San Nicola Arcella Beach

This small seaside town sits in Italy’s sleepy south west, and its main beach is a top-notch spot for some serious chill time.

Set in a cosy cove, this pebbled stretch is fairly off the beaten track, so you can be assured that there won’t be throngs of tourists disturbing your sunbathing session.

Facilities-wise, there are a handful of umbrellas - it’s worth reserving them in advance as they’re fairly limited in number. You’ll also find showers and changing cabins here, and there’s a snack bar for light bites, small plates and drinks - bear in mind that it’s the only place to grab supplies from, so fussy eaters may want to bring their own snacks and drinks.

The pretty town centre’s around a 20-minute walk away, and while the scenery’s stunning, it’s a fairly challenging, winding and hilly walk. Once you reach town, you’ll find plenty of places to grab drinks and food, including a number of pizzerias.

Back at the beach, if you fancy a break from sunbathing, you can climb up to the Torre Crawford at the end of the beach. The Crawford Tower, as it’s known in English, is a centuries-old fortress that was renamed after the American author, Francis Marion Crawford, who lived there in the early 20th century, and set some of his novels in the area. A word of warning if you are planning to climb up to the tower - it’s not particularly accessible, so you’ll need to be relatively fit and able in order to reach it.