Nightlife in Italy: 10 places not to be missed this summer

The Riviera Romagnola is definitely among the best summer destinations for those seeking nightlife in Italy. Long, seemingly endless beaches, sand between your toes, until the hot sun on your skin gives way to a gentle evening breeze and the desire to party more intense than ever. If you are in Rimini, Riccione or Milano Marittima, this is what awaits you in the three most famous tourist resorts on the coast of Emilia-Romagna. Nights on the Riviera are unforgettable, unrestrained, with the scent of the sea air blending with loud music.

Riccione is the entertainment resort par excellence, with plenty of attractions for young people, including glamorous clubs, boutiques, water parks, discos and beach parties. Rimini is always active both day and night, suitable for young people and families, and the ideal summer destination for those who want to combine leisure, fun and well-being. Every evening, in various parts of the city, the Rimini nightlife ignites in the trendy restaurants and clubs in the historic centre and along the seafront. And then there is Milano Marittima, famous for its discos where you can dance until the sun comes up and the aperitifs in town. Here you will also find open-air disco bars and many places and clubs where you can sip a cocktail with your feet in the sand in front of the spectacle of the sea.

In the province of Venice, Jesolo is a lively town, an ideal destination for both young people looking for fun and families with children. Here you will never get bored, neither during the day nor at night: you will find long and equipped beaches, entertainment for children and adults, some of the best Luna Park and Acqua Park in Northern Italy, aperitifs and happy hours. But that's not all: from sunset onwards, the numerous discos and nightclubs guarantee transgressive and alternative entertainment, capable of satisfying all tastes, even those of the most demanding clientele. Internationally renowned deejays, showbiz celebrities and lots of music await you.

The perfect way to end an unforgettable evening? Don't miss the sunrise from the beach: the soft, cool sand beneath your feet will be like a VIP cinema seat where you can watch the new day dawn.

Versilia is a cultured and fun land known for Viareggio's carnival and its long, sandy beaches. The most famous resorts here are Viareggio, Marina di Pietrasanta, Lido di Camaiore and, above all, Forte dei Marmi, a symbol of refined worldliness. Historically, Versilia has always been the favourite holiday destination of Italian intellectuals, as demonstrated by the villas that once belonged to famous people and now host exhibitions and cultural meetings. These places are also linked to episodes in the lives of great artists of the past. In his villa in Marina di Pietrasanta, for example, Gabriele d'Annunzio composed 'La pioggia nel pineto' (Rain in the Pine Grove) and the composer Giacomo Puccini lived and worked in Torre del Lago.

Forte dei Marmi is a renowned luxury destination. It is a beautiful town surrounded by enchanting views built around the remains of a fortress. It is also home to famous clubs that marked the history of costume in the 1960s. The town's vibrant cultural life does not forget young people, especially during the summer season. They can find trendy beach clubs offering aperitifs and dance parties and events with live music and DJ sets in discos and music bars. If you're looking for something a little quieter, don't worry. There are lounge bars in spectacular locations where you can relax with a cocktail.

Also, California Park Hotel is a very nice hotel surrounded by a park, only 300 meters from the sea.

Elba is part of the Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago Toscano (Tuscan Archipelago National Park), an enchanting paradise famous for its beaches and having hosted Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile. But not only. Beaches and cliffs, villages clinging to the mountains, terraces overlooking the sea, scents and flavours are the ingredients of a beautiful landscape that will enchant you. Elba is the ideal destination for everyone: families with children, groups of friends, single young people, and those looking for a romantic holiday. In the summer months, there are plenty of clubs and beach parties and open-air concerts in the village squares or on the island's main beaches. There are also locations where you can have an aperitif in a relaxed lounge atmosphere, restaurants and clubs to listen to good live music, discos and disco pubs.  

Now let's talk about another island: Sardinia. It is a treasure trove of countless treasures, world-famous for the beauty of its sea, which offers a thousand different landscapes. It is said to be a magical land, which is probably true. Still, it is undoubtedly a little world with millenary traditions capable of captivating anyone who visits it, whatever their age. If you love the sea and nature excursions, you'll find a place here that has nothing to envy the most famous places on the planet. But even if you're looking for nightlife, you won't be disappointed if you choose the right areas. 

In the northeast of Sardinia, the Costa Smeralda is the most exclusive part of the island, ideal for mid-to-high-end tourism and famous for its select boutiques and glittering nightlife. Its iconic resorts are Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo and Baja Sardinia, which offer beautiful beaches and incredible clubs. Porto Cervo, in particular, is the destination of choice for VIPs and elite tourism, perfect for those looking for a holiday of excellence on a par with Portofino, Monte Carlo and St. Tropez. Here are also some of the most famous discos in Sardinia and the Costa Smeralda (but not for all pockets). Needless to say, there's no shortage of wonderful hotels, such as Colonna Hotel Country, close to the wonderful Cala Granu's white sand beach. 

If your budget is a little more limited, don't worry: the nearby San Teodoro, the capital Cagliari and the city of Alghero offer a beautiful sea and a lively nightlife, with stalls animating the streets of the centre, shops open until late, events, pool parties, clubs, discos and fashion shows.

The Riviera delle Palme is a stretch of coastline over 15 kilometres long overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the Marche region in central-eastern Italy. Here you will find medieval villages of great beauty immersed in the green of the hinterland or close to the sea, with the backdrop of the Sibillini Mountains. The summer holidays here are characterised by good food and fun for everyone; they have the flavour of the beach and art, history, clubs, music, and events.

San Benedetto del Tronto is the most important town on the Riviera, capable of perfectly mixing seaside relaxation with nightlife for all ages. With fireworks, shows and entertainment for young and old, aperitifs on the beach and discos, fun is guaranteed!

From Gallipoli to Lecce, from Otranto to Porto Cesareo, the Salento nights come alive every summer with parties and events worthy of the best discos in Ibiza. Salento is a beautiful land famous for its crystal-clear sea and Caribbean beaches in the far southeast of Apulia, in the South of Italy. It has towns full of history and charm, beautiful rural landscapes with an atmosphere of times gone by, and expanses of olive groves. The excellent Apulian cuisine, the nature and the high architectural value of the urban centres make this land one of the most appreciated Italian destinations for seaside and cultural tourism. In fact, there is no shortage of fabulous hotels, such as Antico Palazzo Spinola, equipped with a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea and right in the center of Gallipoli.

In addition to this, the Salento is increasingly establishing itself as the new frontier of summer fun in Italy. Young people are more and more choosing it as one of their favourite holiday destinations, thanks to beach parties and top events with internationally renowned DJs. The undisputed queen of Salento's nightlife? Certainly Gallipoli, but Porto Cesareo and Santa Maria di Leuca also offer a wide choice for combining sea and nightlife, such as beach bars, clubs for aperitifs, concerts, and discos by the sea.

The Campanian island of Ischia, in southern Italy, is famous for its views and for being a relaxing oasis full of unforgettable beaches, open-air thermal springs, art and evidence of history. It's all true, but those looking for summer can find something else here. Besides being the main town, Ischia Porto is the centre of the island's nightlife. The Riva Destra (right bank) of the Port of Ischia, in particular, has been famous since the 1960s as a place of entertainment. It is the symbolic area of Ischia's nightlife that has preserved its distinctive charm over time. Here, on summer evenings, you can hear music coming from the clubs, and there are plenty of restaurants, street food bars, lounge bars and disco bars. The island also offers live music shows and discos. And if you don't know where to stay there's Relais Bijoux Ischia, the best of hospitality, with a garden, a pool and wondeful views.

Those who think that Tropea and Calabria (the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula) are all about sea and food are wrong. Of course, marine activities and excellent local food play a significant role in the experience of those visiting the Costa degli Dei (Coast of the Gods), named for its beauty, but that's not all. The area has become a very fashionable destination not only for families and couples, but it has also opened up to a youth-oriented tourist offer in recent years. Tropea, in particular, is one of the most sought-after nightlife destinations in the region. It is a small town, considered one of the pearls of Calabria, which offers many things to do and see for both those who wish to relax and those looking for fun. You can start the evening in one of the restaurants and piano bars in the centre of town and then move to the coastal area. Here, you will find places to party and lidos that turn into open-air discos or have artists performing at night.

On the eastern side of Sicily, Taormina looks like a terrace on the sea because of its morphology. It is so beautiful that Goethe described it as a 'piece of paradise on earth' in his 'Italian Journey'. It is a small, elegant village with a medieval appearance surrounded by lemon gardens, with an ancient Hellenistic soul revealed in its symbolic place: the Greek theatre. It has been a place loved by prominent figures throughout history: Gabriele D'Annunzio, German Emperor Wilhelm II and various artists found peace and inspiration here.

If you wonder what it is like to spend a summer holiday in Taormina after dark, we can tell you that it offers fantastic and fashionable nightlife. There are plenty of ways to have fun, from lounge bars to beach bars to discos, and within a few kilometres, you can find the most beautiful nightclubs in Sicily. In short, nothing is missing, from the most beautiful locations where to have an aperitif, to restaurants, evenings and events with national and international artists.

Ready for an unforgettable Italian summer?