Rapallo beaches: free stretches, beach clubs and the San Michele coves

Rapallo does not have one long, continuous beach like Alassio or Varazze. It has a town seafront with stretches of beach wedged between the beach clubs, the castle area, and — beyond the harbour, towards Santa Margherita — three small coves in the hamlet of San Michele di Pagana.

Knowing this in advance changes how you plan the day: here you do not simply "go to the beach", you pick which one. And the choice almost always comes down to two things: what the shore is made of, and how far you are willing to walk.

The three stretches

• The town seafront. The stretch along lungomare Vittorio Veneto, the one you walk to from the centre without thinking about it. This is where you find Bagni Lido and, next to it, the free beach of Le Saline.
• The castle area. Around the fortress on the water: the Castello beach club on both sides, the free Castello beach, and further along the promenade towards villa Tigullio the small free beach of Le Rane and the Nagge beach club.
• The San Michele di Pagana coves. Beyond the harbour: Pomaro, then the beach in front of the village, then Trelo and Prelo. They are small, and they are the finest part of the town's coast.

The free beaches, one by one

Le Saline

This is the most convenient free beach: you reach it on foot from the centre along the seafront, and the shore is sand and fine gravel, the closest thing to sand the town has. It has existed since the early 1900s and was restored in 2022. If you are travelling with small children, or you simply cannot stand pebbles, this is the answer and the others come afterwards.

Being the most convenient, it is also the busiest, above all with day visitors: in August it is worth getting there early.

Le Rane

It sits on the promenade running from the castle towards villa Tigullio, just past the frog fountain it takes its name from. It is small, part paved and part pebbles, and it has a cold shower and a drinking fountain. It is not a full-day beach: it is the place you stop at for an hour while you are walking.

Castello

It had become inaccessible after the 2018 storm. It reopened on 10 July 2021: the town council rebuilt the access staircase and created a "natural pool" of sea water, sheltered by a mole and artificial rocks, working with the Portofino Marine Protected Area.

This is where you swim, not where you lie in the sun: sheltered water, rocky bottom. For anyone who actually wants to get in the sea, it is the best stretch in the centre.

Trelo and Prelo

These are the two free beaches of San Michele di Pagana, and they really are small.

Trelo, also written Travello, has sand and stones and a little pier, and it is squeezed between the houses. Prelo is the last cove in the municipality, pebbles, and you go down to it from the church of San Michele Arcangelo — the one that holds Van Dyck's Crucifixion, the only altarpiece the artist painted in the whole of Liguria. It is the one case where the way to the beach takes you past a painting that would be worth the trip on its own.

Small means small: on 15 August, by mid-morning, they are full. People who go there go early, or around five in the afternoon.

The beach clubs

• Bagni Lido, on the town seafront, next to Le Saline.
• Castello, on both sides of the fortress.
• Nagge, pebbles, on the promenade towards villa Tigullio.
• San Michele, in front of the village, the largest in the area at around 150 metres.
• Pomaro, pebbles and rocks, beyond the harbour: the first one you come to heading for San Michele.

Prices and availability change from season to season and we do not print them: any figure here would be out of date before it was read.

One thing worth checking, and it is not fussiness

Water quality is monitored by Arpal, and Rapallo does occasionally see temporary bathing bans. In June 2026, for instance, a power cut stopped the sewage lifting stations run by Iren and the mayor banned bathing at Le Saline and the adjoining free stretch; the bans were lifted after testing.

This is not a chronic problem with the place, it is the system working: after heavy rain or a plant failure, it is worth glancing at the council's ordinances before planning a day at the sea. It is the only check that genuinely matters.

Which one to choose

• With small children: Le Saline, for the shore.
• To swim: the free Castello beach, for the sheltered water.
• For quiet: Trelo or Prelo, arriving early.
• For a short stop while walking: Le Rane.
• For a full day with facilities: the seafront clubs or San Michele.

Between swims it is worth knowing what to see in town.

Frequently asked questions

Are there free beaches in Rapallo?

Yes, five: Le Saline on the town seafront, Le Rane on the promenade towards villa Tigullio, the Castello beach below the fortress, and Trelo and Prelo in the hamlet of San Michele di Pagana.

Are Rapallo's beaches sand or pebbles?

It depends on the stretch. Le Saline is sand and fine gravel, Trelo has sand and stones, Prelo and Nagge are pebbles, and the free Castello beach is a natural pool among the rocks. There is no single sandy beach as in other resorts along the riviera.

Which is the best beach in Rapallo with children?

Le Saline, because it is the only one with a shore of sand and fine gravel and because you reach it on foot from the centre along the seafront, with no steps or paths.

Where are Trelo and Prelo?

In the hamlet of San Michele di Pagana, beyond the harbour towards Santa Margherita. Prelo is reached by going down from the church of San Michele Arcangelo. Both are small and fill up early in high season.

Can you swim at Rapallo?

Yes. Testing is carried out by Arpal and the council occasionally issues temporary bans, for example after a failure at the sewage plants, as happened in June 2026 at Le Saline. These are contained episodes, lifted after testing: after heavy rain it is worth checking the council's ordinances.