Grado is unusual on the Italian Adriatic in that its beach faces directly south — the result of being on a barrier island rather than the mainland coast. The water is shallow far out (perfect for children), the sand is fine and pale, and on a clear day you can see the snowy peaks of the Julian Alps rising in the north from the water's edge.
The main beach is divided into stabilimenti (paid concession sections with sun loungers and parasols) and a few free public stretches. The eastern end, near Pineta, is quieter and quieter still are the Costa Azzurra and Spiaggia Costa Azzurra coastal walks. To the west, the Spiaggia Schiusa is a long, sandy free beach with thin pine woods behind it. Grado also has a thermal bathing establishment (Terme Marine) drawing on the saline springs that gave the place its 19th-century reputation as a health resort.