Did you know that Italy has two kinds of beaches? There are those that require an entry fee, and those that don’t.
You can instantly recognize the paid beaches by their orderly rows of deck chairs and colorful parasols. Visitors pay a fee to rent chairs and a parasol for the day or for half a day. These beaches also typically have showers, lockable changing rooms, restrooms, and other facilities that renters can use. Some also have cafés or restaurants where you can enjoy a cold drink or gelato as you look out over the sea. Some even have lockable tables connected to the parasols, so you can keep your valuables protected while you wander around freely—without having to go back to the changing rooms each time.
Just over the fence at the free beaches, however, you’re not likely to have any facilities at all. People spread out their own towels for sunbathing, or may put up beach umbrellas that they’ve brought with them. These beaches are of course popular with those on a budget and those who want a less structured beach experience, but the crowds can be intense at popular summer destinations, making it hard to get a spot. I remember people playing loud music when I went. And as the sun travels across the sky, moving the patch of shade under your umbrella, you may get locked into a crowded beach spot and stuck with a sunburn you didn’t plan for.
Every year, there are reports of skyrocketing prices at the paid beaches.
Particularly at the spots that are popular with tourists—places like the Amalfi Coast, Sardinia Island, and the Liguria region—you can pay as much as 50-70 euros (about 8,000–11,00 yen) to rent a parasol and two deck chairs for the day. Front-row seats (meaning that you’re closest to the water) can easily go for more than 100 euros. There seems to be an unspoken rule with these premium seats that everyone in your family has to have a matching beach towel. I guess that means you’d better bring your designer swimsuits, sandals, and sunglasses too—and probably the fanciest sunscreen?
The Italians themselves naturally protest that nobody should have to pay to go to the beach. Actually, the ocean itself is legally required to be free to use, and beaches must be open to everyone unless they have been specially modified in some way. Of course, there’s a loophole there if you claim that people are paying for the “comfort” of parasols and chairs—to have a different beach experience rather than for the use of the beach itself.
People who go to free beaches, on the other hand, are those who just want to experience nature or who insist that the ocean is the same whether you pay a lot of money to be there or not. Basically, the Italians have to decide each summer between comfort and freedom.
Either way, a day spent under the Italian summer sun is a day to remember. When you visit, go for comfort or freedom based on how you like to travel and your mood that day. You’ll come back having enjoyed a truly Italian experience, no matter what.
