At the city beach of Ostia, a few kilometres from Rome's city centre , demolition machinery has been at work since early August 2026. Two well-known beach establishments, the "Shilling" and the neighbouring "Sporting Beach", are currently being torn down. The redevelopment follows a new ordinance issued by Rome's mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, aimed at significantly increasing the proportion of free beaches in Ostia and reducing the number of private Stabilimenti Balneari. For travellers spending a seaside holiday near Rome this season, this represents the most visible transformation of a classic Italian seaside resort in decades. It is not, however, a wholesale upheaval along Italy's coastlines: in most other regions, the season is running as normal.
The figures behind the redevelopment
Ostia has a total coastline of 11.27 kilometres , much of which had until now been cut off from public access by the fences and walls of private beach establishments. Only 1.2 kilometres were available as free beach without charge. As Roma Today sets out in detail regarding the regulatory situation for the 2026 season, this figure is to be extended to 6.49 kilometres, combined with a reduction in the number of Stabilimenti from around 70 to 35. The Piano di Utilizzo dell'Arenile, adopted by the Aula Giulio Cesare in June 2026, stipulates that 58 per cent of the total coastal strip must be made available for public use, well above the minimum of 50 per cent set by the Lazio region. New public access points to the sea are to be created every 300 metres, with a minimum width of 3 metres, so that views of the sea and the paths leading to it are no longer obstructed by the walls of the establishments.
Before the season began, 34 Stabilimenti in Ostia were also required to demolish illegally erected structures such as verandas, extended cabins and restaurant extensions. As Dinamopress notes in its account of the authorities' inspection campaign, around 73,000 square metres of area were examined using drones and technical surveys, with roughly one hectare of illegal construction identified. A further establishment, the "Village", was stripped from its former operators following Mafia investigations and awarded to a cooperative. Ostia thus stands as the most prominent current example of a municipal authority reorganising an Italian beach area.
The legal background: the Bolkestein Directive
The basis for the reorganisation in Ostia is the European Bolkestein Directive, officially EU Services Directive 2006/123/CE. It requires that state concessions for public assets be put out to tender on a regular basis. Since Italy's coastline is legally state property, the leasing agreements held by beach establishments qualify as such concessions. For more than two decades, successive Italian governments had delayed implementation of the directive, as the political lobby representing the more than 7,300 officially registered Stabilimenti families carries considerable weight in many constituencies. Full implementation is now scheduled to begin from 2027.
In Ostia, the city of Rome is already proceeding with the retendering process, because the local concessions have expired and several legal proceedings have been decided in favour of the new framework . On 21 April 2026, the Consiglio di Stato lifted the blocking decisions of the TAR Lazio, and on 11 May 2026 the TAR itself confirmed the legality of the new tender procedures for Ostia in three separate rulings. The way is therefore legally clear for implementation in the Rome area, whilst in other regions the extensions of existing concessions run until the end of 2027, meaning the reform will take effect there at a later stage.
Resistance from operators
The redevelopment in Ostia has not gone unopposed. On 14 June 2026, operators, local residents and employees gathered for a protest event titled "Il Funerale di Ostia", meaning "The Funeral of Ostia", at the Piazza Anco Marzio. As News Balneari reports in detail, many operators view the current redevelopment as an existential threat, on the grounds that the new tender conditions are structured in a way that small family businesses find difficult to meet. The Aggiudicazione of the new concessions took place within the framework of three tendering rounds covering a total of 52 expiring concessions, with a royalty on turnover weighted at up to 30 per cent in the evaluation. Additionally, a number of establishments stand empty because the legal proceedings surrounding the new concessions have yet to be concluded and the handover to new operators has been delayed.
Criticism is also directed at the economic structure of the reform. According to an analysis cited in the Times, prices for two sun loungers and a parasol in Italy have risen by around 24 per cent over the past five years. Critics regard this as part of the impetus for the reform, whilst supporters of the existing structure, such as L'Opinione, point instead to the economic significance of the sector and what they regard as excessive tendering conditions. According to a study by the Centrum für Europäische Politik, the average annual turnover of a Stabilimento is around 260,000 euros, whilst the concession fee payable to the state averages only 8,200 euros. It is this disparity that has fuelled the political dispute, which has so far never produced a national resolution.
What travellers to Ostia should be aware of this season
Those heading to the city beach of Rome this season will find a mixed picture. Some Stabilimenti are open as usual, whilst others are closed or currently being demolished. The free beach areas are noticeably larger and better signposted than in previous years, though they are also busier, as the remaining access points attract heavier footfall. The applicable ordinance requires that operators of open establishments allow non-paying visitors to pass through to the sea, display prices transparently, and provide lifeguards between 09:00 and 19:00. A further ten Stabilimenti are under sequestration by the Rome public prosecutor's office, among them "Mariposa", "Peppino a Mare", "Arcobaleno Beach" and "Caletta"; five will not open this season due to structural damage, erosion or vandalism.
For other Italian coastal stretches that are popular destinations among German-speaking travellers, little is set to change this season. Along the Adriatic in Emilia-Romagna, along the Ligurian and Tuscan coasts as well as in southern Italy, concessions continue largely unchanged. The full, nationwide implementation of the Bolkestein Directive remains pending, with tendering processes due from 2027 onwards, and further delays and legal proceedings are to be expected. For those currently planning a seaside holiday in Italy, the most useful reference points remain the specific regional regulations and the standard prices for sunshade and sun lounger, as discussed under the heading Caro Ombrellone .
