Hi! My partner and I would like to plan a trip to Italy for 2 weeks in mid September - very close to a sandy beach (we will book an Airbnb).
Neither of us travelled to Italy before and we don't have a drivers license, so we would like to pick a location easily accessible from an airport (such as Palermo, Catania, Napoli, Pisa, Venice) - meaning a commute of 2h~ from the airport to the destination location would be ideal.
We are looking for an affordable, relaxing, laid back vacation away from touristy stuff, where we can enjoy authentic food, nice coffee, quaint towns and most importantly - clean, nice beaches where we could swim safely.
A place with food markets (supermarkets or open-air) close by would also be amazing! We love walking but we would also like to rent bikes to go grocery shopping or just to enjoy the area.
We are not interested in any tourist attractions, boat trips, kayaking, sightseeing any famous landmarks.
So far, we looked at the coastal areas of the province of Palermo and Catania - but it's overwhelming how many beaches are there - and if we pick without any knowledge or advice, we are afraid we might miss out on a gem of a location.
Thank you in advance for your tips! I am forever grateful for forums!