Where: Riccione

For the uninitiated, the sandy beaches of Riccione on Italy’s Adriatic coast could come across as stuffy. Rows of color-coordinated chaise longues are stacked under canvas-topped pergolas. Mini boardwalks snake from beachside restaurants to changing rooms to an endless lines of sunbathers. As one Riccione novice says, “It’s like a chicken pen.” Well, even chicken pens have their advantages, especially after a night of partying in some of Riccione’s legendary discotheques. The trend-thirsty girls here would never sacrifice sun time just because of a late night. Instead, they roll right out of bed and onto the sand. Equipped with changing rooms, restaurants and even magazine stands, the only thing to remember to bring to the beach is a bathing suit, and even that is optional.

A great tan and a great club require only one thing: a great look. The boutiques of Riccione deliver. Retailing runs the gamut from Italy’s heavy hitters, such as Armani and Max Mara, to fast-fashion giants like Zara, and enough dazzle in between to wow even the most blasé fashionista. “The people who come to Riccione are supertrendy and very aware of fashion,” says Giovanni Franciosi, owner of multibrand boutique ABG, at Viale Dante, 13, which carries labels such as Class Roberto Cavalli, C’N’C Costume National, Y3 and Missoni. ABG, like the other shops lining the pedestrian area of Viale Dante and Viale Ceccarini, stays open to midnight and caters to girls that have different fashion needs for different times of the day. “There’s a look for the beach,” says Franciosi. “Then one for strolling and cocktail, and then finally another one for the late-night club scene.”

At D Event Store, a funky denim shop at Galleria Croce del Sud, 3, co-owner Cristina Novelli offers her young clientele a veritable buffet of washes and fits. Diesel takes up the most square footage, but RARE, Nolita and Lucky Drake are some of the other brands artfully cluttering racks and shelves.

When it comes to drink and food, Riccione offers plenty of outdoor options with a direct view of the fashion parade unfolding nightly. Makkaroni, at Viale Dante, 48, serves such a seductive aperitivo that most guests forgo dinner after filling up on its fantastic spread of munchies. Other outdoor watering holes, such as Green Bar, at Viale Ceccarini, 57, and Bar-Code, at Via Rismondo, 1/A, are filled with such cool people that Italy’s general lack of ice won’t seem a problem. Around 1 a.m. the clubs start to groove. The recently renovated Pascia, at Viale Sardegna, 30, is making the biggest splash, thanks to its rooftop pool, which is open to its well-heeled clientele (although it’s wise to take off the Pradas before taking a dip). Finally, like other coastal towns, Riccione boasts fantastic fish restaurants. Located in the port area, Al Pescatore, at Via Ilpolito Nievo, 11, serves grilled classics at their best. Meanwhile, Canasta, at Viale Ceccarini, 84, delivers laid-back dining and some of Riccione’s best piadinas—the region’s traditional grilled flatbread used for sandwiches.