Best Beaches Near Milan 2026
Milan's best water escapes combine the Italian Lakes and the Ligurian coast. Here are the best options for 2026.
Lake Como
Lake Como is Milan's closest and most glamorous escape — 50 minutes by regional train from Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni station, or 1 hour to Varenna-Esino by the Lecco line (the most scenic approach to the lake). Lake Como is not a swimming beach in the conventional sense — the lake is deep and cold — but the swimming platforms, lidos, and small pebble coves throughout the lake offer excellent lake swimming. The Lido di Lenno near Tremezzina, the Lido di Menaggio, and the public beach at Varenna are popular swimming spots. The lakeside towns of Bellagio (the triangular promontory at the centre of the lake), Varenna, and Menaggio are extraordinarily beautiful. Water taxis and the Navigazione Lago di Como ferries connect the lakeside towns.
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre on the Ligurian coast — five medieval fishing villages clinging to vertical cliff faces above the Ligurian Sea — is Italy's most celebrated coastal landscape. Accessible from Milan by Frecciarossa high-speed train to La Spezia (1 hour 50 minutes, approximately EUR 20-40 advance), then regional train to the five villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso). The swimming at Monterosso al Mare (the largest village, with the only true sandy beach in Cinque Terre) and the rock and platform swimming at the other villages is excellent in summer. Book accommodation months in advance for July-August; day trips from Milan are feasible but a 1-2 night stay is much more enjoyable.
Portofino and the Tigullio Gulf
Portofino — the jewel-like fishing village on a peninsula east of Genoa, 2 hours from Milan by train to Rapallo then bus or boat — is one of the most photographed harbours in the world. The boat taxi from Portofino to the Paraggi beach cove (a stunning sheltered bay of turquoise water) is the best swimming experience on the Ligurian coast near Milan. The Tigullio Gulf beaches at Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo are more accessible and have cleaner sand beaches, suitable for a full day's swimming.
Practical Tips for Beaches Near Milan
Frecciarossa and Frecciargento high-speed trains on the Trenitalia network offer the fastest connections to the Ligurian coast; book 3-4 weeks in advance for weekend departures. Lake Como regional trains are cheaper but fill up on summer weekends. The Cinque Terre Card covers regional trains between the five villages plus entry to the walking paths (the Sentiero Azzurro coastal trail); purchase in advance online. August is the peak of the Italian holiday season — avoid mid-August (Ferragosto, 14-16 August) for all coastal destinations near Milan.
This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.
