 3rd September 2026. Similar to the Olympics, among the twenty nine sports there is rowing, canoeing, and sailing.
In May, locals and visitors come together to celebrate the towns Patron Saint “Cataldo”. Part of these festivities include a sea procession and a spectacular fireworks cascade from the bastions of the Aragonese Castle. In addition, there is the Palio di Taranto, which is a regatta with crews dressed in medieval costumes.
The port towns of Italy are great places to own a property, if you enjoy eating out and meeting new people. Sat on your balcony you could watch the boats sailing in and out and tourists and locals going about their day. Plus, when you fancy a day out, you can take a boat trip along the coast or across to one of the smaller islands. You could even buy your own yacht and sail around the Mediterranean.
