Almost all of Italy's 8,000km of sandy coastline is run for profit, with private lidos dominating the shores.
Now, 'free beach' campaigners are pushing back against the mafia, the military, and those profiting from sun loungers and cocktails.
>>> Most American Voters Link Extreme Weather to Climate Crisis, Poll Finds
Walking along Italian beaches reveals a rainbow of colors: perfectly spaced parasols and deck chairs in red, orange, yellow, green, and more.
These are the country's famous bagni (lidos), formally known as concessioni balneari (bathing concessions). They offer orderly amenities like raked sand, ambient music, negronis, and even swimming pools.
Deck chairs are priced like theater tickets, with spaces by the water costing double those by the bar.
In Milano Marittima this summer, a parasol and two deck chairs cost €30 by the bar but up to €60 by the water.
Many families rent the same spot year after year.
Free beaches, or spiagge libere, are often remote and less attractive, near estuaries or eyesores, with litter and no lifeguards or toilets.
One Dutch holidaymaker near Naples complained of being shooed away from private beaches and finding no facilities on the free one.
The fight between privatized and free beaches has become controversial.
Italy has about 30,000 lidos, and a 2022 Legambiente report calculated that about 43% of sandy coasts are occupied by private businesses.
Campaigners and Local Battles
Danilo Ruggiero, director of the Mare Libero (Free Sea) campaign, says beaches have been transformed into little resorts with swimming pools, car parks, gyms, restaurants, and shops.
