SICILY & SARDEGNA

	Sicilia		Sic
	Sardegna		Sar

SICILIA      MAPopen map in pop-up window       [ ↑ ]go to top of page
	If mainland Italy is a boot, the Sicily is a ball being kicked by the toe of the boot. The island is slightly larger in area than Vermont, and it is a mere 3 kilometers from the mainland at the closest point, but it is not bridged. Sicily is inextricably linked to the Mafia, which remains a part of the social fabric though its role in modern times has been diminished. However, tourists go about their business in Sicily without feeling the presence of this underworld, and Sicily is not an unsafe place for tourists, nor are tourists targets of the Mafia. While Sicily is more traditional and conservative than mainland Italy, there are a handful of thriving nude beaches. Sicily has nine divisions: six provinces and three metropolitan cities. Enna is landlocked, but all the others have coastline. Starting and the closest point to the mainland and going clockwise, the eight coastal divisions are Messina, Catania, Siracusa, Ragusa, Caltanissetta, Agrigento, Trapani and Palermo.
		NUDE BEACHES In the far northeast of Sicily near Messina, Spiaggia di Capo Rasocolmo  38.2974N, 15.5205E  is tucked below the cliffs between the villages of San Saba and Spartà. It is the closest nude beach to the shortest ferry route between the mainland and Sicily. Located a bit north of the very popular and picturesque hilltop town of Taormina, Spiaggia di Letojanni Nord  37.8993N, 15.3293E  is visited mainly by patrons of the two commercial entities that occupy the beach, a campground and a beach club. Bare bathing occurs on the part of the beach that is between those two establishments even though the nude area is not terribly secluded. Located near the southeastern extreme of Sicily (south of Siracusa), Spiaggia di Marianelli  36.8340N, 15.1059E  is a hidden but well-attended nude beach that draws a mixed but heavily gay crowd. It is very often referred to by the name "Eloro," which is technically the next beach to the north. On the southwestern side of Sicily, Eraclea Minoa is an archaeological site dating back about 2,500 years, located atop a promontory of brilliant white rock called Capo Bianco. Spiaggia di Capo Bianco  37.3926N, 13.2718E  , the west-facing beach of the cape, is a wild and somewhat remote beach that is well known as a gathering place for nudists. Spiaggia di Torre Salsa  37.3566N, 13.3549E  is about 8 kilometers from Eraclea Minoa (see the previous listing) as the crow flies or about twice that distance by car. Torre Salsa is a long, completely undeveloped beach accessed via unpaved roads. It is lightly attended overall, and nudity occurs freely on one end of the beach. Toward the far west end of the southern coast of Sicily, the village of Marinella di Selinunte is situated between an archaeological site with impressive temple ruins and a coastal nature reserve. Part of the nature reserve beach, known colloquially as Spiaggia del Casello 41  37.5780N, 12.8866E  , has long had a nudist following. LODGING      Physis    37.6626N, 12.6111E            Mazara del Vallo (Trapani)

SARDEGNA      MAPopen map in pop-up window       [ ↑ ]go to top of page
	If you draw a perfectly north-to-south line that goes from Genoa (in the far northwest of Italy near France) all the way across the Mediterranean to Africa, that line will pass through two major islands. The northern and smaller of the two is Corsica, which is part of France. The larger and southern of the two is Sardegna (usually spelled Sardinia in English), which is part of Italy. Sardinia, with a land area comparable to that of New Hampshire, has not historically been known as a naturist destination, but things have been changing in the 21st century. Starting in the late 2010s, several of the beaches that have traditionally drawn nude bathers have been officially sanctioned for naturism. Sardinia has five divisions: four provinces and one metropolitan city. All five have coastline. Starting in the south and going clockwise, they are Cagliari, Sud Sardegna (South Sardinia), Oristano, Sassari and Nuoro.
		NUDE BEACHES Sardegna has a roughly oblong shape, with Cagliari—the capital and largest city—on the south end. Although Cala Fighera  39.1834N, 9.1613E  is located within the city limits, this rugged beach is quite hidden, accessed by a short but somewhat challenging hike. Nudity is common among those who find their way there. Not terribly far from Cagliari, there are a few established nude beaches in the far southeast of the island. Spiaggia di Mari Pintau  39.1759N, 9.3667E  in the resort area of Geremeas is a beautiful pebble crescent that is mainly a textile beach, but there is a small nudist presence at one end of the beach, well removed from the main crowd. Near the town of Muravera, Spiaggia di Feraxi  39.3275N, 9.6000E  is a beautiful beach of golden sand amid a network of lagoons. A bit off the beaten path, this expansive beach offers ample space for nudists since it is uncrowded even during peak season. There are several established nude beaches along Sardegna's western coast. Toward the south end near the town of Arbus, Spiaggia di Piscinas  39.5335N, 8.4434E  is a long and broad expanse of golden sand with an immense system of dunes that extends inland over two kilometers. Textiles congregate near the access point at the north end of the long beach, while the south end is designated for naturism. About halfway along the west coast of the island near Oristano, the long beach backed by a coastal forest called the Pineta di Is Arenas has more than one name associated with it even though it is a continuous expanse of sand. The southern realm of that beach is called Spiaggia di Is Benas  40.0521N, 8.4565E  , and a remote part of the beach is designated for nude bathing. Toward the north end of the west coast of Sardegna, the coastal town of Alghero is near Sassari, the island's second largest city. A bit north of Alghero, Porto Conte is a bay that prominently indents the coastline. About halfway along the innermost part of the bay, Spiaggia della Baia delle Ninfe  40.6115N, 8.2125E  is a remote beach that was officially sanctioned for naturist use in the early 2020s. A bit farther north, Spiaggia di Porto Ferro is a gorgeous crescent of golden sand tucked into a bay and backed by a coastal forest. At the north end of the beach, there is a collection of niches called the Calette di Porto Ferro  40.6894N, 8.2013E  . Attended mainly by nude bathers, these picturesque little beaches arguably comprise the most scenic naturist venue in Sardegna. Olbia is a major town in the far northeast of Sardegna, where the island is closest to Corsica. In the general vicinity of Olbia, Spiaggia Lu Litarroni and Spiaggia Monti Russu are among a chain of north-facing beaches that belong to Aglientu, a village nestled in the hills a bit inland from the coast. Between those two textile beaches, there is a somewhat remote stretch of beach where nude bathing is commonplace. The nude beach is usually named for one of the nearby textile beaches, so we'll compromise and call it Spiaggia Monti Russu-Lu Litarroni  41.1400N, 9.1165E  . Closer to Olbia, the Costa Smeralda ("Emerald Coast") is a popular tourist area that includes the ritzy resort of Porto Cervo. Spiaggia di Razza di Juncu  41.0568N, 9.5299E  is a small beach that is quite hidden along this gorgeous part of the island, making it a draw for nudists in the know. LODGING      Le Peonie    40.2378N, 9.5555E            Dorgali (Nuoro)