If you are looking for the best beaches near Modica, you came to the right place. In this article you’ll find everything you need to know about the 5 most beautiful beaches near Modica, including their distance and what makes each one of them unique!
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Is Modica, Sicily Worth Visiting?
Absolutely Yes! Modica is a true baroque jewel in the South side of Sicily and apart from the nearby beaches has a lot to offer to holiday makers, including 2 gorgeous Modica Cathedrals, a breathtaking baroque city center, its incredible delicacies like Modica’s Chocolate and a fantastic cuisine.
How Far is Modica to The Beach?
There are several beaches near Modica, the closest one is Marina di Modica, located at 21.1 km (13 miles) from the city. It is very easy to reach, via car it’s just a 20 minutes ride. The second closest beach is Sampieri, 24.6 km (15.2 miles) away. Unsurprisingly locals consider these to be the best beaches near Modica due to their proximity and ease of access. However some of the further beaches discussed in the article despite requiring are true hidden gems and totally worth a bit of extra driving
How do I Get to Modica Beaches?
In this part of Sicily public transport isn’t great, so the best option is always a car. However if you couldn’t rent one and need to use public transportation there are buses available. Buses have different schedules and frequency depending on the season, as of today they run as follows:
Low Season | High Season |
|---|---|
08:45 AM | 09:00 AM |
– | 09:10 AM |
12:15 PM | 12:00 PM |
– | 01:30 PM |
02:00 PM | 02:00 PM |
– | 03:30 PM |
06:35 PM | 06:20 PM |
That is the Modica – Marina di Modica Bus schedule running as of February 2025. Make sure you check the website of the bus company Azienda Siciliana Trasporti for up to date information as it may change.
There are no trains from Modica to Marina di Modica, the only public transport available is the above bus.
Best Beaches near Modica: Marina di Modica
Marina di Modica Beach Info:
Distance: 21.1 km (13 mi) – 22 minutes drive
Terrain: Sand or Rocks
Type of spaces: Free and Paid
Amenities and services: Public showers, beachclubs
Marina di Modica is the small seaside town near Modica. It is not officially a town on its own and is considered part of Modica’s municipality
Marina di Modica has a sandy beach which is both wide and long, there’s plenty of space to set up your towels and bring your own umbrella and you can also rent beach loungers, chairs and umbrellas from one of the beach clubs. On the highest season running from mid July to end of August you might have troubles renting one though because many holidaymakers book them for the whole period in advance to reserve their spot.
If you prefer to tan and spend time on the rocks you can just walk further to the edges of the beach on both sides. The rocks tend to also be less crowded than the sandy beach so it is ideal for people who prefer to spend their time relaxing and with less crowds.
Important Things to Know About Marina di Modica Beach
Many locals enjoy playing “tamburelli” a form of beach tennis, as well as football and beach volleyball sometimes, so if you want to avoid being disturbed make sure you find a spot that is far away from where people perform these activities!
Overall Marina di Modica is a great option and one of the best beaches near Modica because of its proximity, ease of access and because it is very well equipped.
Marina di Modica Restaurants:
Fine Dining in Marina di Modica:
There are several options for dining in Marina di Modica, especially during the busy days of the summer season. For a more “fine dining” experience you can check out the Corallo restaurant. It’s right on the beach so it offers beautiful romantic views of the sea and has more elaborated plates. It will be more expensive than the alternatives nearby
Quick Bites in Marina di Modica:
An option locals and tourists alike love is to grab a quick bite, on the main square not far from the beach you will find Panificio Mediterraneo a bakery selling local street food like scacce but also other dishes like lasagna, pizza slices and cannelloni a great way to avoid having to pack lunch and have a nice meal without breaking the bank in a restaurant!
Best Gelato in Marina di Modica
When it comes to delicious gelato ice cream you’re in luck because in Marina di Modica is one of the locations where Don Peppinu is available. There you’ll find some of the best artisan gelatos and granitas in the whole of Sicily. These gelatos are so good that we made a whole video reviewing them, you can find it here
Best Beaches near Modica: Sampieri Beach
Sampieri Beach Info
Distance: 24 km (15 mi) – 26 minutes drive
Terrain: Sand or Rocks
Type of spaces: Free and Paid
Amenities and services: Public showers, beach clubs
Sampieri beach is also considered one of the best beaches near Modica for proximity and ease of access.
Sampieri beach is a long beach (around 2km, 1.2 miles) meaning you’ll have plenty of space to find a quiet spot. It’s also one of locals’ favourite beaches to go on walks and runs, by running back and forth once you’ll complete 80% of a 5k run!
Sampieri beach has both free available space and the possibility of renting a beach lounger from one of the clubs just like in Marina di Modica beach.
Visiting Sampieri also offers the opportunity to do a bit of sightseeing since at the end of the beach you’ll find the Fornace Penna an abandoned red brick factory that was used manufacture and ship bricks directly to Lybia, when it used to be an Italian colony.
BEWARE access to the factory is closed and the building is unstable and dangerous, feel free to walk around from outside the fence and take photos but we strongly suggest to stay outside of the perimeter at a safe distance.
Sampieri Restaurants:
The beach club Pata Pata is a great option if you need a cold drink or an ice cream to refresh yourself during the hot summer days after tanning or if you want to enjoy an aperitivo with sea views while watching the sunset.
Pata Pata hosts a restaurant too and during the hot season is considered a great location to enjoy some nightlife in Sampieri, since it hosts several concerts and cultural events during the evening. You can usually find a schedule of the events hanging outside the entrance.
Best Gelato in Sampieri
Our favourite gelato shop in Sampieri is hoky poky they have artisanal gelato, too with plenty of gluten free and vegan options as well.
There are also several cafes and bar along the lungomare a long boulevard where you can enjoy a stroll and sit down for a coffee whilst listening to the sound of the sea.
Best Beaches near Modica: Santa Maria del Focallo
Santa Maria del Focallo Beach Info
Distance: 32 km (19 mi) – 32 minutes drive
Terrain: Sand
Type of spaces: Free
Amenities and services: Public showers
Unlike Marina di Modica and Sampieri, Santa Maria del Focallo has no beach clubs nor paid spaces with beach lounger for rent.
This beach is more catered towards nature lovers as it’s a bit rough, the lack of beach clubs or restaurants means you will have to bring your own lunch and snacks or buy them beforehand at the local supermarket.
The beach tends to be a bit more windy as well. Despite the lack of beach clubs, the beach is still well equipped with basic necessities such as showers and garbage bins.
We suggest going to Santa Maria del Focallo if you prefer a rougher beach without clubs. Bear in mind that the beach is quite narrow meaning that even if it’s less popular than the options above, it might get busier during the summer months.
Best Beaches near Modica: Vendicari
Vendicari Beaches
Distance: 56.7 km (35 mi) – 51 minutes drive
Terrain: Sand or Rocks
Type of spaces: Small Entrance Fee
Amenities and services: Showers and Bins
Vendicari beaches are further from the others in Modica but we had to add them to our list because of their outstanding and unspoilt beauty.
Vendicari beaches are some of the best beaches near Modica because Vendicari is government protected unspoilt nature preservation reserve. In order to access you have to pay a small entrance fee and it is totally worth it because the area is very big, clean and well maintained.
Within the Vendicari reserve you have different beaches like Eloro Beach, San Lorenzo Beach and Calamosche Beach.
These beaches have the most pristine waters in the whole of southern Sicily.
Best Beaches near Modica: Eloro Beach (Vendicari)
Eloro beach is the easiest to reach from within the entrance of the Vendicari reserve, you will quickly notice a great amount of algae and despite it being counterintuitive, it is actually a good sign as these organisms thrive in cleaner waters.
Not far from Eloro beach, you will see an old building complex, that is the Tonnara di Vendicari and today it hosts a museum and cultural center where you can learn about the history of Vendicari and surroundings.
Best Beaches near Modica: Calamosche Beach (Vendicari)
There are several hiking trails in Vendicari, some connecting Eloro beach to other beaches like Calamosche beach, a gorgeous pool surrounded by 2 reefs ideal for snorkeling and admiring the local fauna.
Calamosche has a tiny stretch of golden sand enclosed on its two sides by two rocky reefs, forming a small gulf. This means calamosche beach has one of the quietest and cleanest water in the area and its the perfect place for people who love to have both golden sand beaches and clear deep water rocky reefs at reach.
If you are lucky, you might even spot some flamingos as Vendicari on top of some of the best beaches near Modica is also home to a bird sanctuary and has birdwatching cabins, we suggest bringing your own binoculars or a camera with a powerful zoom.
Important Things to Know about Vendicari
Since it is a natural reserve, Vendicari does not have any beach clubs, shops or restaurants. Once you enter the scenic area you won’t be able to buy food and water, so make sure to pack anything you might need.
However if you forget to buy supply before leaving, right before the entrance where you pay the ticket there are some restaurants where you can have a bite and buy some water, although because of their location and lack of competition they tend to be pricier than average.
We strongly advise to go there early in the morning to make the most of it and being able to explore the reserve and all hikes the natural beauty it offers!
