It’s enough to take the shine off a summer holiday: arriving at the beach first thing in the morning to find the best spots already occupied by towels, deckchairs and umbrellas.

Now the Italian coastguard has decided enough is enough.

Authorities from the coasts of Tuscany to Sardinia are cracking down on holidaymakers who seek to reserve prime beach territory by leaving their gear out overnight, with those responsible facing fines of €200 (£170).

The forces behind operation Safe Sea say the use of deckchairs and umbrellas by tourists who want to stake optimal spots is widespread and unfair to others who follow the rules.

On Saturday, the Livorno coastguard seized 37 deck and beach chairs, 30 umbrellas, towels and even some bathing suits, according to a report in La Repubblica.

The paper called the reservation of beach spots an “ancient and ingrained habit” that began as the first big waves of tourists started to visit Italy after the second world war. Attempts to claim back chairs and umbrellas could be an expensive exercise, as some areas are ready to dole out fines.



The city of Cecina, in Tuscany, has made it a crime to leave any unattended equipment on the beach before 8:30am, when it is opened to swimmers.

Seizures of beach paraphernalia were also reported in Tortoreto, an area in Abruzzo, and on the beach of Roseto Capo Spulico, in Cosenza and Salerno.

Authorities said in some cases they were targeting swindlers who were setting up chairs and umbrellas on public beaches that ought to be free of charge and renting them to tourists, a phenomenon that has prompted some tourists to complain.

It is not the first time Italian authorities have been forced into action. A few years ago, coastguard officials at a resort in Liguria fined six tourists about €1,000 after they unrolled 10 towels before 6am to reserve spaces on the beach. All of the alleged wrongdoers were over 60.

In another case, a British coach driver was arrested – but not ultimately charged – after he burned towels that were holding spots for German visitors.