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Miscellaneous Doing the Beach in Italy

The summer sun-worshipers arrive at Italy's beaches in search of a patch of sand, a splash in the surf, and loads of seafood, though the prime activity in these beach resorts is toasting oneself to a deep brown. Surrounded by coastline, the allure of the sea can prove irresistible. If your trip to Italy includes a visit to the beach, here are a few tips to make the most of it.

Buy a bikini
Anything other than a two-piece is unheard of here. Regardless of age, body shape, overhanging bellies, saggy boobs, or cellulite backsides … it matters not, bikinis are the choice, so don one and you'll fit right in. As for men's styles, the previously-popular Speedo trend seems to have waned in favor of longer, baggier britches.

Bring your own sunscreen
The creams are rather costly here, and the SPFs available are lower than we normally buy in the US. Bottles containing lotion with an SPF rating of 2 and 4 are common; why bother, I say. Anything with a rating of 20 or above is clearly marked "per bambini". Many are highly perfumed (flowery, not the coconut-y smell). Best to bring your own, regular brand along.

Rent a chair and umbrella
Stabilimenti are businesses that erect ordered rows of umbrellas and chairs - colorful shadings to be had for a price. They are ubiquitous in any resort area. They usually also include little changing cabins and cold-water showers, along with snack bars or full restaurants. Shade comes at a price, but they are usually pretty reasonable (we pay 6 euro per umbrella and another 6 euro for a lettino, the long lounge-type chair). The free beaches are generally dismal, unkempt plots of sand with trash and doggy doo-doo; no umbrellas or chairs unless you haul your own.

Don your shades
If you forgot to bring huge, dark sunglasses, don't fret. Salesmen walk up and down the beaches selling everything you could possibly need for summer – towels, cover-ups, swimsuits, and of course sunglasses.

Cool down with a granita
The Italian version of a snow-cone hits the spot in the heat and can be had at any of the bars dotting the seaside, but they can also be purchased from carts at the water's edge, hauled about by two men who hand-shave the ice and add any syrup flavor you'd like for 1.50 euro.

Get in motion
Many places rent jet-skis and peddle boats so you can get away from the hordes a bit and take a dip in deeper, cooler water. Surfing and wind-surfing lessons can be procured if you're more athletically-inclined.

Bring a book
While you're toasting in the sun, you'll want a good read for something to do between dips in the sea.

levanto-beach-0567.jpg

The private beach with rows of umbrellas, and the small public beach in Levanto, Liguria.
 
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Valerie, thanks for a great article.

Our beach of choice is Lido di Camaiore and the Bagno Sole that we've been going to for about 25 years. As noted, I've seen things best unseen when it comes to body shape and lack of coverage, but no one seems to be concerned with body image (a good thing for me as the years go by). As the years have gone by, it seems as though the volume of vendors selling junk has increased and that they have gotten more pushy, but that could also be related to me getting to the "get off my lawn" stage of life.

We are entertained by the beach being almost empty on days when the temperatures are in the low 70's -- just fine for us; an Arctic cold front, apparently, to the Italians. We are not entertained when the medusa larvae are infesting the water and being washed up on the sand.

I love seeing the change in the beach as the grandmothers with babies (while schools are still in session) give way to the more lively times when moms and dads show up with the older kids when the schools finish their sessions (maybe I'm not as grouchy as I think??). Regardless of the family composition, we know they all look at us a little askance since we come in the morning and stay all day while they all pack up and go away for their lunch and siesta while we sit on an essentially deserted beach.

My favorite time is the end of the day when the announcement comes out on the scratchy speakers that the hot bomboloni are available. We rarely see other Europeans or Americans at Bagno Sole, but the few Americans who do show up invariably look up at the white covered hills above Carrara and ask, "Is that snow?" -- giving me that moment of superiority where I say (a) "No, it's marble" and (b) pretend I didn't have the same thought the first time we went there.
 
Totally agree Valerie! I bought a bikini in Sicily and haven't worn one in well over 20 years. One of the many things I love about Italy.
 

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