Planning to visit Monopoli soon? You are probably wondering if this small town in the region of Puglia is worth visiting. Monopoli is a charming coastal town and it is known for its beautiful coastline and delicious seafood. If you are a beach lover, Monopoli is definitely worth visiting.
Monopoli has some of the best sandy beaches in Puglia. These beaches have crystal clear waters and fine sand making it perfect for sunbathing and swimming. One of the most popular beaches in Monopoli is Cala Porta Vecchia. It is located in the historic city center of Monopoli and is very easily accessible by foot if you are staying in the city center. Some of the best beaches in Monopoli are Porto Bianco, Porto Rosso, and Cala Paradiso.
In this article, we will be talking about 5 of the best Monopoli beaches. If you want to experience swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea, grab your sunscreens and read until the end!
How To Get To Monopoli
Monopoli is located in the city of Bari in the Puglia region of Italy. It is a small town and is considered one of Bari’s most beautiful coastal cities. The nearest airport to Monopoli is Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport, about a one-hour drive from the town. Aside from renting a car and renting a private transfer, you can get to Monopoli from the airport via train, bus, and taxi. There are no direct trains or buses going to Monopoli. If you are taking the bus or train, you will need to go to Bari City first and then take the train or bus to Monopoli from there.
Best Beaches around Monopoli
Monopoli has about 15 km of coastline and is known as Puglia’s seaside city. It was once a fishing village but is now home to some of Puglia’s best beaches with golden sands and crystal clear waters. Monopoli is a small town but you may need to spend at least 2 to 3 days if you want to discover some of Monopoli’s best beaches.
Cala Porta Vecchia
Cala Porta Vecchia is located 5 minutes away from Monopoli’s historic city center. Its central location makes it very accessible on foot and it is near establishments such as restaurants and cafés as well.
The beach is not big and it is a narrow stretch of sand and a few rocks but it offers fine sand and crystal-clear waters that are perfect for swimming. Since Cala Porta Vecchia is a small beach, it gets very crowded during the summer season. But, despite being a small sandy beach, it is well-maintained and very clean.
Cala Porta Vecchia is a public beach and there are no facilities so you will have to bring your own umbrellas and beach towels if you want to lay on the sand. The waters are also shallow and calm which is ideal if you are traveling with small children. If you are staying in one of the hotels in Monopoli’s city center, going to Cala Porta Vecchia can be very convenient. There is also a parking area near the beach if you will be arriving by car.
Porto Bianco & Porto Rosso
A 10-minute walk from Monopoli’s city center is the sandy beach of Porto Bianco. This beach is also accessible via a bicycle path. There is also free street parking around the area but, you will have to come early if you don’t want to spend time driving around to find a parking spot.
Porto Bianco has fine golden sands and is also hidden by some low rocks where you can also lay a beach towel to spend time sunbathing. Like Cala Porta Vecchia, it is a public beach so there are no facilities on this beach. You will have to bring your own parasols, beach towels, or lounge chairs.
There are restaurants and cafés nearby so you don’t have to worry about where to get food, snacks, or drinks. You can definitely bring your own food but just make sure not to leave any trash on the beach.
Porto Rosso is also just 10 minutes away from the center of Monopoli and is just a short walk from Porto Bianco. Like Porto Bianco, Porto Rosso has fine sands and it is also a public beach that has no facilities.
Both Porto Bianco and Porto Rosso are also small beaches but they have a more private vibe than the centrally located beach of Cala Porta Vecchia. Both Porto Rosso and Porto Bianco are family-friendly beaches.
Cala Paradiso
If you want to experience the Italian lido, Cala Paradiso is a large beach that is about a 15-minute walk from Monopoli’s old town. Cala Paradiso has private lidos and a smaller area that is free to the public. Cala Paradiso’s beach clubs have parasols and sun beds for rent.
There are also several sports services that you can partake in such as beach volleyball, volleyball, basketball, and even soccer. There is a restaurant, pizzeria, and a bar on this beach that sells several food, snacks, and drinks.
There is a paid parking area near the beach if you are planning to bring your car. The paid parking can be used by private and public beachgoers. The beach clubs do get crowded during the summer months. But, if you want a more private atmosphere, definitely go to the lido (beach club) instead of the public area in Cala Paradiso.
Porto Marzano
One of the best beaches in Monopoli is Porto Marzano, a 10-minute drive from the old town of Monopoli. Porto Marzano is surrounded by large rocky walls and its crystal clear waters make it perfect for swimming.
Porto Marzano is also a sandy beach with shallow waters near the shore making it ideal for families with small children. There is a parking area near the beach and Porto Marzano itself does not have any lidos and it is a free beach.
Since there are no beach clubs in Porto Marzano, you will need to bring your own parasols and beach towels if you want to lay on the sand. There is no need for water shoes as it is sandy near the shore. But, it does get rocky as you get further away from the shore. It is advisable to stay near the shore to avoid any accidents.
Porto Ghiacciolo
This beach is one of the best beaches in Monopoli because of its crystal-clear waters and fine sand. It is about 1 10 to 15-minute drive from Monopoli’s historic center and can be reached via an off-beaten track.
Porto Ghiacciolo is a small beach with a lido so you can definitely rent umbrellas and parasols for a couple of hours. There is also a bar and restaurant that serves cocktails and seafood dishes for you to enjoy. You will also be able to get a view of the ancient structure of the Abbey of Santo Stefano which was built in 1086.
Porto Ghiacciolo also gets very crowded during the weekends and summer months. If you are a bit of a history buff and a beach lover, Porto Ghiacciolo is definitely worth the visit.
Conclusion
There are many beautiful beaches in the Puglia region and you will find some of them in the charming town of Monopoli. The beaches in Monopoli have fine sands and crystal-clear waters perfect for swimming under the Italian sun. You can also choose from several beach clubs or free beaches depending on your preference.
The beaches we included in this article are near Monopoli’s historic city center. The most popular beach in Monopoli is Cala Porta Vecchia as it is very accessible from Monopoli’s city center. We also have included 4 other beaches that you can visit in Monopoli. If you have any other questions, let us know via the contact form on our website!
