Beach clubs in Costa Smeralda
Ten upmarket clubs on Sardinia's Emerald Coast, from sunset DJs at Phi Beach to the Liscia Ruja lidos and the coves you can only reach by boat.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.
The beach clubs in Costa Smeralda are the most upmarket on the Italian coast. There are 10 worth knowing, spread around Porto Cervo, Baja Sardinia and Arzachena, and they run to gourmet restaurants, DJ terraces and private piers rather than the numbered bagni you get on the mainland.
The season is short, roughly June to late September. Prices sit at the top of the Italian market, and a premium bed often runs over €100 in July and August. Some clubs sit on the sand and take walk-ins; others are tucked in coves you can only reach by yacht or a club tender.
Liscia Ruja, the longest beach on the coast, holds the densest cluster. The rest are scattered along the granite bays between Baja Sardinia and Cala di Volpe. For more of the region see our guide to beach clubs in Italy and the jet-set harbour of Portofino, or plan on Sardinia's official tourism site.
Looking for somewhere to stay in Costa Smeralda? Here are our picks:
- ★Heart of Porto Cervo >> Cervo Hotel, Costa Smeralda Resort
- ★Iconic bay resort >> Hotel Cala di Volpe
- ★Secluded five-star >> Hotel Pitrizza
- ★Baja Sardinia resort >> 7Pines Resort Sardinia
- ★Above Cala Granu >> Colonna Resort
Where are the best beach clubs in Costa Smeralda?
The headline names sit around Baja Sardinia and the coves north of Porto Cervo. Phi Beach owns the sunset above Baja Sardinia, Cone Club is the polished beach of the 7Pines resort, and Nikki Beach and Verde Beach Sardinia hide in yacht-only coves at Cala Petra Ruja and Poltu Quatu.
The biggest cluster is on Liscia Ruja, a long sweep of pale sand shared by A Mare, Shardana Beach Club, White Beach Club and Smeralda Beach. Vesper Beach Club sits on the pretty Capriccioli cove, and JBeach anchors the Cala di Volpe stretch at Cala Juncu.
Which Costa Smeralda beach clubs can you reach only by boat?
A few of the best are sea-access only. Nikki Beach at Cala Petra Ruja and Verde Beach Sardinia at Poltu Quatu are reachable by private yacht or the club's own shuttle, docking at a private pier. Both are built for the boat crowd.
Others give you a choice. Phi Beach runs a free tender as well as road access, and Cone Club takes guests by land through the 7Pines resort or by boat to its pier. If you're on the sand, the Liscia Ruja clubs and JBeach are the easy walk-in options.
Phi Beach
Phi Beach is built into the granite ruins of the 19th-century Forte Cappellini, above Baja Sardinia. It's the coast's headline sunset venue, and the one most people mean when they say beach club here.
Beach beds run by day, then the terrace fills for aperitivo and world-class DJ sets as the sun drops behind the Maddalena archipelago. Dinner is at Luciano's, and in 2025 it hosts a Nammos dining-and-music residency.
Get there by road or the free tender. Book ahead for a sunset table in high summer, and dress for the crowd. €€€ pricing.
Heading to Costa Smeralda? These are the travel services we actually use.
- ★Travel insurance >> SafetyWing: from $56/month. Covers medical, cancellations, and delays. Don't skip this one.
- ★Buses & trains >> Omio: the easiest way to compare trains, buses, and ferries in one search.
- ★Car hire >> Discover Cars: we use this every time. Genuine price comparison across local and international companies, no hidden fees.
- ★Travel eSIM >> YeSim: set up a local data plan before you land. Cheaper than roaming, works instantly.
- ★Tours & activities >> GetYourGuide: boat trips, food tours, day trips. The good ones sell out, so book ahead.
Nikki Beach Costa Smeralda
Nikki Beach Costa Smeralda is the Sardinian outpost of the global brand, set in the sheltered bay of Cala Petra Ruja near Hotel Pitrizza. Daybeds and cabanas line the cove, with the usual Nikki Beach mix of glamour and music.
The restaurant serves from 1pm and the bar runs 11am to 7pm. It's reachable only by private yacht or the club's complimentary shuttle, docking at a private pier.
There's also a separate Nikki Beach Cocktail Club at the Porto Cervo Waterfront if you want the brand without the boat. Reserve ahead in peak weeks. €€€ pricing.
Cone Club
Cone Club is the private beach club of 7Pines Resort Sardinia at Li Mucchi Bianchi, Baja Sardinia. It runs serviced sunbeds and cabanas, a beach bar, and a restaurant with a menu developed by star chef Tohru Nakamura.
After dark it flips into a music lounge, and the daily Sunset Ritual is the signature moment. The resort's private pier opens water sports off La Maddalena.
Reach it by land through the resort or by boat to the pier. This is polished, day-to-night luxury. €€€ pricing.
Verde Beach Sardinia
Verde Beach Sardinia is the island outpost of the Verde group, which also runs venues in Paris, Saint-Tropez and Dubai. It sits in a secluded cove at Poltu Quatu and is accessible only by boat.
Days move from sun-lounging to golden-hour gatherings, with sharing-style Mediterranean plates and DJ-led music as the club turns festive in the evening.
Booking is by phone or WhatsApp only, so message ahead. Come for the party rather than a quiet swim. €€€ pricing.
Vesper Beach Club
Vesper Beach Club is a newer club on Capriccioli beach, one of the coast's prettiest coves of pale sand and wind-shaped granite. It pairs sunbeds and private cabanas with full beach service.
There's a lounge for aperitivo and a Mediterranean restaurant open for lunch and dinner. A summer calendar of DJ nights and ticketed events runs alongside the day offering.
It leans refined and elegant rather than rowdy. Book the cabanas early in July and August. €€€ pricing.
✅ DON'T FORGET TRAVEL INSURANCE!
SafetyWing is an affordable subscription travel insurance that you can purchase without knowing your itinerary in advance and even after departure.
>> Click here for info and current pricing <<The four biggest names on Liscia Ruja sit within a few hundred metres of each other, so you can pick your mood on the same beach.
A Mare
A Mare is a five-star beach club that opened on Liscia Ruja in 2024, linked to one of the coast's big hotel groups. The menu is signed by Antonio Mellino, the three-Michelin-star chef of Quattro Passi in Nerano.
Beach service comes with towels, a sea-view cocktail lounge, a garden, parking and wifi, and dogs are welcome. It runs from early June to late September.
It's open to hotel guests and outside visitors alike, though a booking is essential. This is the coast's polished Michelin-lunch pick. €€€ pricing.
Shardana Beach Club
Shardana Beach Club has run on Liscia Ruja since 2000, and it's livelier than its neighbours. Sunbeds and umbrellas sit alongside an Italian seafood restaurant and a bar, with house and dance music through the day.
It's best known on the coast for jet ski rental, a handy base for reaching the hidden coves nearby.
Come here if you want activity and beats rather than a hushed sunbed. €€ pricing.
White Beach Club
White Beach Club is one of the longest-running clubs on Liscia Ruja, established in the early 1980s. Sunbeds and umbrellas sit on pale sand between Mediterranean scrub and clear water.
There's a restaurant, open since 2014, and a beach bar. It leans quiet and private, a calmer alternative to the party clubs a few metres down the same beach.
Open daily, roughly 10am to 8pm. Good for comfort over noise. €€ pricing.
Smeralda Beach Liscia Ruja
Smeralda Beach Liscia Ruja spreads over more than 500 metres of Liscia Ruja, billed as the biggest and most kitted-out beach on the coast. Sunbeds and umbrellas book online.
Behind the sand there's a sea-view Mediterranean restaurant, a beach bar and lounge music. It also arranges water sports, speedboat rentals and yacht charters straight from the beach.
The scale makes it the easiest of the four to get a bed at short notice. €€ pricing.
JBeach
JBeach is a beachfront restaurant and bar with sun beds at Cala Juncu, in the Cala di Volpe stretch. The kitchen leans on a chef with 20 years in top restaurants and locally sourced Sardinian ingredients.
There's on-site parking and a boat shuttle, and it hosts private events and weddings. Open daily, roughly 10am to 9pm.
It's upscale but relaxed, and dining-led rather than party-driven. €€ pricing.
Frequently asked questions about Costa Smeralda beach clubs
How much do beach clubs in Costa Smeralda cost?
This is the priciest beach-club coast in Italy. A premium bed often runs over €100 a day in July and August, and the marquee clubs like Phi Beach and Nikki Beach climb higher with minimum spends. The Liscia Ruja lidos such as Shardana Beach Club sit lower down the range.
Do you need to book beach clubs in Costa Smeralda in advance?
Yes, especially in July and August. The sea-access coves like Nikki Beach and Verde Beach Sardinia need a reservation and a boat or shuttle to reach. Sunset tables at Phi Beach and cabanas at Vesper Beach Club fill fast. Larger beaches like Smeralda Beach are easier for a walk-in.
What is the best beach club in Costa Smeralda?
For sunset and DJs, Phi Beach above Baja Sardinia leads. Nikki Beach is the yacht-set glamour pick, A Mare the Michelin-signed lunch on Liscia Ruja, and Cone Club the polished all-day resort beach. Pick by whether you want a party, a long lunch or a quiet swim.
Which beach clubs are on Liscia Ruja?
Four sit on Liscia Ruja within a few hundred metres of each other. A Mare is the five-star Michelin-lunch spot, Shardana Beach Club the lively jet ski base, White Beach Club the quiet one, and Smeralda Beach the large, easy-to-book option. You can switch clubs on the same beach.
When are Costa Smeralda beach clubs open?
The season is short, roughly June to late September, with July and August the busiest. A Mare runs early June to late September, and the Liscia Ruja lidos keep daily hours through summer. Most close for the winter, so check dates before you travel outside the peak months.
