Beach Dispute Divides Italian Coastal Town Over Nuns' Concession

A heated debate is unfolding in Spotorno, a town on the Ligurian coast of northern Italy, concerning a beach concession currently operated by nuns. The "Bagni Gino Garrone" beach has been managed by the Sisters of the Order "Carità di Santa Maria" since 1946, who also run a summer holiday camp for local children.

The municipality, however, aims to transform the private beach into a freely accessible public space, aligning with a new regional plan that mandates an increase in public beach access. Seven existing beach concessions, including that of the nuns, are slated for public tender.

“

We are very disappointed.

The nuns express deep disappointment and concern, fearing that losing the concession could jeopardize their long-standing social programs, which include a kindergarten and the summer camp. They feel their decades of dedicated service to the community have been overlooked and hope the regional plan will not be approved. "We trust in providence and the common sense of politics," they stated.

Mayor Mattia Fiorini refutes claims that the measure targets the religious community. He asserts that the municipality is merely implementing regional and European Union regulations for awarding beach concessions through transparent public tenders. Fiorini added that social projects could receive special consideration during the bidding process. However, he acknowledged that there is no guarantee the nuns will retain the concession. If they are unsuccessful, the beach area directly in front of their facility will remain publicly accessible and available for their summer camp. A final decision on the future of the beach operation is expected after the tender process in the autumn.

“

We trust in providence and the common sense of politics.