Baia Murì

Baiamuri sits in Contrada Morghella, on the stretch of coast between Marzamemi and Portopalo at the far southeastern corner of Sicily, looking straight across at the low outline of Isola di Capo Passero. The water here is genuinely clear and pale, and the sand is fine and light, though there is less of it than the photographs suggest: much of the sea access is via a built wooden pontoon rather than a wide beach. The club was designed by architect Salvatore Puleo and the fit-out is the point, with carefully matched furniture and a deliberately curated soundtrack instead of loud beach-club music. Arrival comes with a welcome cocktail and a kit that includes a hat, a small sunscreen, a beach towel and water, and staff bring food and drinks to the bed through the day. There is a bar, a restaurant, hot showers, a children's play corner and stable wifi across the site. The area behind the beach is old saltworks and marshland that draws migratory birds in spring and autumn. Reviews are consistent on two points: the service and the setting are well judged, and it is expensive by local standards.