Lsummer at the seaside presents a increasingly heavy bill for Italian families. In 2026 Beach resort prices increase by an average of 6% Compared to last year, they represent a 24% increase in prices over five years. In some locations, the rate hike is even more pronounced, with peaks of up to 16%.
The phenomenon is photographed byAltroconsumo's annual survey, which analyzed the costs of factories in ten Italian locations, from North to South, taking the week from August 2nd to 8th as a reference. And the results confirm a now consolidated trend: going to the beach in an equipped establishment is increasingly more expensive, while free beaches remain a precious resource but increasingly difficult to find.
The price increase map: where the sea weighs the most
The survey was conducted by contacting people by telephone and anonymously. 222 beach resorts in ten locationsLignano, Rimini, Senigallia, Viareggio, Palinuro, Alassio, Gallipoli, Alghero, Taormina-Giardini Naxos, and Anzio. Altroconsumo has recorded the rates applied for umbrella and two sunbeds in the first four rows during the first week of August, one of the most requested of the season.
Il average price increase compared to 2025 is 6%, but the national figure hides strong territorial differences. The most significant increases are recorded in Taormina e Giardini Naxos, where rates increase by 16%. Followed by Alghero, with an increase of 14%, and Gallipoli, where prices increase by 10%. In the other locations monitored, the increases are more modest, generally between 2% and 7%.
There are also cases that are going against the trend or are almost at a standstill as in Alassio where there are no price increases compared to the previous year, while Palinuro e Senigallia remain substantially stable, with variations of 0,5% and 0,6% respectively.
Alassio remains the most expensive, Lignano the cheapest
If you look at absolute cost, Alassio remains the most expensive location among those analyzed. For a week in the front row, with an umbrella and two sunbeds, the average expense comes to 368 €At the other end of the spectrum is Lignano, where the same accommodation costs an average of €164. Considering the average of the first four rows, Alassio remains at the top of the list with €340 per week. Gallipoli follows closely behind at €324, followed by Alghero at €274. Also above €200 are Taormina-Giardini Naxos, at €237, and Viareggio, at €232.
Prices are more reasonable in the other locations monitored: in Palinuro the average is 188 euros, in Anzio 179 euros, in Senigallia 159 euros and in Rimini 158 euros. Lignano closes the ranking with an average of 157 euros in the first four rows.
Il national average data confirms that in the first week of August, 238 euros are required for the first row, 229 euros for the second, 219 euros for the third, and 210 euros from the fourth row onwards.
In five years the cost of the beach has risen by 24%
The 2026 price increase is part of a longer trajectory. For the past five years, the average prices of beach establishments went from 182 euros in 2021 to 225 euros in 2026, taking as a reference the average rate of the first four rows in the locations analyzed.overall increase is 24%The increase has been constant: 189 euros in 2022, 197 euros in 2023, 203 euros in 2024, 212 euros in 2025, and finally 225 euros in 2026. A gradual but continuous growth, which makes the impact of beach holidays on family budgets increasingly evident.
The difference between one location and another can translate into significant savings. Choosing a less expensive destination can mean spending almost €200 less for a week at the beach with umbrella and loungers, considering the same period and services.
Why Italians still choose factories
Despite the price increases, beach resorts remain a very popular choiceThe consumer preferences survey shows that 37% of respondents prefer a serviced beach, whether it's a beach club or a paid public beach. 35% prefer a public beach, with or without services, while over a quarter of the sample said they were open to both options.
La main reason which pushes towards the factories is the presence of services and equipment, indicated by 80% of those who choose this option. Those who prefer a free beach do so primarily for economic reasons: 79% cite free access as a deciding factor, while 63% appreciate the freedom to decide where to go each day.
The theme is inevitably intertwined with that of the bathing concessionsAmong informed consumers, 63% believe that industry reform should lead to lower prices for customers. One in two respondents also believes it is necessary to introduce periodic turnover in beach management.
Free beaches, the issue of concessions, and the Spotorno case
In a context of rising prices, the free beaches For many citizens, they represent the only truly sustainable alternative. The problem is that free spaces continue to shrink, limiting the possibility of choosing a less expensive holiday model.
Altroconsumo reports the Spotorno case, in Liguria, as an example of a possible different balance. The municipality has increased the number of free beaches and provided essential services such as cleaning, lifeguards, showers, and restrooms, at no additional cost to the community. The model relies on the presence of concessionary kiosks, which are required to generate sufficient resources to cover the costs of the services.
According to Altroconsumo, the current concession system continue instead to penalize citizens. Faced with concessions often granted at low costs, consumers find themselves pay ever higher ratesFor this reason the association has promoted a petition, which has already exceeded 91.000 signatures, asking for a reform of the sector with more free beaches, fewer concessions and transparent and periodic calls for tenders.
