Above: Eraclea Mare beach on a May evening, Eraclea Mare, Italy
In May Eraclea Mare is a serene oceanfront destination, especially for those who despise the touristy beach scene. It may be busy in summer, but in spring we had the beach all to ourselves! Read on to find out how we spent our time during our five-day stay in Eraclea Mare.
Our Day Trip Hub
Our visit to Eraclea Mare was a five-day mini vacation spent touring around northeastern Italy while my two brothers were in town. This is not the way Ian and I typically like to travel, but we did see a lot during those five days! We rented a diesel-powered Ford C-Max and visited Verona, Venice, Bologna and San Marino by day, resting our heads in our beachside bungalow at night.
A Bungalow by the Beach
When deciding where to stay, we landed on Eraclea Mare because of two things: affordability and beachside location. With two bedrooms and a kitchen, our small bungalow had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Split among four of us, it was a steal! It was also within driving distance to several Italian cities we planned to visit during our stay.
Relaxing Times in this Beachy Ghost Town
Looking back, there’s a good chance I had gelato every day in Eraclea Mare. Despite there being practically no one around town, businesses were open (though not very busy). Our host recommended a reservation if we planned to go out to dinner in town.
Tourism is seasonal in Eraclea Mare. It’s typical for businesses to open up for regular hours after Easter.
Besides eating too much ice cream, we explored the town and beachfront by foot and shopped for groceries to cook our own meals. At the recommendation of our host, we planned a pizza night at Pizzeria Brian. It was delicious!
On to Milan
After five busy days in Northern Italy, my brothers headed back to the States, and Ian and I returned to Milan to spend the final weeks of our Europe trip there.
Like this post? Read our thoughts and view our photos from other destinations we’ve visited in the world!
Congrats for a captivating vacation. It was an excellent choice! What’s your next destination?
Thanks 🙂 Next we’re heading up to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the snow and do some skiing! We’ll definitely be back to Italy soon, too.