We spent a few days here on the other coast of Italy, the East coast, exploring the string of wild, natural beaches along the Riviera del Conero in undiscovered Marche. These beaches form part of the Conero National Park with green cliffs framing much of the coastline, so you'll get some hiking in around here, like it or not.

We based ourselves in Sirolo a medieval town on top of a cliff looking over the sea. We spent a morning at Mezzavalle, known for its natural mud. Dig out a mud rock, soak it in sea water, slather it on you, bake on the rocks in the sun, swim, wash, feel good, repeat. Our afternoons were spent at Portonovo, the prettiest beach of them all. It's a mix of striped umbrellas, bright beach chairs and cabins, restaurants with the whole Italian Summer beach scene but with plenty of space to lie out on a towel on the white pebble shoreline too, taking dips in the clear, calm waters.

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