Sea, sand and sky-high fees: Italians tussle over their right to lie on the beach

Much of Italy’s beachfront is in the hands of family-run concessions who operate exclusive clubs or charge big money for umbrellas and loungers. But a new EU law is rallying activists on both sides

By: The Guardian

Aug 08 2024
36
4419 Views

Sea, sand and sky-high fees: I

“Most Italians don’t know they have the right to go to the beach for free,” says Manuela Salvi, planting her umbrella in the sand of a private beach club in Gaeta, a small seaside town in central Italy. “They are used to paying to go to the seaside. ... [5555 chars]