9 of the most beautiful sunrises in Italy where waking up feels dreamy

Once in a lifetime, you should treat yourself to a climb of Monte Morrone in the very early hours of the morning to be rewarded by one of the best dawns you could see. Up at 1800 meters on the Mainarde, a mountainous group of the Abruzzo Apennines on the border between Lazio, Abruzzo and Molise.

Here the unspoilt nature lights up with the colors of the rising sun, it will amaze you like few other places in the world could.

Since 2009, the Dolomites has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourists from all over the world come to admire the three famous peaks that are tinged with yellow and pink. The spectacle they offer leaves one speechless.

To see the pink hued sunrise at the Tre Cime Di Lavaredo, just organise yourself a nice excursion to the Dolomites. The walk starts at the Auronzo Refuge car park and is 10 km long and  a duration of about 4 hours. From the car park you reach the Forcella Di Lavaredo and then the Locatelli Refuge, which faces the peaks from the front. The route is easy to walk, with a wide and relatively flat pathway. After the Locatelli Refuge the path becomes narrower and more hilly and rocky.

The best place to sleep to enjoy the sunrise over the Three Peaks of Lavaredo is right there at the refuge. The refuge is open from the end of June to the end of September and can be booked by sending an email through their website. The view is magical and the experience is unique.

For those who love to see the sun rise over the sea, the small (bay of Silence) baia del Silenzio in Sestri Levante, in Liguria, is a paradise. The sun hits the colorful houses of the small fishing village, setting the sky and your soul alight.  If you are in the area, plan an early morning trip to the baia delle Favole as well, also a top spot to admire a truly unforgettable sunrise.

Green valleys, gold-coloured fields, echoes of the past that emerge from the walls of churches, from monuments, from every street. Tuscany is always at the top of the travel wish list with its sweeping panoramic views over rolling hills with ancient and picturesque villages.

For a sunrise to capture, take the panoramic road SP146, which crosses the Val d'Orcia from east to west. One of the most iconic photographic motifs in all of Tuscany is the stone house near San Quirico d'Orcia called Podere Belvedere. The best time to visit? When the morning mist lets you glimpse the gentle slopes while the first rays of the sun illuminate the top of Monte Amiata.

Another place to see at dawn is Montalcino, a village famous for the production of Brunello wine but also for the presence of places such as the former convent of Sant’Agostino and the Sant’Antimo abbey. 

Do not underestimate the spectacle of dawn seen from the Apennines. In Umbria but more precisely Castelluccio di Norcia, is a marvel set between the Sibillini Mountains.

The sun rises illuminating the silhouette of Monte Vettore, the highest peak of the mountain range, giving you a dizzying spectacle.

A perfect place from which to admire the sunrise is the beach Le Due Sorelle of Conero. This heavenly place can be reached by canoe and, after a swim in the clear waters, have breakfast while admiring the sun that greets a new day.

Going south, a perfect place from which to admire the sunrise is the Costa dei Trabocchi, dotted with ancient wooden machines that were once used for fishing, now transformed into restaurants. The most exquisite sunrise can be admired at Punta Aderci, 10 kilometers from Vasto, where the sun rises behind the rocky promontory and the overflow.

Where to see a spectacular sunrise if not in the easternmost tip of Italy?

In Capo d’Otranto, the Palascìa lighthouse is a place of absolute charm. From the rocky headland in the distance you can see the mountains of Albania. Thoughts of infinity seem somehow tangible.

Going down to Sicily, the Riviera dei Ciclopi of Aci Trezza is one of the most evocative places to admire a sunrise. Here, imagining Ulysses and Polyphemus, the sun illuminates the black rocks, with the rocky stacks that rise in front of you.