Liscia Ruja

Liscia Ruja is the long one. Where most Costa Smeralda beaches are pretty pockets between granite headlands, this is a broad, generous arc of soft pale sand, the longest stretch on the whole coast, sloping into water so shallow and clear that children can wade out a long way before it reaches their waists. That combination of space and calm is what sets it apart.

It also offers a little more comfort than the wilder bays. A seasonal concession backs the central sand with loungers and a kitchen, so you can settle in with shade and a lunch rather than carry everything yourself. The exact operator and its rates change from year to year and are best confirmed on the day, but the principle holds: this is a beach where you can have a soft sand morning without roughing it.

On crowds, length is the friend here. Yes, the middle near the access path and the concession is the busy heart, and in July and August it hums. But because the beach runs so far, a five minute walk in either direction usually finds calmer, emptier sand. June and September are the standout months, warm and clear with a fraction of the peak crowds.

Who should skip it: anyone hunting dramatic cliffs and deep water coves, since this is a gentle, open beach rather than a wild one. Who should go: families, anyone who likes to swim in shallow calm water, and anyone who wants Costa Smeralda quality with a bit of room to spread out.

Liscia Ruja sits on the Costa Smeralda near Cala di Volpe, south of Porto Cervo. A minor road leads from the coast route to parking areas behind the beach, from which short paths reach the sand.

There is no convenient public transport to the beach, so a car or transfer is the practical way in. Parking fills through July and August, and an early arrival secures both a space and the better, quieter sand. The walk from the parking to the shore is short and easy, which adds to the family appeal.