A woman caught smuggling homemade sandwiches for her children at a private beach club in Puglia has ignited a fresh skirmish in Italy's long-running battle over private beach concessions. The incident, which occurred last weekend at a resort in Vieste on the Gargano peninsula, has drawn widespread attention to the escalating costs and restrictive policies at many of Italy's beach clubs.
Woman Caught with Homemade Sandwiches
Luca Pernice, a journalist with Corriere della Sera who witnessed the scene, said the woman, named Rosaria, had hidden the sandwiches at the bottom of her bag. When lunchtime arrived, she instructed her hungry son to eat close to the sea to avoid detection by resort staff. However, the child was caught, and Rosaria was reminded that the resort forbids packed lunches.
“It’s a common occurrence on the beaches here,” Pernice said. “People don’t want to be forced to spend at the restaurant every day, they can’t afford it, and so this is what they do, they strategise.”
Beachgoers Push Back Against Restaurant Obligations
At Il Tirreno, a private beach club in Montalto di Castro on the Lazio coast, Beatrice Bordo, who has rented two loungers and an umbrella for the entire season for €850 (£725), said she refuses to be pressured into buying lunch at the resort's restaurant. “I’ve paid €850 for the season and I spend money in the bar – on coffee, ice-cream, granita,” she said. “So they can’t expect me to spend up to €50 a day to eat at their restaurant. It is not an obligation. They can do what they want in their resort, but I’ll do what I want beneath my umbrella.”
Bordo’s stance reflects a growing sentiment among Italians who are increasingly turned off by the high costs of private beach clubs. The average cost of renting two loungers and an umbrella has risen by 6% in 2025, with some locations seeing increases of up to 16%, according to the consumers' association Altroconsumo. At Il Tirreno, the daily cost is €20, rising by a few euros at weekends, which is considered affordable for the Lazio region.
Concession Holders Defend Policies
Nicola Ragno, president of the local unit of Assoturismo, the association for beach concession holders, argued that packed lunches “damaged the image” of beach clubs. He alleged that many beachgoers bring full meals rather than simple sandwiches. “In most cases, we see full-blown meals – pasta, main courses, fruit, desserts, drinks – all manner of food,” Ragno told Corriere della Sera. “This creates issues with hygiene, waste management and general orderliness, while complicating the services that business owners provide through significant investment and dedicated staff.”
Rachele Giambi, who together with her brother Alessio and husband Marco Campione holds the concession at Il Tirreno, said she sympathises with customers but managing the resort is costly. “We don’t forbid packed lunches,” she said. “But the problem is those who are ill-mannered – for example, some bring takeout pizza and then leave it to us to get rid of the cardboard boxes.” She added that people have “the wrong impression” that concession holders are raking it in. “It’s a big investment. We’re only authorised to be open for three months a year, but it’s not as if we stop paying taxes for the rest of the year.”
Political and Public Backlash
Antonio Decaro, president of the Puglia region, waded into the debate, stating on Facebook: “No one can stop you from eating food on the beach that you’ve brought from home. The cost of loungers and umbrellas is already exorbitant. The sea is a common good and must not become a luxury.”
Moira Maccharini, at the beach with her toddler son and mother Elisabetta, had prepared a packed lunch containing breaded cutlets, salad, fruit and yoghurt. “It becomes too much if you then have to spend on the restaurant,” she said. “It’s also more of a pleasure to bring food made at home.” Elisabetta, originally from Sicily, noted that people are coming less often and taking shorter holidays. “This beach used to be packed. People are really struggling with the cost of living.”
Alternative Solutions and Ongoing Disputes
Il Gabbiano, a beach club along the coast from Il Tirreno, has avoided the issue by offering packed lunches for customers, which can be eaten in the bar area or under their umbrella. “It’s really convenient,” said Benedetta as she ate a seafood risotto. “With a bottle of water, it was only €9.”
The share of coastline taken up by private beach concessions varies by region, from roughly 20% in Sardinia to 70% in Emilia-Romagna and Liguria. For years, the grassroots movement Mare Libero has fought to reclaim beaches from private concessions and ensure public beaches are properly maintained by local authorities. “This is the issue,” said Bordo, pointing to the patch of free beach next to Il Tirreno. “It’s not well-maintained and there are no services. So until things change in that respect, I am staying here.”
