44.081° N, 9.907° E
Complete guide
Venere Azzurra (Lerici): beach guide
What the beach is like
Venere Azzurra is a locality in the municipality of Lerici, in the province of La Spezia, in Liguria. It consists of a beach in a natural inlet on the eastern side of the Gulf of La Spezia, between Lerici and San Terenzo. According to the website of the municipality of Lerici, it is an unusual locality, identified above all with the beach of the same name. In summer it is a hub of activity, drawing tourists and commuters from the city of La Spezia.
The beach is backed by green hills, looking out over the open sea towards the islands of Tino and Palmaria. On days when the north wind (tramontana) blows, the horizon is marked by the hazy outline of the island of Gorgona. The beach lies in the Golfo dei Poeti, opposite Portovenere.
Getting there
The reference point of Lerici lies 0.8 km as the crow flies south of the beach, and that of San Terenzo 0.9 km to the north-west. To reach Lerici you leave the A12 motorway, Genova - Livorno section, at the Sarzana exit, 6 km away, or the A15, La Spezia - Parma section, at the La Spezia exit, 5 km away. The reference railway stations are La Spezia, 10 km away, and Sarzana, 7 km away.
From 12 September 2005 some L and S line buses leaving La Spezia station were diverted onto the route Galleria Scoglietti, Lungomare di San Terenzo, Venere Azzurra, Lerici. According to Wikivoyage, in summer tourists are not allowed to drive into Lerici, and it is best to park outside the town. The car parks listed include La Vallata, raised above the seafront and reached from provincial road 331. Directly on the seafront is the Venere Azzurra and Piazza Ghidoni car park. A public bus links the car parks outside the town with the centre. The Lerici seafront is well developed as far as San Terenzo and is also suitable for wheelchairs.
When to go
The beach faces south-west. With the tramontana, the north-easterly (grecale) and the east wind (levante) the wind blows from the land: the beach is sheltered and the sea near the shore tends to be calmer. The south wind (ostro), the south-westerly (libeccio) and the west wind (ponente), on the other hand, come from the sea and leave it exposed to waves and rough water. The sirocco (scirocco) and the mistral (maestrale) hit it side-on. These indications are derived from the beach's orientation; they are not forecasts. Before setting off, it is worth checking the wind and sea forecasts.
The Palio del Golfo, the rowing contest in which the Venere Azzurra borgata also takes part, is held on the first Sunday of August in the gulf.
Seabed and sea
The beach faces the Ligurian Sea. In the 2025 season the European Environment Agency (EEA) rated the bathing water quality of this stretch as excellent. In 2026 Venere Azzurra appears in the list of Blue Flag beaches compiled by the FEE for the municipality of Lerici. According to the municipality's website, since 2000 the beach has been awarded the FEE Blue Flag, as well as Legambiente's four sails, for the quality of its water and services. The sources consulted do not describe the type of seabed.
Facilities and free beach
Venere Azzurra is a free beach, but well equipped, where umbrellas, deckchairs, sunloungers and pedal boats can be rented. Entry is free. There are three refreshment points on the beach. Every day there are daytime and evening entertainment, themed music parties, aqua aerobics and babysitting. In the middle of a summer day it is a good idea to bring water, a hat and sunscreen.
Rules and protected areas
For those arriving by boat, the municipality's website states that from May to September boats may anchor 200 metres from the beach marker buoys and 100 metres off the stretches of high coast. The municipality also publishes the provisions on bathing and on the use of state-owned coastal areas, which regulate the use of beaches belonging to the public domain.
Nearby
The Venere Azzurra borgata marinara was founded in 1953 and represents the frazione of Pugliola, Solaro and Venere Azzurra. It was originally called La Vallata, and later took the name of the beach. It has won one senior palio, in 1989, and two junior palii, in 1969 and 1999, the year in which it also won the parade of the borgate.
Pugliola lies 0.6 km as the crow flies to the north-east. To the west are San Terenzo beach at 0.8 km and the Marinella at 1 km, while to the south-east lie the Caletta at 1.3 km and Fiascherino at 2.4 km, also as the crow flies. The walk from castle to castle links Lerici and San Terenzo. Between the point of Maramozza and Maralunga, the Parco subacqueo archeologico della Caletta is suited to dives to discover the remains of a Roman merchant ship. On the stretch of coast between the Maralunga promontory and Fiascherino there are small beaches reached by steep flights of steps. Trails such as the L462 and the L426 lead from the town to Monte Branzi, and their upper section belongs to the Parco Naturale Regionale Montemarcello-Magra-Vara.
Sources
- Wikipedia (it) — Venere Azzurra
- QualeSpiaggia — open data spiagge (CC BY 4.0)
- OpenStreetMap
- Comune di Lerici
- Wikivoyage (it) — Lerici
- EEA — Bathing water quality 2025 (IT007011016006)
- FEE Italia — Bandiera Blu 2026, elenco spiagge
- Comune di Lerici - Disposizioni balneazione e utilizzo aree demaniali
- Lerici, mare e spiagge del borgo della Liguria - Italia.it