A dispute has emerged in the coastal Ligurian town of Spotorno involving nuns from the Suore di Carità di Santa Maria order who operate a beach club at Bagni Gino Garrone. The nuns have managed the 50-metre stretch of beach since 1946, operating loungers and umbrellas concessions while exempting themselves from standard commercial regulations based on their charitable status.
Local authorities have designated the facility for public bidding as part of efforts to comply with EU beach concession laws and regional requirements regarding free beach access. The nuns previously operated under a regulation allowing them to manage beach facilities for social missions, but that exemption no longer exists. Spotorno’s mayor Mattia Fiorini has stated that the concession will be reclassified as a “free equipped beach” and that the nuns must participate in a public tender to continue operations.
The nuns argue that operating as a free equipped beach—where admission is free and lounger rentals are optional—would be considerably less profitable than their current model. Sister Miranda, an 80-year-old nun, publicly challenged the mayor’s decision, warning that loss of the concession would threaten their ability to continue funding an infant school and summer beach camp in Spotorno. The nuns contend that their proceeds from beach operations directly support these charitable activities.
The tender is scheduled to be issued in the autumn. Spotorno may become among the first Italian municipalities to meet a 30 June 2027 deadline set by the EU’s Bolkestein directive, which requires member states to open private beach concessions to public competition. Italian governments have resisted these rules for two decades under pressure from beach concession operators, though the current administration was forced to accept the deadline following pressure from Brussels and domestic court decisions.
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