The Best Things to Do Outside in Italy

White pebbles instead of sand keep the water at Cala dei Gabbiani impossibly clear all day, even when boats are passing. Tucked into the limestone cliffs of Sardinia's Costa di Baunei, this cove is quieter than its neighbors because getting here takes some effort, and the seabed drops off quickly enough that you're swimming among curious fish almost immediately. It ranked 18th on the World's 50 Best Beaches list, and it earns the placement without performing for anyone.

The shallow turquoise water here is so calm it reads as a lagoon, framed by a 16th-century watchtower and a tiny island just offshore. This northwest Sardinian beach outside Stintino draws serious summer crowds, so the local authorities now cap daily visitors to keep it from loving itself to death. Ranked among Europe's 50 Best Beaches, it earns the comparison to tropical destinations people keep making, Mediterranean geography notwithstanding.