Spiaggia di Cattolica
Cattolica's broad sandy beach stretches for nearly three kilometres along the northern Adriatic, backed by colourful bathing establishments that have been a fixture of Italian summer life since the Belle Époque. The water is shallow and calm for a long way out, making it one of the most family-friendly shores on the entire Riviera Romagnola.
The Beach Scene
The stabilimenti balneari — numbered beach clubs running cheek-by-jowl along the shore — rent out sun loungers, umbrellas and pedalos by the hour or the day, and most have a snack bar serving granita and piadina steps from the waterline.
Early morning is magical: local fishermen still haul small boats across the wet sand before the parasols go up, and the light turns the sea a luminous turquoise that photographers chase all summer long.
Beyond the Sunbed
The free public beach (spiaggia libera) sits at the southern end near the port, where you can spread a towel without paying a euro and watch the fishing fleet come and go.
At dusk the lungomare promenade fills with gelato-licking families and cyclists; the string lights come on above the beach bars and the whole scene feels like a Fellini film set in the best possible way.
More of Cattolica
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Cattolica →
