Russian tourism has grown rapidly in Italy, increasing by 25 percent in 2013 alone. According to Italy’s Foreign Ministry, 747,000 Russians visited Italy in 2013, while 52,000 Italians visited Russia. Russians are also roughly tied with Japanese as the biggest spenders among tourists, averaging €150 to €175 a day, roughly $195 to $225, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry.

Before the Ukraine crisis, the two countries had declared 2014 as the year of Russia-Italy cross-tourism — a campaign whose timing has turned out to be awkward, at best. Italy’s tourism agency was participating in a trade show in Moscow when Russia annexed Crimea. New direct flights were started from Italy’s Adriatic coast to different Russian cities to attract middle-class tourists, even as Forte dei Marmi continued to lure the Russian superrich to the Mediterranean coast.

“Here, it is beautiful, safe, clean, comfortable, equipped with boat and yacht rentals — and full of elegant people,” explained Irina Krassiouk, a native of Moscow who has lived in Italy for 23 years and manages one of the private beach clubs lining the shore. In August, Ms. Krassiouk organized a fashion show for Russian clients, with contestants from the Miss Italy pageant prowling a catwalk in furs. Guests also were allowed to browse Ferraris, Maseratis, jewelry and other luxury Italian goods.

“Now that Russia is closing its relations with Europe, I imagine it’s hard to have Italian products there,” Ms. Krassiouk said. “If they come here, my clients will know where to find them.”

Russians have been coming to Forte dei Marmi for two decades and have steadily reshaped to their own tastes what was once a quiet, elegant beach village for the Italian elite. Locals describe a real estate frenzy that became so crazed a decade ago that Russian buyers would purchase homes sight unseen — and then knock them down and build bigger villas. The village center, once filled with quaint local shops, has been overtaken by luxury brands such as Prada and Gucci, along with furriers and other designer shops.

Rich Russians have long been regulars in the Mediterranean, having established a prominent enclave at the Côte d’Azur in France. But Forte dei Marmi offered wider beaches, a good location for jumping off to other areas (hence the thriving helicopter services), an established infrastructure of beach services (some clubs offer piped-in music or Wi-Fi with beach chairs) and, most of all, exclusivity. It is not unusual, according to several shop clerks, for Russian customers to arrive just before closing and request that a store be kept open, just for them.