Everything you wanted to know about visiting one of Italy’s private beach clubs.
Summertime in Italy means it’s time to hit the beach! As temperatures rise all over Europe, locals and tourists alike flock to the cool relief of the Mediterranean sea. But while you can expect American beaches to be dotted with beach towels and umbrellas brought from home, many Italian beaches are dominated by beach clubs called stabilimenti, which charge a fee for beach access and some services.
While these private clubs can seem intimidating to navigate, we’re here to walk you through everything you need to know about going to the beach in Italy.
What is a stabilimento?
A stabilimento is a private Italian beach club. Sometimes called a lido or bagno, you’ll recognize these clubs by their uniform rows of colorful umbrellas and beach loungers along the shore. These stretches of the beach are owned by the stabilimento, and are usually kept quite clean and well maintained. For a fee, beachgoers can rent a lettino (beach chair) and ombrelle (umbrella) for the day and use whatever amenities that the beach club provides.
Can anyone use these beach clubs?
While some Italian families buy monthly passes to reserve their preferred spots all summer long, most stabilimenti have spots available for day rentals that are open to anyone. Rates tend to vary based on the location of the beach and the quality of the stabilimento’s offerings, and usually range from 15-40 euros for two beach chairs and one umbrella. Once you’ve bought your spot, it’s yours for the day to store your belongings and lounge, swim, eat, repeat.
What amenities are offered?
Italian beach clubs are experts at la dolce vita and provide everything you need for a full day at relaxing at the beach. In addition to beach chairs and umbrellas, stabilimenti offer bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, and a small restaurant. The dining experience varies depending on the beach club—on the smaller end, you can expect a bar and a selection of sandwiches and salads, while others have a full kitchen cooking up seaside favorites like spaghetti alla vongole and fritto misto. You can eat on the restaurant’s deck or order at the counter and bring your food (and maybe a spritz or two!) back to your chair.
Should I reserve a spot?
While some beach clubs will have same-day openings, it’s always smart to reserve your place ahead of time, especially on summer weekends or in August when most Italians are on holiday. The best plan is to walk by the stabilimento you want to go to, take a look at the location and amenities to make sure it has what you’re looking for, and give them a call to reserve your spot for the next day or later. Depending on how busy they are, you can request where you’d like to sit (closer or further from the water, closer or further from the club building and change rooms, etc.). Your hotel concierge will also be happy to make the call for you.
If you’re travel planning from home and have pinpointed the beach you want to visit (our travel guides have some great beach club recommendations vetted by Giada!), you can call from the U.S. or check online. Many of the higher-end stabilimenti now have online reservation systems.
Can I still go to an Italian beach for free?
Yes! While private beach clubs dominate certain beaches (some don’t have them at all!), there is usually a portion of the beach that is spiaggia libera, or free beach. Here, you’ll see a more similar setup to the US with beachgoers sprawled out on their own beach towels.
Whether you choose to spend a few hours at the free beach or indulge in a private beach club for the day, visiting the Italian shore in the summer is truly the best way to live la dolce vita.
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