Costa Smeralda: the best beaches without the celebrity price tag
No beach on the Costa Smeralda is private: Italian law does not allow it. What actually costs money, where to park, and why the best stretch is not in the middle of the bay.
Do you have to pay for the beach on the Costa Smeralda?
- No. In Italy the shoreline is public state property — including the stretch in front of the luxury hotels.
- What costs money is parking and a sunbed, not access to the water.
- The part worth swimming is not the middle of the bay, it is the rocky edges.
No Costa Smeralda beach is private
The most persistent myth about this coast is that the beaches belong to the hotels. They do not. In Italy the shoreline is demanio marittimo, inalienable state property held for public use.
In practice: the water line is always freely accessible, even in front of a concession. You may walk through a beach club to reach the sea and nobody may charge you for the passage. What is sold is loungers, umbrellas and service — never access itself.
Anyone telling you the beach is private is confusing a concession with ownership.
What actually costs: the parking
The real obstacle is not a ticket, it is where you leave the car. At Capriccioli roadside parking is charged in season, and through August everything is taken by around 10 a.m.
Unlike the capped beaches to the north and east, there is no booking here: it is simply first come, first served. Which moves the planning from the app to the alarm clock.
Go to the edges, not the middle
The famous coves are busiest in the middle and dullest underwater: pale sand and not much else. It gets interesting along the granite edges, where the pink rock drops into the water.
At Capriccioli a low granite point separates two bays. At Spiaggia del Principe the rocks to the right of the crescent drop onto lively ground: white bream, saddled bream and peacock wrasse among the boulders, often in very shallow water.
Capriccioli: the bay that always has a calm side
Two coves facing opposite directions, split by a headland of granite and juniper. Whatever the wind is doing, one of the two sides is sheltered.
That makes Capriccioli the most reliable address on the Costa Smeralda on rough days — and the sensible fallback when there is swell further north.
From the water
Boat and catamaran trips leave from Porto Cervo and Poltu Quatu, combining the coves along the coast with the islets offshore — almost always with a snorkelling stop and gear on board.
In high season this is often the more sensible option: you skip the parking problem entirely and end up where nobody arrives from land.
Frequently asked questions
Are Costa Smeralda beaches private?
No. In Italy the shoreline is public state property. Concessions may sell loungers and services, but they may not block or charge for access to the water.
Do you need to book Capriccioli?
No. Unlike Cala Brandinchi, Lu Impostu or La Pelosa, Capriccioli is not capped. The only limit is parking, which fills up around 10 a.m. in high season.
When is the best time to go?
Early morning, or by boat. From late morning in July and August both the car park and the water in front of the cove are full.
