Cala Rossa

Cala Rossa, on the island of Favignana, carries the kind of reputation that makes you want to book a flight. Named the best beach in Italy in 2015, it’s been described by creator Salvo Guarneri as having “painted-looking sea colors,” a phrase that captures the almost surreal turquoise waters lapping against the island’s ancient tuff quarries. With a stellar 4.8 rating, this is the kind of place that earns its hype—a natural amphitheater of stone and sea that feels more like a postcard than reality.

That vivid, painterly quality is no accident. The beach’s setting, surrounded by the rough-hewn walls of abandoned quarries, creates a dramatic contrast with the calm, crystalline water. Guarneri notes it’s the “most beautiful beach on Favignana,” and for anyone who’s visited, the claim rings true. It’s a spot best experienced early, before the crowds arrive, when the light hits the quarry walls just right, and the water lives up to its painted reputation.