Is this a private beach?
KWES-tah eh oo-nah SPYA-jah pree-VA-tah.
When you are unsure whether a beach is open to the public or belongs to a hotel or private resort. In Italy, all beaches are technically public up to the waterline.
Una spiaggia privata is a private beach. The distinction is important: in Italy, the stretch of beach (spiaggia) can be managed privately (a concessione) but the shore (battigia) up to the waterline must remain publicly accessible by law.
Si può accedere anche senza essere ospiti dell'hotel?
Can you access it even without being a hotel guest?
Some hotel beaches are technically open to all.
Quanto costa l'ingresso?
How much does entry cost?
Some private beach clubs charge entry fees.
Devo uscire — questa è zona riservata.
I need to leave — this is a reserved area.
Understanding if you are asked to leave.
The Italian beach concession system (concessioni balneari) has been at the centre of political controversy for years. Families have held concessions at minimal cost since the 1970s, and EU law has required competitive tendering — a demand that successive Italian governments have resisted. The concessionaires argue they maintain facilities; free-beach advocates say public coastline is being privatised.