In 2026, 30 Italian destinations — 20 on the coast and 10 on lakes — are flying the Cinque Vele of Legambiente and Touring Club Italiano, the recognition awarded to those places that prioritise sustainable tourism and management, while also adapting to the ongoing climate crisis by offering solutions and ideas for holidays that allow visitors to discover their territories.

Sea and lakes: the Cinque Vele 2026 top ten by Legambiente and Touring Club Italiano

Topping the coastal Cinque Vele top ten is Pollica (SA), followed by Baunei (NU), Otranto (LE), Domus De Maria (South Sardinia), San Giovanni a Piro (SA), Nardò (LE), San Teodoro (SS), S. Teresa di Gallura (SS), Cabras (OR), Castiglione della Pescaia (GR). At a regional level, the majority of Cinque Vele destinations are in Sardinia, followed by Puglia and Tuscany.

In the 2026 ranking of lakeside Cinque Vele destinations, Lago di Molveno (TN) in Trentino Alto Adige once again takes first place, followed by Lago del Mis (BL) in Veneto and Lago di Monticolo (BZ). The top ten also includes Lago di Fiè in Trentino Alto Adige, Lago di Avigliana and Cannero Riviera on Lago Maggiore in Piedmont, Lago di Santa Croce in Veneto, and Gardone Riviera and Toscolano Maderno on Lago di Garda in the province of Brescia, along with Lago di Scanno (AQ) in Abruzzo. It is Trentino Alto Adige, then, that boasts the most Cinque Vele lakes.

Cinque Vele holidays in the guide "Il mare più bello"

The destinations listed, along with those that received a lower number of Cinque Vele, are all featured in the guide "Il Mare più bello", which this year, through the section "Una vacanza a Cinque Vele", also describes how destinations are adapting to the climate crisis and promoting holidays that move in that same direction.

Twenty itineraries and proposals have been compiled: these range from, for example, the Sentiero dell'Infinito, one of Liguria's most spectacular trekking routes, which links Portovenere to Riomaggiore via Campiglia and the Tramont coast, to the Giardino dei Tarocchi, located in Garavicchio, in the municipality of Capalbio, in the province of Grosseto, where Mediterranean scrubland frames an extraordinary work of sculpture and architecture created by Franco-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle starting in 1979, and on to the Riserva naturale Lago di Burano, an ideal destination for birdwatching and nature lovers. The 2026 guide also includes a contribution from ISPRA on Italy's seas.

Turtle-friendly Municipalities

In 2026, the number of "Comuni amici delle tartarughe marine" (turtle-friendly municipalities) rises to 124 (up from 102 in 2025) — municipalities that have signed the memorandum of understanding promoted by Legambiente as part of the European project Life TURTLENEST. A growing number of local authorities are adopting concrete measures to make beaches safer and more compatible with the presence of the Caretta caretta sea turtle: these range from manual beach cleaning to the reduction of light pollution, from training for beach operators to collaboration with experts for the protection of nests. At a regional level, Campania leads with the most turtle-friendly municipalities, counting 25, followed by Calabria (19) and Puglia (16).

Barletta: Italy's first "kentish plover guardian" municipality

Barletta, in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, is the first municipality in Italy to become a "custode del fratino" (kentish plover guardian), a bird that lives on sandy beaches, following the signing of the memorandum of understanding promoted by Legambiente through the Life Alexandro project, funded by the European Union, which aims to protect the kentish plover in Italy and Croatia. Through this type of protocol, the project seeks to strengthen conservation actions for the species and its coastal habitats by also involving local authorities. The planned activities include the conservation and, where possible, the restoration of dune and back-dune environments, the promotion of manual beach cleaning, the adoption of measures to reduce human disturbance, and an intensive programme of information and awareness-raising aimed at both beach establishment managers and the general public.

The importance of acting against the climate crisis and of responsible tourism

"The climate crisis, with increasingly scorching temperatures and the rise of extreme weather events – declared Stefano Ciafani, national president of Legambiente – is reshaping holiday choices as well. People who love spending their holidays by the sea or lake are increasingly seeking out cool, refreshing places, which is why it is important for destinations and territories to put forward proposals and solutions that go in this direction, as many Cinque Vele locations are already doing. However, we must not forget that combating the climate crisis requires effective policies and teamwork involving national and local politics, citizens, the business world and administrators working together. Cyclone Harry, which struck several regions of southern Italy last January, reminds us of the urgency and importance of acting on multiple levels — starting with the national Government and local territories — through policies to reduce climate-altering emissions and to promote adaptation."

"At a time when climate change, coastal erosion and biodiversity protection are increasingly urgent issues, we believe it is important to keep promoting a responsible tourism model capable of combining beauty, respect for the environment and the enhancement of local communities – said Ottavio Di Brizzi, editorial director of Touring Club Italiano – This is the spirit we have shared with Legambiente for years, and it continues to make this guide a point of reference for those seeking a more authentic and sustainable way to travel."

Special mentions for environmentally conscious mayors

Four special mentions awarded for the first time by Legambiente with "Il mare più bello 2026", also to celebrate the World Environment Day on 5 June. A mention goes to Mattia Fiorini, mayor of Spotorno (SV), for the 2026 Beach Plan which provides for an increase of up to 40 per cent of the coastline designated as free public beaches. To Fabrizio Fonte, mayor of Custonaci (TP), for his work in revaluing cultural identity and tangible and intangible heritage, for rewilding projects and the restoration of ecological connectivity, and for actions to develop sustainable tourism that enhances natural resources and improves access to both the coast and the hinterland. To Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, mayor of Bacoli (NA), for actions to combat illegal occupation of the maritime public domain, and for initiatives to recover, rehabilitate and regenerate the municipality's coastal strip. To Christofer De Zotti, mayor of Jesolo (VE), for a climate adaptation intervention improving the management of surface water and wastewater cycles through their separation.