Guardian names Ponza, Conero, Gargano beaches

The Guardian on April 27 published a list of six natural, free beaches in Italy, naming stretches in Ponza, the Riviera del Conero and the Gargano alongside Elba, Maremma and Pantelleria. (theguardian.com) (iltirreno.it) The article was written by Katie McKnoulty and focused on “spiagge libere,” the parts of Italy’s coast that remain open without private beach-club control. (iltirreno.it) (theguardian.com) Il Tirreno, summarizing the Guardian piece, said the full six-place selection includes Nisporto on Elba, the wild beaches of the Maremma park, the Conero coast in Marche, Gargano in Puglia, Ponza in Lazio and Pantelleria in Sicily. (iltirreno.it) The appeal is not only scenery. The list centers on coastline that is still accessible in a country where private concessions can dominate famous resort areas and limit no-cost access to the sea. (iltirreno.it) (thelocal.it) That debate has been running for years in Italy. The Local reported in September 2024 that Italy and the European Union reached a deal on beach-club concessions after a long dispute over automatic renewals and competition rules. (thelocal.it) The same report said private concessions swallow up 90 percent of beaches in some areas, including Rimini on the Adriatic coast. (thelocal.it) Environmental group Legambiente has also warned that free beaches are under pressure. A report cited in 2024 coverage said 12,166 beach concessions were in force in Italy, while erosion and water-quality problems further reduced accessible shoreline. (legambiente.it) (uisjournal.com) That is the backdrop for a travel list that might otherwise read like a simple summer guide. In 2026, being named as a beautiful beach in Italy also means being identified as one of the stretches of coast still left open. (theguardian.com) (thelocal.it)