Monopoli is one of the prettiest towns in Puglia, but in summer its beaches get packed. Umbrellas on every rock, towels on every patch of sand. It’s mainly locals rather than tourists, but a body is a body.
The good news is that the coast south of town is full of little coves, and a few of them are way quieter than the rest. Most of them just need a short walk from where you park, which is usually enough to keep a lot of people away. Most people are lazy.
These are the five quiet beaches near Monopoli I liked most. The top two are a tie for the best beaches near Monopoli, and they’re close to each other, which is pretty convenient.
Quick Answer: The Best Quiet Beaches Near Monopoli
1. Cala Verde: a little sandy cove with turquoise water, and one of the two best beaches near Monopoli. Park at Cala Vergine and walk 5 minutes left along the rocks.
2. Cala Sottile: the other one. A narrow, calm, turquoise inlet ringed by pines, about 500 m up the coast from Cala Verde. Park by Camping Santo Stefano and walk 5–10 minutes.
3. Cala del Coriandolo: the closest to town. Skip the busy stair beach (Cala Scaletta) and go one inlet to the left.
4. Cala Vergine: nice and pretty quiet, and it’s where you park for Cala Verde anyway.
5. Torre Pozzelle: a quiet cove with a sea cave you can swim to and walk inside. It’s last only because it’s about 40 km south, near Ostuni.
Getting to the Beaches
All of these are south of Monopoli’s old town. Cala del Coriandolo is only about 2 km from the old town, and Cala Verde, Cala Vergine and Cala Sottile are all within a few minutes of each other, about 5 km down the coast. Torre Pozzelle is the outlier, about 40 km south near Ostuni.
You’re going to need a car (or scooter) to get to these coves. Most of them have a spot to park nearby and then a short walk, and you can see a bunch in a day. Realistically, you can hit all of them except for the one by Ostuni.
In peak season, the best time to go is early or late in the day. Parking is the real limit on summer weekends.
Use the widget below to search for cars. Change the pickup location if you’d rather pick up your car elsewhere, like in Bari for instance.
1. Cala Verde: The Sandy Cove
Cala Verde and Cala Sottile are the two best beaches around Monopoli, and they’re only about 500 m apart, so it’s easy to do both in one day.
Cala Verde is a perfect sandy cove, with really clear turquoise water and low cliffs on both sides. It is literally the only beach we found near Monopoli where you could spread out a towel and have some space in peak season.
It’s sheltered by rock, making the water really calm. And a lot of the sea floor is sand, making it great for beach games or just to hang around without worrying about bashing your foot on a rock.
How to Get to Cala Verde
Park at Cala Vergine (number 4 on this list). Then walk left along the rocks. There’s a path of sorts, but regardless of whether or not you stick to it you’ll reach Cala Verde in about five minutes.
2. Cala Sottile: The Turquoise Inlet
Cala Sottile is the other half of the pair, and honestly it’s a toss-up which one is better. Sottile means “narrow” in Italian, so it may not be the most original name but it’s definitely accurate: a narrow inlet of very clear, calm, turquoise water, with pine trees all around it.
It won’t be empty, but it’s nothing compared to the crowds at the bigger beaches nearby. The water is so calm it almost feels like a lake. There’s no better place around for a calm, leisurely swim.
There’s a small sandy beach at the end, but I’d recommend just setting up shop on the rocky sides of the cove. Also, there’s a sandy hill on the far side of the cove that’s a cool place to lay down a towel.
How to Get to Cala Sottile
Park in the free lot by Camping Santo Stefano. There’s a gate right by the parking lot. Walk through it and follow the dirt path heading towards the water.
On the way you’ll pass a viewpoint over a beach to your left. It’s a pretty beach, no doubt, but the crowds are massive. Take a look at the photo below.
Continue past this beach. Once the path reaches the water, it curves to the right. Follow it for a few more minutes and you’ll arrive at the beach. It’s about 5–10 minutes in total.
There’s nothing here (no bar, no sunbeds), so bring water and snacks. The pine trees give you a bit of shade.
Note: Cala Verde and Cala Sottile are pinned on Offpath, my interactive map app showing hidden gems around the world! Open the pins for exact locations and directions, or give it a download if you want to find more quiet spots like these.
3. Cala del Coriandolo: Closest to Town
This is the closest one to the city, about 2 km from the old town.
The coast here is a string of little rocky inlets. One of them, Cala Scaletta, has a staircase down to an actual small beach (scaletta means “little staircase” – they really are so great with names here), so that’s the one everyone goes to. It’s often crowded.
Go to Cala del Coriandolo just to the left of it instead. It’s a little difficult to get into the water since there’s no beach, but you can climb down the rocks slowly, or just jump. The water is super clear and shallow in spots, plus it’s usually calm since it’s protected on three sides.
Bring something to lie on. It’s all rock, so people just find a flat spot (or somewhat flat spot) and set up there.
How to Get to Cala del Coriandolo
Park at this parking lot. Then walk across the street towards the water.
You’ll see a dirt path leading towards the coast – follow it, and you’ll arrive in a couple of minutes. Cala Scaletta is the beach down the staircase, and Cala del Coriandolo is the inlet to the left.
Just plug it in on Google Maps after parking – it’ll show you how to walk there.
Want to see this stretch of coast from the water? Boat trips leave from Monopoli’s port and cruise past the coves and sea caves.
4. Cala Vergine: Nice, but Keep Walking
Cala Vergine is where you park for Cala Verde, so you’ll see it either way. It’s a narrow rocky inlet with clear blue water, and it’s pretty quiet. It’s a nice spot – not as nice as Cala Verde – but definitely worth a stop.
If Cala Verde is full, or you just want somewhere to dip in on the way back to the car, it’s a good backup.
5. Torre Pozzelle (Spiaggia No. 2): Swim to the Sea Cave
This one’s last on the list only because it’s the furthest away: about 40 km south of Monopoli, in the Costa Merlata area near Ostuni, so it’s more of a half-day trip. But it’s worth it for the cave.
You’ll park by a very popular beach. Don’t stop there. Walk about 5 minutes to the left down the path, and you’ll get to a much quieter cove.
I really recommend swimming over to the cave. It’s a big arch in the rock, and you can stand up and walk inside. It’s super cool.
There’s also a small tunnel in the cave that you can’t see in the picture (it’s to the left), and you can swim into it. When you’re in there, take a look at the ceiling, which is covered in all of these fossilized shells.
The water around here is shallow and calm, so it’s a good one if you’re not a strong swimmer or you’re with kids.
How to Get to Torre Pozzelle
Park at Parcheggio Torre Pozzella. It’ll probably be packed, but the good news is that everyone is just heading to the main Torre Pozzelle beach.
You’re going to be less lazy and walk down the path to the left, which will bring you to Spiaggia No. 2.
Yes. Beach Number 2. So far on this list we’ve had Narrow Cove and Little Staircase Beach, and now they’ve given up on words completely. The rest of us spend weeks agonizing over what to name a dog. Some Italian dude looked at a turquoise cove with a sea cave you can walk into and said, “Yeah… that’s number 2.”
The path is a dirt path that takes around 5 minutes to walk.
I recommend navigating with Google Maps so you know when to turn off, as the path continues. You’re also welcome to keep going – I didn’t, but it looks like there are one or two more coves further along.
Tips for Monopoli’s Beaches
- Go early or late. Midday in July and August is when everything is busiest, and parking fills up fast.
- Bring water shoes. Most of these coves are rocky, and some entries (like Cala del Coriandolo) are on rocks.
- Pack food and water. None of these coves have bars or sunbeds.
- Save the pins offline before you go, since the paths aren’t well signposted.
Final Thoughts
Monopoli’s beaches don’t have to mean fighting for a spot on the rocks, even in peak season. Walk five minutes past the busy ones and you’ll find water like this with far fewer people around.
If you only have one beach day, make it Cala Verde and Cala Sottile. They’re about 500 m apart, so swim at one in the morning, take a break, and come back to the other in the late afternoon.
Offpath, my map app
Hidden spots. Real places.
Swimming holes, beaches with no name on Google Maps, waterfalls you have to hike to, and viewpoints with nobody else at them. All on one map.
Know a spot like this? Add it to the map, credited to you →
