Padulella is the quieter cousin of Spiaggia delle Ghiaie, a small horseshoe-shaped pebble cove tucked into the coast about a kilometre west of the old town. The water has the same crystal clarity as Ghiaie because the pebbles are the same white quartz. The cove is sheltered from prevailing winds and the swimming is calm.
A footpath leads here from the end of the Ghiaie beach along the coast — about fifteen minutes of pleasant walking past the Capo Bianco rock formations. There is a single beach bar in summer and no other facilities; bring water and an umbrella if you want shade. The combination of a long cliffside walk and a clear-water swim makes it the best half-day option from the town centre.