Environmental Experts List the 5 Best Beaches in Italy

There's so much to tempt holiday makers to pick Italy as their destination of choice. Not only does the country boast splendid culture, food, arts and architecture, but the climate makes it ideal for enjoying the glorious Italian beaches. Of course, with so many of Italy's beaches being of a high standard, it's a difficult task to separate the superior wheat from the good wheat. Fortunately, the good people at Legambiente publish an annual list of the cleanest and most attractive beaches. The 2008 list has just been published, and the top 5 should be on any beach lover's check list when taking a family holiday in Italy, especially when the criteria for ranking takes over 130 factors into account, including clean waters, unpolluted sands, art and cuisine!

5. Nardo - Lecce

Nardo and its villages in the Ionian sea clinched 5th spot, up from 6th last year. As well as having as clean and pristine Italian beaches as you can imagine, Italy's family holiday makers can take in the regional nearby wildlife reserve Portoselvaggio, the famous parkland with 300 hectares of pinewood forest and of course the 7 kilometres of unpolluted coast land, as endorsed by Legambiente. If you're looking for natural beauty, you can't go wrong with Nardo'.

4. Capalbio, Grosseto

Capalbio is a town where it's main feature is the beach, but beyond that it has a quiet sense of beauty and refinement with a handful of great restaurants, and delightful scenery. The beach is of course, the main draw and you can expect the usual high standards, including pristine waters, great nearby restaurants, peace, quiet and clean sands.

3. Cinque Terre, La Spezia

The rocky coastline of the Cinque Terre has a certain rugged beauty about it, only matched by the blue-green colour of the ocean. It's very easy to lose hours here when you only mean to rest on the sands for a couple of minutes! The only downside with this one is that the sheer beauty of the place does mean it can get crowded when the weather is at its best.

2. Pollica, Salerno

If you close your eyes and picture the perfect Italian beach, Pollica's is probably it. The picturesque settlements that line the coastline are the perfect backdrop for the golden sands and vibrant blue waters. When the sun is out, there are few places in the world better for relaxing than this beach in Italy.

1. Isola del Giglio, Grosseto

This is the first year that a full island has been named the best beach in Italy by Legambiente, This special achievement was in recognition to the "great natural value" and the efforts of local councils in "sustainability and safeguarding the environment" according the association's president. He went on to say that the island "presents a snapshot of what Legambiente believes of be the best on offer in Italy."

The island's beaches boast crystal clear waters of an emerald green shade that are teeming with fascinating sea life. 90% of the island is still wild, meaning it's hard to beat when it comes to taking a relaxing break away from the stresses of modern life. Deservedly voted Italy's best beach.

It's safe to say any one of these will offer a thoroughly relaxing experience on a family holiday to Italy. The only downside is having to leave when night falls!