The Beaches of Palinuro and surrounding area

The best way to chose a beach in Palinuro is just by trying all of them in the first couple of days and then to chose the one you like best.

Here are brief descritpions.

See the location map here:

Il Pertuoso (the hole - due to the rock which also acts as a small road tunnel) - or Sailboat beach due to the sail shaped rock at one end of the beach or better still the Cyclops beach or beach along the road to Marina di Camerota - south of Palinuro.
Must be the longest beach name ever - and quite rightly
- sandy with pebbels on water entry.


This beach is about 10 km long and at some points 200 mt. wide.
It starts where the river Mingardo flows into the sea just behind Capo Palinuro and this initial part is called the Mingardo beach, but from there on it goes all the way to the Pertuoso or 'hole' and even farther towards Marina di Camerota.
Depends on what you like. In the high season even this beach is too large to get crowded but after the Ciclope Disco 4 km from Palinuro, for about 3 km in August you will be hard pressed to find parking space.
On this stretch the beach is wide, the sea fantastic and sea depth increases very rapidly a few meters from the shore.
Best place for windsurfing.
The Mingardo part is a bit more shelterd but can get pretty full as camping sites are dotted along the shore for about 2 km starting from the outlet of the river Mingardo.

The Saline Beach - sandy

This is north of Palinuro and goes all the way from Pisciotta Marina (or almost) to Palinuro and is about 5 km long.
The central point is at the Saracene Tower of Caprioli and this is probably the 'pleasant' beach.
Right to the tower of Caprioli there is a nice stretch where you can walk out into the water for about 100 mt and still be only up to your waist.
Great for kids.
Due to this flat seabed which to it's left near the tower suddenly gets deep, and the sea currents arriving from the north - this area can get dangerous if the wind is up.
Some swimmers have been fooled by going out too far on the flat part and then found themselves swept to the left and due to the currents - were left stuck in the sea about 200 mt from the shore unable to neither reach the shore nor swim out of the current seawards.
Some unfortunate souls not strong enough have drowned periodically at this point over the years.
Not to worry though if you use your common sense - especially if the life guard's red flags are up - you'll be ok.

Palinuro Harbour Beach - sandy and very small pebbles

This is right next to the Palinuro Harbour and is pretty narrow but the water is crystal clean and the fishing boats anchored on the shore make this a picturesque setting.

Ex-Club Med beach - rocky
The beach just before Palinuro - and it's continuation all along the shore part of Palinuro is rocky so if you don't like sand this is the best solution for a great day of sandless sunbathing.
It's rocky but mostly flat at sea level so the water is easily accessed.

Capo Palinuro - around the Cape itself.

Some small secluded beach alcloves reachable by boat only are dotted around the Cape.
Nice for a boat picnics.
The best known is the Spiaggia del Buon Dormire - The beach of good sleep.
And near this is the Cala Fetente.

Marina di Camerota - small pebbes and sand
There are two beaches - one to the north (La Calanca) and one right under the center-right of the town.
A nice beach which gets pretty crowded in August
Believe it or not - Delfins like this beach too:

Marina di Camerota - Infreschi - sand - by boat only

South of Marina di Camerota is a secluded beach straight out of a Pirate film.
Day picnics from Marina are available.

Pisciotta Marina (or Marina di Pisciotta) - pebbles

Right at the end of the cul-de-sac Pisciotta Marina is a nice stretch of beach.
Very quiet outside the main season and a perfect place to start your day to end up eating in one of the village seaside restaurants or pizzerias.