If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that the Italians are masters at beach life. While the rest of the world may schlep to the beach, Italians seem to just arrive. With thousands of kilometers of coastline, they’ve had plenty of practice.
All along the coast, you’ll find casual cafés, seaside restaurants and tiny kiosks with everything you need — from umbrellas and sunbeds to seafood pasta and peaches soaked in white wine — just steps from the water.
I’m not talking about glamorous beach clubs with cabanas and DJs (although those certainly exist). I’m talking about Italy’s stabilimenti balneari: somewhere between a beach club and a beach bar, and one of my favorite Italian institutions.
Usually family-run, these seasonal beach clubs pop up along the coast each summer, typically from May or June until September. They’re a true fixture of l’estate italiana. Local families often rent the same spot for weeks — or even the entire season — returning each morning to the same lettini, the same neighbors, and the same familiar faces.
Living the lettino life, as I like to call it, is arguably the best way to experience Italy’s beaches. Once you understand how Italian beach clubs work, you’ll never want to spend a beach day any other way.
The Magic of the Lettino
Finding an Italian beach club usually doesn’t require much of a search. If you’re on the beach, chances are there’s one nearby. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, or a small island. Rows of colorful umbrellas and neatly lined-up lettini are a familiar sight on beaches all over Italy.
What makes Italian beach clubs so great is undoubtedly their lettini. These lounge chairs are usually rented by the day, along with umbrellas to provide shade from the hot midday sun. No need to lie on a towel and burn yourself on the hot sand or rocks. Instead, you have somewhere comfortable to spend the entire day.
Italians love to spend long days in the sun, so they get to the beach pretty early. Growing up, I remember spending hot August summers in Sabaudia with family friends and my grandparents who would stay up late chatting, smoking, and sipping amaro. Somehow, they always beat me to the beach the next morning.
How to Book
If you’re traveling in July or August, it’s worth reserving your lettino ahead of time — at least a day ahead or up to a week in advance in especially popular destinations. Booking ahead is also your best bet if you want to snag lettini in the first row closest to the sea. If you’re in a more rural area (especially early or late in the season), chances are you can just walk up and get a chair on the spot.
Don’t know where to go? Ask the locals! They’ll know which establishment has the best prices, the most delicious food, and the best atmosphere. Just remember that beach clubs are open seasonally, usually from May to September.
Lettini and ombrelloni vary in price depending on the location, popularity, and season. On much of the Italian coast, prices are surprisingly reasonable, but in destinations like Positano or Capri, don’t be surprised to pay a premium — especially for the coveted front row.
Of course, you can visit a beach club without renting lettini. Just bring your towel and enjoy the spiaggia libera (free beach). You can still stop by the beach club to grab something to eat or drink. Remember: beach clubs are about convenience and relaxation, not complication!
Lunch at the Beach
For me, the best part about Italian beach clubs is the food. My fondest memories are of lunches eaten there as a little girl. I’d run to the counter with my mom, watching as she ordered my favorite panino con tonno e pomodoro (tuna and tomato sandwich). I would eat it all too fast so that I could run back for a Magnum Classico gelato and play cards with my friends.
Italian beach clubs are usually casual affairs, but they often serve up more than panini. Don’t let the simple setting fool you, as these small kiosks on the beach can cook up a storm in their little kitchens.
They usually serve local and seasonal specialties, like pasta, salads, and fresh seafood, and you may even find pizza if you’re lucky. One of the best spaghetti alle vongole I’ve ever eaten was at a beach club. Nothing beats eating fresh clams while overlooking the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean.
As for drinking, Italian beach clubs rarely disappoint. Cold beer, local wine, and Aperol spritz are practically mandatory, and many also prepare cocktails, from gin and tonics to negronis. My favorite is ordering local sparkling wine. There’s nothing better than sipping something bubbly as you lay on a lettino, gazing endlessly at the sea.
Beach clubs usually keep strict hours for lunchtime, just like Italian restaurants do. But don’t worry about keeping time while you relax at the beach — Italian beachgoers will do that for you. Starting at around noon, you’ll start to see the beach empty out as if there were a high tide warning. But an empty midday beach just means it’s time for lunch!
What to Wear to an Italian Beach
Italian beach style is relaxed but polished. Rather than athletic shorts and oversized T-shirts, you’ll see lightweight linen shirts, breezy beach dresses, kaftans and colorful pareos thrown over swimsuits for lunch or a stroll along the waterfront.
A good pair of sunglasses is practically mandatory, along with comfortable sandals and a roomy woven beach bag for carrying your beach essentials. A pareo is perhaps the most useful thing you can pack — it doubles as a beach cover-up, picnic blanket, skirt and even an impromptu towel when needed.
Looking for the perfect swimsuit? Here are our favorite Italian swimwear brands.
And don’t forget a great pair of shades: these are the best Italian sunglasses brands to know.
Good To Know
Most Italian beach clubs have showers and changing rooms, making it easy to rinse off before heading home or out for aperitivo. Some also have private changing cabins, so you can slip into dry clothes and head straight to lunch or dinner without going back to your hotel. Just keep a few coins in your beach bag, as showers are sometimes coin-operated.
Another local habit worth adopting? Bring a second swimsuit. Many Italians change into a dry bikini or pair of swim shorts before leaving the beach rather than sitting in wet swimwear all afternoon.
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