Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
6 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
7 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
8 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Rosignano marittimo Spiagge Bianche (White Beaches)

Spiagge Bianche (White Beaches)

This deceiving white sand beach gets its brilliant hue from the chemical discharge of a nearby factory.

Rosignano marittimo, Italy

Added By
Lew Blank
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Spiagge Bianche with factories behind it   Sailko / CC BY 2.5
Spiagge Bianche with factories behind it   Sailko / CC BY 2.5
Arrow, Solvay plant, and Spiagge Bianche   photographer Mia Felicita Bertelli / CC BY-SA 2.0
White sand and light blue Caribbean-esque water of Spiagge Bianche   Nature And / CC BY-SA 2.0
Beach and factory behind it   photographer Mia Felicita Bertelli / CC BY-SA 2.0
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
  Tim Buktu / Atlas Obscura User
  Tim Buktu / Atlas Obscura User
  Tim Buktu / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Most beaches in Italy are distinctly Mediterranean, featuring darker water and rocky cliffs, but on the western coast of the country there lies a stretch of white sand alongside a bright hue of turquoise water. Unlike most of the Italian coastline, this idyllic beach appears to perfectly resemble that of a pristine Caribbean resort—that is, with the exception of the giant smokestacks looming behind it.

You’d expect that this tropical haven of white sand, known as Spiagge Bianche, or “White Beaches,” would be a popular hotspot for tourists, but the beach is unlikely to be found in most Italian guidebooks and travel websites. That’s because the white sand and light blue water of Spiagge Bianche are artificially created, and unintentionally so.

Easily visible to beachgoers at Spiagge Bianche is an expansive factory run by chemical company Solvay that manufactures sodium carbonate, which is used in glass, detergent, and soap. To make the chemical, the Solvay plant discharges thousands of tons of toxic wastewater every year into the Mediterranean Sea. This discharge contains a mixture of limestone and calcium chloride, which tints the water light blue and gives the sand its dazzling white color.

Although the water and sand may look clean, Spiagge Bianche has been listed by the United Nations as one of the 15 most polluted areas on the Mediterranean coast. In addition to limestone and calcium chloride, the Solvay plant’s wastewater also contains heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, and lead, which have reportedly increased mortality rates in the adjacent town of Rosignano. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of sunbathers and kite surfers at the beach are locals.

Unfortunately, there are no signs at Spiagge Bianche warning beachgoers about the dangers of the deceiving white sand, and activists have had little success in getting Solvay to regulate its chemical wastewater.

Related Tags

Beaches Factories Pollution Color
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

lewblank

Edited By

Cloud Winchester, Tim Buktu

  • Cloud Winchester
  • Tim Buktu

Published

January 6, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/12/the-toxic-white-beaches-of-rosignano.html
  • http://www.echophotojournalism.com/stories/white-beaches
  • http://www.geo-social.net/?p=717
  • http://www.discovertuscany.com/forum/other-destinations-in-tuscany/1046-white-paradise-spiagge-bianche-why-not-so-popular.html
  • https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=(2.2%2B8.3)%2F2
Spiagge Bianche (White Beaches)
Spiagge Bianche
Rosignano marittimo
Italy
43.374315, 10.438653
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Ex-Votos of Santuario di Montenero

Livorno, Italy

miles away

Meloria Tower

Livorno, Italy

miles away

Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra

Volterra, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,054
Stories 110

Nearby Places

Ex-Votos of Santuario di Montenero

Livorno, Italy

miles away

Meloria Tower

Livorno, Italy

miles away

Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra

Volterra, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,054
Stories 110

Related Stories and Lists

20 Cinematic Spots in Italy Worthy of a Fellini Film

List

By Winnie Lee

Related Places

  • Grimsby, Ontario

    Grimsby Beach Cottages

    The Painted Ladies of Ontario aren’t your average beach homes.

  • Fort Payne, Alabama

    Dye Ditch Gang

    This papier-mâché diorama celebrates an unusual landmark: the brightly-colored runoff from a local sock factory.

  • Osaka, Japan

    Maishima Incineration Plant

    This whimsical garbage disposal facility receives around 12,000 accidental tourists each year.

  • Aquinnah, Massachusetts

    Aquinnah Cliffs

    Colorful clay cliffs tower over an unofficial nudist beach on Martha's Vineyard.

  • Colorful beach cabins in the dunes at Gouville-sur-Mer.

    Gouville-sur-Mer, France

    Gouville-sur-Mer Beach Huts

    Rows of multicolored bathing huts paint the sand dunes with pops of color.

  • The beach.

    La Palma, Spain

    The Black Beaches of La Palma

    Volcanic rocks ground down into sand make this Spanish beach as black as night.

  • Luca Picciau/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    La Maddalena, Italy

    Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach)

    Crushed coral and crystals give the sand its signature coloration.

  • The otherworldly landscape of Padar Island.

    East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

    Padar Island

    Once home to Komodo dragons, this island dreamscape has a rare combination of white, pink, and black sand beaches.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.