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Prices on Italian beaches are on the rise. (Stock photo)
Image: Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse via ZUMA Press
Italy remains one of the most popular vacation destinations for Swiss travelers. But anyone heading to the coast this summer will have to dig much deeper into their pockets. A case from Rome shows just how quickly even a simple gelato stop can get expensive.
Vacations in Italy are getting more expensive. This is demonstrated not only by a recent case in Rome but also by a new study from the Italian consumer protection organization Altroconsumo.
Near Piazza Navona, two US tourists simply wanted to buy two gelatos. They had ordered two scoops each, but according to the tourist, they were served larger portions with additional extras like whipped cream, a macaron, and a cannolo. The bill came to 44 euros.
The woman later described it as a “tourist trap” in a Facebook group. The case is also drawing attention because many vacationers in Italy are already feeling the effects of rising prices.
This is particularly evident at the beaches. Anyone renting a beach umbrella and lounge chairs in Italy now pays noticeably more than just a few years ago.
Altroconsumo examined prices at 222 beach resorts in ten coastal towns. According to the study, prices in 2026 will rise by an average of six percent compared to the previous year. Compared to five years ago, the increase is around 24 percent.
According to the study, Alassio on the Ligurian coast is the most expensive. There, a beach spot with a beach umbrella and two lounge chairs costs an average of 340 euros for a week. Those who want to be especially close to the sea pay even more.
New rules have also recently gone into effect at the popular Punta Molentis beach in Sardinia: only children under ten and people aged 65 and older are allowed to set up beach umbrellas. In addition, access is now only possible with a prior reservation, and the number of visitors has been significantly limited.
Prices are significantly lower in places like Lignano, Rimini, or Senigallia. According to Altroconsumo, a comparable package there costs less than 160 euros per week on average.
Across all the beach resorts surveyed, the average price for a spot in the first row of beach chairs is 238 euros per week. For the second row, the average cost is 229 euros.
Prices have risen particularly sharply in Sicily recently. According to the study, they increased by 16 percent in Taormina and Giardini Naxos.
In addition to rising prices, consumer advocates also criticize the fact that freely accessible beaches are becoming scarcer in many places. Altroconsumo is therefore calling for more public beach sections and fairer prices for beachgoers.
Spotorno in Liguria is cited as a positive example. There, the proportion of beach areas available for free use has been increased.
Price pressure could intensify further in the coming years. Italy must put approximately 30,000 beach concessions up for tender by June 2027. This is required by the EU under the Bolkestein Directive.
Many current beach operators fear that new concessions will become more expensive and that these costs will later be passed on to beachgoers.
For vacationers, this means: Italy remains beautiful—but the classic summer day with gelato, a beach umbrella, and a lounge chair is increasingly becoming a matter of budget.
