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The Order and Geometry of the Tuscan beach establishment

"Eternal Love" - an elderly couple head to their umbrella
“Eternal Love” – an elderly couple head to their umbrella

The term ”Stabilimento Balneare” may be best translated as a beach establishment. You will find these lining many shores in Italy, but nowhere so much as in Versilia. The stabilimento is an invention after my own heart. It’s a clean and orderly approach to going to the beach. On a daily, weekly, or seasonal basis, you can rent an umbrella or even a “tenda” (larger “tent”) and lounge chairs. These are neatly placed on a beach that has been combed just for you. The Stabilimento usually also has changing cabins, clean bathrooms, a bar and restaurant, and perhaps some services and games for children. They are particularly useful for people with small children, or people like me who just like traveling in comfort. This weekend I was in Lido di Camaiore as a guest of friends who rent a “tenda” at the beach by the season in a rather luxurious stabilimento. It was a very stylish place. I was particularly impressed by the geometry of the architecture and the surf-inspired colours. Here are my photographic impressions.

Surf-inspired colours for changing cabins

Surf-inspired colours for changing cabins

Cruise inspired colours and shapes

Cruise inspired colours and shapes

The catwalk in early morning

To find a beach establishment in Versilia, see the official website of the tourism board APT Versilia.

Read here for a review of all the Beaches of Tuscany!

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Submitted by arttrav on August 4, 2009 – 10:00 amView Comments

  • http://www.flipflorence.com/ Jason

    When you are in an unairconditioned room in Florence editing video, the idea of a lovely beach is very tempting! Can I plug my laptop in somewhere?

  • admin

    Yes, Jason, I believe that up at the bar/restaurant I saw a plug ;-)

  • http://www.arttrav.com/day-trips/beaches-of-tuscany/ arttrav.com » Beaches of Tuscany (Viareggio, Maremma, Follonica, Cinque Terre)

    [...] on arttrav about the island of Elba and its beaches, and the beautiful side of Viareggio – the order and geometry of the Tuscan beach establishment. var addthis_pub=”arttrav”; Submitted by arttrav on June 29, 2009 – 7:53 am3 [...]

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