Spiaggia di Rio Vivo

Spiaggia di Rio Vivo is the long, very wide sandy beach immediately south of Termoli's port, and the watersports hub of the Molise coast in central Italy. Where Cala Sveva offers scenery and shelter, Rio Vivo offers space and wind: the open, broadly east-facing shoreline catches reliable breezes that draw windsurfers and kitesurfers, and the sea here is often choppier and livelier than at the sheltered old-town beach. The sand is fine and golden and the strand is genuinely generous, so even on August weekends there is room to spread out well back from the water. The water is blue and clean, shallow for a good distance out, but more exposed to wind-driven chop, which suits active swimmers and board-sports more than toddlers paddling. The vibe is sporty and sociable rather than scenic: several lidi line the back of the beach with sunbed hire, snack kiosks and bars, and they regularly host beach volleyball and beach tennis tournaments through the summer. Windsurf and kitesurf schools operate from the sand, hiring gear and running lessons, and the consistent afternoon wind makes this the obvious base for board sports on the Molise coast. Surrounding access is straightforward: it is a short drive or walk south of Termoli's port, with roadside parking and lido car parks, though spaces fill on peak summer days. The setting is less postcard-pretty than Termoli's Borgo Antico, with the working port and town behind rather than a castle, but the trade-off is far more elbow room and a more energetic, active atmosphere. Visitors looking to combine a beach day with windsurfing, kitesurfing or a beach-sports tournament, or simply wanting space away from the crowds packed beneath the old town, will find Rio Vivo the practical choice. Food is easy to reach, with the lido kiosks on the sand and the full range of Termoli's restaurants a short distance back toward the port.