The coast around Augusta and Brucoli is one of the least-instagrammed stretches of Sicily — which is exactly why locals love it. Here are our regulars, ordered by drive time from The Blue Window.
Acqua Santa cove · 10 min walk / 4 min drive
Our nearest swim. A rocky shelf dropping into deep, transparent water. No sand — bring a mask and water shoes. Best at golden hour.
Granatello · 10 min drive
Family-friendly mix of sand and shallow water, with a couple of small kiosks for granita and panini. Easy parking.
Costa Saracena · 15 min drive
Long sandy beach with shallow turquoise water — the obvious choice for a lazy day with kids or a sunset walk.
Brucoli inlet · 10 min drive
Swim from the flat rocks just past the 15th-century watchtower. Lunch on grilled fish in the village afterwards.
Magnisi peninsula · 25 min drive
Wild, low cliffs and clear water on a thin spit of land — quiet even in August.
Vendicari reserve (Calamosche, San Lorenzo) · 1 hr 10 drive
Sicily's most famous protected coastline, worth the drive at least once. Combine with lunch in Noto.