White Beach

White Beach is on the Papesca coast north of Lipari town, the stretch below the old pumice quarries whose white spoil gives the water here its unusual pale, milky turquoise colour. You reach it by following the road from Lipari towards Canneto and then continuing north past the quarry buildings. The beach is set out with well-spaced loungers and umbrellas rather than packed rows, and prices move sharply through the season: 20 euros for an umbrella and two loungers in May, 25 in June, 35 in July, 40 in August and 30 in September. Showers, wifi and equipment such as inflatable mattresses and toys for children are available. The restaurant sits directly on the water and cooks Aeolian food with an emphasis on fresh fish; the kitchen shuts at 4pm, so lunch needs to happen at a normal Italian hour rather than late. The beach day itself ends at 6pm, and reservations are only held until midday, which is worth knowing in August. In the evening the site changes character entirely and runs music and dancing under the stars, so a day on the sand and a night here are two separate propositions.