Those aiming for the front row this summer will have to dig into their wallets more than usual. According to a survey by Altroconsumo conducted on 222 establishments in ten coastal locations, the prices of Italian beaches in 2026 grew on average by 6% compared to the previous year, with a cumulative increase of 24% in the last five years. And at the top of the ranking, for the umpteenth time, there is always her.
Alassio, the most expensive in Italy
With an average of 340 euros per week for a space in the first four rows, Alassio confirms itself as the most expensive seaside destination on the peninsula. It’s no surprise: the pearl of the Ligurian Riviera has now consolidated its primacy year after year, transforming itself into a symbol of that beach luxury that fewer and fewer Italian families are able to afford. At the other end of the table is Lignano Sabbiadoro, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, which stands at 157 euros per week: less than half.
The methodology of the investigation
The survey was conducted between April 20 and May 20, 2026, with anonymous telephone contacts to 222 establishments distributed across ten locations. For each destination, at least 20% of the beaches present were monitored, with a minimum of ten structures per area. The reference parameter is the average weekly rate in the first four rows of umbrellas.
The complete ranking, from the most expensive to the cheapest
- Alassio (Liguria) — €340
- Gallipoli (Puglia) — €324
- Alghero (Sardinia) — €274
- Taormina and Giardini Naxos (Sicily) — €237
- Viareggio (Tuscany) — €232
- Palinuro (Campania) — €188
- Anzio (Lazio) — €179
- Senigallia (Marche) — €159
- Rimini (Emilia-Romagna) — €158
- Lignano Sabbiadoro (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) — €157
In terms of individual rows, the first costs on average 238 euros per week, the second 229, the third 219, from the fourth onwards 210.
Free beaches: few, but something is moving
For many families, the equipped beach is now out of reach, but the free beach is not always a viable solution: the free beaches are progressively reduced in favor of concession areas. The Ligurian municipality of Spotorno is an exception, which has chosen to go against the grain by increasing the share of free beaches and guaranteeing bathers cleanliness, lifeguard service, showers and toilets at no additional cost.
What Italians want
A survey conducted between 27 and 30 April 2026 on a sample of 1,058 people photographed a divided audience: 37% prefer equipped establishments, 35% free beaches, over a quarter say they are open to both solutions. Those who choose the private beach do so mainly for comfort, in 80% of cases. Those who opt for the free beach do so for economic reasons in 79% of cases, and for the freedom to move every day in 63%. A polarization that speaks well of the growing difficulties of an increasingly wider range of holidaymakers.
The crux of concessions
The political background remains that of beach concessions, a dossier that has dragged on for years without a definitive solution. Among those familiar with the debate, 63% believe that a reform should result in a reduction in tariffs, and one in two consumers considers a periodic change in factory management to be no longer postponable. Altroconsumo reports a structural imbalance: the fees paid to the State by concessionaires are often low, while the rates passed on to tourists continue to rise. The organization has launched a national petition – already over 91,000 signatures – which calls for transparent and periodic tenders, a cap on the concessions that can be issued and an increase in free access beaches.
