Italy
Lost a ring in the sea in Italy?
Most of Ostia's free beaches are named after a colour, and the name of yours is the first thing we ask.
An Oura ring or a band lost at Ostia, or on any beach in Italy, is worth searching for once the day narrows to one beach and one part of it. Two things shape the odds: whether it went on the sand or in the water, and how firmly you can put a finger on the map.
Ring Seekers is a lost ring and jewellery recovery service that works with experienced local metal detectorists to search for a ring, wedding band, watch, keys or phone lost in Italy. Tell us what happened and where. We choose an experienced detectorist who knows the beach, brief them with your map and photos, and tell you honestly if the odds are poor.
Ostia and Riva del Garda are described in full lower down. The rest of the coast is split into area pages, and a short card for each one shows where your town falls.
From Adriatic sand to a pebble lakefront
At Lignano, Rimini and Milano Marittima the sea is shallow close to the shore. Farther south and west, the places we cover include ferry piers and the steps down to the water on the Amalfi Coast, the lanes of Tropea's old town in Calabria and the Passeggiata in Viareggio in Tuscany.
Rome's beaches at Ostia are a line of free public beaches on the seafront. Riva del Garda sits at the northern end of Lake Garda, and the two beaches described here mix pebbles, stones and gravel with grass.
Dealing with us from the beach or from home
Every message to one person
Everything you send on WhatsApp goes to the same person at Ring Seekers, so you never have to tell the story of the day twice.
Your pins go into the brief
The detectorist sets out with your map pins, your photos and the times you remember, so the search starts from where you actually were.
Costs, once the ground is clear
We explain the costs before any search is booked, once we know which beach or street it is and how much of it needs covering.
Living here, not visiting
If you live in Italy and the ring went in your own garden or a park near home, it works the same way as a loss on a holiday beach.
Our Ring Finder Service Locations in Italy
Find your coast, or read on for Rome and Lake Garda
Knowing the region is enough to start: a loss on Capri goes with Positano and Sorrento, one in Cervia with Rimini. Ostia and Riva del Garda have no page of their own, so the last two cards describe their beaches.
The Adriatic, the south, the islands, then Rome and Garda
Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri and Ischia
Positano's Spiaggia Grande, pier, Fornillo and Arienzo, Amalfi's Marina Grande and pier, Atrani, Sorrento's marinas and Puolo, Capri's two marinas, and Ischia from the port to Maronti and Sant'Angelo.
Venice Lido, Jesolo, Lignano and Grado
The Lido from San Nicolò to Alberoni, Jesolo's piers, piazzas and Cortellazzo, Lignano from Sabbiadoro to the Tagliamento, and Grado from Costa Azzurra to Grado Pineta and the Isonzo mouth.
Rimini, Riccione and Milano Marittima
Rimini's seafront from Torre Pedrera to Miramare, Viale Ceccarini and the free beaches of Riccione, Milano Marittima and its pinewood, and Cervia's centre, beach, canal port and salt pan.
Sardinia
In Sardinia, Porto Cervo with the Pevero beaches, Liscia Ruja and Capriccioli, La Cinta, Lu Impostu, Cala Brandinchi and Cala d'Ambra at San Teodoro, Alghero's Lido, Maria Pia and Le Bombarde, and the Poetto and Calamosca at Cagliari.
Puglia
Across Puglia, the Purità, Rivabella and Baia Verde in Gallipoli, Porto Cesareo with Torre Lapillo and Punta Prosciutto, Otranto's beaches, Alimini and the Baia dei Turchi, Lama Monachile in Polignano a Mare, and the Castello beach in Vieste.
Sicily
On Sicily, Mondello, Valdesi and Capo Gallo in Palermo, the town beach and old harbour in Cefalù, the Giardini Naxos seafront, and in Taormina the Corso Umberto, the cable car to Mazzarò and Isola Bella, and Spisone and Mazzeo.
Calabria
Tropea's old town and the Rotonda, Mare Piccolo, Mare Grande and Cannone beaches below it, Grotticelle at Capo Vaticano, Michelino in Parghelia, Paradiso del Sub in Zambrone, Pizzo's centre and beaches, and Vibo Marina.
Tuscany and Liguria
The Passeggiata, the Darsena, the Pineta di Ponente and the Lecciona in Viareggio, the Pontile, the squares and Le Dune beach at Forte dei Marmi, and Monterosso's station, Fegina beach and old centre.
Rome's beaches at Ostia
Roma Capitale lists a string of free public beaches, spiagge libere, along the seafront at Ostia, and most of them carry the name of a colour. Grigia, Cotto, Ocra, Senape, Limone, Rosa and Sabbia are on Lungomare Duca degli Abruzzi in Ostia Ponente, while Verde, Gialla and Sposi are on Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli in Ostia Levante. The beach's name and the nearest side street are the two details to send us first.
Lakefront beaches in Riva del Garda
On Via Giancarlo Maroni, an easy walk from the centre of Riva del Garda, a free beach runs along the lakefront with light pebbles, patches of grass and no services. On the Lungolago dei Pini, stones and gravel alternate along the Spiaggia dei Pini, which also has a large green space, an area kept for windsurfers and a small playground with a sandpit.
Places we cover in Italy
- Positano, Amalfi and Atrani
- Sorrento
- Capri and Ischia
- Venice Lido and Lido di Jesolo
- Lignano Sabbiadoro and Grado
- Rimini and Riccione
- Milano Marittima and Cervia
- Porto Cervo and San Teodoro, Sardinia
- Alghero and Cagliari, Sardinia
- Gallipoli and Porto Cesareo
- Otranto
- Polignano a Mare and Vieste
- Mondello and Cefalù, Sicily
- Giardini Naxos, Taormina and Mazzarò, Sicily
- Tropea, Capo Vaticano and Pizzo
- Vibo Marina
- Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi
- Monterosso al Mare
- Ostia, Rome
- Riva del Garda
Lost on holiday in Italy, by the sea or the lake
Bands, gold chains and studs
- Wedding bands
- Engagement rings
- Gold chains and pendants
- Earrings, studs and hoops
- Bracelets
Worn on the wrist, carried in a pocket
- Watches and smartwatches
- An Oura ring worn into the sea
- Phones
- Car keys and apartment keys on one ring
- Metal-framed glasses and sunglasses
At Ostia, at Riva, or somewhere between
- Drying off on one of Ostia's colour-named free beaches
- Rigging a board in the windsurf area at the Spiaggia dei Pini, Riva del Garda
- Lying on the grass at the free beach on Via Giancarlo Maroni, Riva del Garda
- Weeding the garden at home, for those who live in Italy
How your message becomes a search
The order is the same for Ostia, for Riva del Garda and for every coast page above.
What came off, and where
Say on WhatsApp what came off and where you were staying or swimming. If you know the moment it went, describe it: stepping off a ferry, towelling off, a game on the sand.
Pin it, then picture it
Put a pin on the map where you think it went, and send a picture of the item or its pair. A shot of the beach entrance or a street sign nearby helps us check the pin.
A detectorist within reach of the spot
We ask around for a metal detectorist who can get to the beach, lakefront or street, and hand over everything you have sent as their brief.
Searched on the agreed day
The detectorist searches on the day agreed with you, and you get a message afterwards naming the stretch of sand, lawn or street that was gone over, and what turned up.
Questions about Italy
A gold chain slipped off at one of the colour-named free beaches in Ostia, and I only half remember which colour.
The seafront road you walked along does most of the work. Grigia, Ocra and the other colours on Lungomare Duca degli Abruzzi are in Ostia Ponente, while Verde, Gialla and Sposi are on Lungomare Paolo Toscanelli in Ostia Levante. Once you know the road, only a few beaches are left to choose from. Pin where you think you sat and send a photo of the chain.
My phone slid out of a pocket on the free beach along Via Giancarlo Maroni in Riva del Garda.
That beach mixes light pebbles with patches of grass, so first tell us which of the two you were lying on. Pin the spot, add a photo looking out at the lake from there, and give us the make of the phone and the colour of its case.
My watch came off as I carried a windsurf board down to the water at the Spiaggia dei Pini.
Part of that beach is kept for windsurfers, and the shore is stones and gravel. Mark where you rigged the board and where you walked it in. If the watch went once you were sailing well out, it is a long shot, and you would hear that from us first.
Our daughter was playing in the sandpit at the Spiaggia dei Pini, and now an earring is missing.
A sandpit is a small patch with clear edges, which works in your favour. Say whether she also ran about on the green space or went down to the stones by the water. If the other earring is still at home, a photo of it is the best description the detectorist can have.
Positano in the morning, Capri after lunch, and a bracelet gone by the evening.
Both stops are on the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri and Ischia page, which takes in the beach and ferry pier at Positano and the harbour and Marina Piccola on Capri. Send them in one message, in the order you made them, with the boat you took between the two.
Cervia is not in any page title. Where does it come in?
On the Rimini, Riccione and Milano Marittima page. Milano Marittima belongs to the comune of Cervia, and that page covers Cervia's centre, seafront, canal port and salt pan as well as Milano Marittima itself.
We live in Italy, and my wedding band came off while I was weeding at home.
A garden is ground you can go back to whenever you like, which counts for a lot. Tell us which beds you worked on, whether anything has been dug or mown there since, and send photos of that corner.
Italy
From the beach, the lakefront or back at home
For Ostia, have the beach's name ready; for Riva del Garda, the beach or the lakefront street. Then send us a WhatsApp message with the town, the missing piece and a map pin.