This Italian Beach Town Is a Local’s Secret — With Cliffside Beach Clubs, Crystal-clear Water, and Incredible Food

“How did you even know about this place?”

It’s the question I’m asked by nearly every Italian in the small town of Ospedaletti.

Travel writers love being the first to “discover” a place. We pride ourselves on scouring the globe for hidden gems so we can share them with the world. But here’s the rub: Sometimes a  place is so charming and so beautiful you almost want to keep it a secret. What if it becomes crowded? What if it becomes too expensive? What if they build a McDonald’s? 

Ospedaletti, a small town on the Ligurian Coast just an hour from Nice, feels like my secret. I spend a month here each summer with my husband and we’ve fallen in love with the town of just over 3,000 residents. To us, it’s the perfect Italian summer.  

The Comune di Ospedaletti, the town’s official tourism board, has become heavily invested in the community, not only making improvements to the infrastructure but playing host to a slew of summertime events like local food tours, concerts, plays, puppet shows, and night sky viewings. It feels pure and authentic. 

But before we dig in, we must talk about the food in Ospedaletti. Every dish is hyperlocal, and what’s on your plate is likely grown in a nearby field or produced in the owner’s home. Ask for a ragù alla Bolognese and you’ll likely get a quizzical shrug. The Ligurian coast is best known for its focaccia: pillowy squares of dimpled bread, served at nearly every restaurant in town. The trofie pasta with pesto is simple perfection. And seafood in Ospedaletti is superb; dishes pair perfectly with a local crisp, white Vermentino. 

For the scant size of the town, Ospedaletti has an impressive number of restaurants. I’ve tried all of them and feel confident in recommending a few favorites. There’s Bar Alba for homemade ravioli in a lush courtyard setting. Restaurant Byblos for a fancier night out that feels almost as if you’re at an Italian wedding reception. That’s not to be confused with Bagni Byblos downstairs, open for lunch; the family-run beach-chic restaurant serves the absolute best seafood pasta. There’s an affordable five-course tasting menu at Come e Casa; La Bagnarola dello zio has to-die-for spaghetti and clams; a generous aperitivo can be found at Alexandra; and the best sunset spritzes are to be had at L’anciua.

But if we’re divulging secrets, my favorite-ever meal here is the most simple: a caprese sandwich (or rather, panino classico) at Caletta del Gabbiano. This local beach club, where we reserve a chair for the month, is built into the cliffside and offers the most clear-blue and often-calm waters that are ideal for lap swimming. The club is run by Alessandro Grazzini, who will happily help you practice your Italian in his downtime. His lovely mother can often be found preparing lunch for the locals, and I’m not embarrassed to say that my husband and I ate 38 of her sandwiches between the two of us in just one month’s time. 

The beach is probably the biggest draw to this town, and the under-the-radar status offers fewer crowds and clearer waters. Beach clubs dot the coastline, where Italians bronze themselves from late morning to sunset. There’s even a dog beach. On that note: Dogs are treated like royalty here, and there are even designated sections in grocery carts so you can procure produce with your pup. 

The morning hours offer cooler temperatures that can be spent on the Pista Ciclabile, a 24-kilometer-long traffic-free bicycle path that leads from Ospedaletti to San Lorenzo al Mare. It’s popular among cyclists, but it’s equally lovely for a casual walk or jog. Bring your dog, of course. 

A recent and welcome addition is the Laura Home and Collection at Villa San Luca, now included among the 68 properties in the Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano. The villa is a goldmine of precious antiques donated by former residents Luigi Anton and his wife Renata Salesi. Visiting the home feels as if you’re stepping into the couple’s lives, peeking into their private rooms, all punctuated with family photos — mostly of their beloved cats. 

You may have noticed that there aren’t a lot of hotel recommendations here. I imagine that will change at some point, but for now you’ll find the modest but beachside Hotel La Perla Del Capo and high-on-the-hill Hotel Petit Royale. There are loads of short-term rentals in town, which cater to an Italian market who often vacation for the month of August. We’ve stayed in the same one-bedroom rental that has an actual air conditioner (often a tough find), an updated kitchen, and balcony overlooking the sea.

On a recent visit to Bagni Byblos, the waiter — a hip young thing who lives in nearby San Remo — said to us: “Ospedaletti is the next Monte Carlo.” And I believe it. But for now, it’s exactly what we look for in a small seaside town: a place to spend the perfect Italian summer.