Greece: extremely high prices
Basically, Greek beaches are public and free. In some cases, the operators provide lounge chairs and umbrellas for a fee, with the price ranging from 10 to 30 euros (40-120 shekels). In Mykonos, Paros or Santorini, prices have risen in the past year to 80 euros (about 315 shekels), and in private beach clubs the price can reach 100 euros (about 400 shekels). In the weaker tourist seasons, many lounge chairs are free as long as the guest consumes something from the establishment.
But the Greeks are fighting for free beaches: “In Crete, Corfu, Naxos and Paros, the citizens are defending themselves against private companies that take over entire beaches, equip them with deck chairs and umbrellas, play loud music and charge up to 100 euros,” says Marco Whipple, owner of the Swiss tourism company Meersicht . Some beach bar owners do not even have operating licenses and others operate illegally in nature reserves. But the citizens’ movement is celebrating its first successes: half of the Santa Maria beach on the island of Paros is now free of expensive deck chairs.
From the beginning of 2024, about 70 percent of every beach in Greece must be without deck chairs, and the percentages even rise to 85 on beaches protected by nature reserves. In the future, a regulation will be introduced in which there will also be a minimum distance of 4 meters between deck chairs and the beach, and if a beach is classified as ecologically valuable, deck chairs will be completely prohibited. In addition, the state now states that half of each beach must remain free of umbrella rental companies and bars.
Good to know: Camping on beaches in Greece is prohibited, as is swimming without a swimsuit, except in designated areas for nudists.
Italy: each city has its own rules
In Italy, access to the beach is a fundamental right. But most of the beaches are under concession and therefore there are fees for the deck chairs and umbrellas, when in 2023 beach operators caused negative headlines with exorbitant prices. In Italy, there are also quite a few municipalities with restrictive rules: four beaches in Sardinia have introduced a visitor limit with a requirement to reserve a place in advance, and at La Pelosa beach there is even a ban on bringing bath towels. Even in the summer town of Sastri Levante they are preparing to charge entry fees to the beaches from non-residents.
On the one hand, many beach resorts guard against over-tourism and bad guest behavior. On the other hand, Italy has allowed all beach concessions to expire at the end of 2023 – without a national framework law on how to proceed. In the absence of national guidelines, each municipality in Italy currently compiles its own rules so travelers are forced to check what currently applies in their destination before traveling.
Good to know: Umbrellas must not be left on the “free” beaches in order to reserve the best spot.
Croatia: Reservations are not allowed
There are no private beaches in Croatia, so there are no entrance fees and bathers can spend time on them free of charge. However, in order to combat phenomena that can create problems between bathers, there is a ban on leaving a towel in the evening to save space on the beach.
Lounge chair rental is regulated by law through a franchise permit. No one is exempt: at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Split, outside guests pay for deck chairs and umbrellas, but hotel guests do not have to pay. The franchisee, in this case the hotel, may use a maximum of one-third of the concession area for its services and products and is obliged, among other things, to maintain the wardrobes, showers, trash cans, etc.
Good to know: Most of the beaches in Croatia are pebble beaches. At the same time, there are also sandy beaches, so you should check in advance where those beaches are.
France: no private beaches
By law, all beaches in France are open to the public. This means that hotels cannot guarantee private beaches for their guests, but many of them provide deck chairs; And beach clubs offer various other services. The hotel rates for a lounge chair and umbrella usually range between 15-30 Euros (60-120 NIS), depending on the season. In beach clubs, prices usually start at 45 euros (about NIS 180) and above.
Good to know: In France, beachwear can be more skimpy than elsewhere. Today there are specially reserved sections of public beaches for nudists.