Versilia and luxury: prestigious properties in the birthplace of beach tourism
The history of beach clubs in Versilia, all the way back to the 1800s
Beaches with well-equipped bathing establishments (beach clubs), also with swimming pools, attract thousands of Italian and foreign tourists each summer. Complete with all the main services – umbrellas and tents, bars and restaurants, cabanas, and swimming pools – they are the pride and joy of many stretches of coast, and notably of Versilia. Indeed, this is where one of the first bathing establishments was built. Broker Immobiliare Exclusive Real Estate lists luxury villas for sale in Versilia, near the main bathing establishments and with splendid views over the sea.
Beach tourism is a pivotal part of Italian culture. Indeed, 4,000 out of 8,000 km of coast are covered with bathing establishments. There are also tens of thousands of state property concessions what with establishments, sports centers, tourism complexes, and campsites, among other. Nowadays, we are used to luxury bathing establishments extremely well-equipped for every comfort: well-distanced umbrellas to guarantee privacy, tends with many chairs and lounges, spacious cabanas with hot-water showers, wide pools with jacuzzis and waterfalls, snack bars with artisanal and packaged ice cream, retaurants with delicious sea-food menus with also meat dishes. But Italy’s first bathing establishments were a far cry from modern ones. Let’s take a look at the differences.
It is no coincidence that Versilia is one of the most renowned beach tourism destinations, as one of the first bathing establishments was built here. The first two establishments were built in the 1820s, Bagno Dori and Bagno Nereo, which allowed entrance to men and women separately. Their look was completely different from that of a modern establishment. Instead of long lines of umbrellas and tents, they consisted of a big wooden building like a stilt house accessbile thorough a raised boardwalk. Customers could lower themselves into the sea away from indiscreet eyes. It was the 1800s afterall.
During the following decades, establishments along the lines of Viareggio’s were also built in farther areas such as Lido di Venezia, Naples, Rome, and the Ligurian Coast. In the 1920s, umbrellas finally replaced the silt-house-like buildings, and the first bars and restaurants are set up. The historic Bagno Balena, today and élite establishment, was built in 1928. Around this time period, Forte dei Marmi’s first bathing establishments are built, such as Bagno Annetta, Bagno Silvio, Bagno Piero, e Bagno Beppe di Ponente. However, the real beach tourism boom occurred in the reconstruction period after WWII. Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi (the latter already becoming a super élite destination) were at the top of the tourism industry.
Mass tourism started in the 50s, having become accessible to all. Holidays matched with summer closures, even in factories, and the now widespread use of cars made destinations easily reachable. Bikins were first introduced in the 60s. While the first kinds of bathing suits were made of wool – which doesn’t adhere much to the wearer when wet – this decade saw a boom for this two-piece bathing suit. Almost literally a boom, as it is named after Bikini Atoll, where the USA used to test its nuclear arsenal. As in other countries, bikinis weren’t legal from the get-go, while nowadays they are the most sold bathing suit.
Even in past centuries, Italian weren’t the only ones to enjoy bathing establishments. Foreigners, especially from Europe’s northernmost countries, came to Italy to spend the winter or to breath in the sea air, with doctors already indicating it as a cure-all for respiratory illnesses.
ENIT, Ente Nazionale Italiano per il Turismo, today Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo, and CIT, Compagnia Italiana del Turismo were opened respectively in 1919 and 1920 in order to promote Italy’s image as a tourist destination.
Purchasing a luxury property in Versilia through Broker Immobiliare Exclusive Real Estate’s professional support means not only having the chance to live in an élite beach location, but also to live in an area of Italy that made the history of its beach tourism. Our listed properties in Versilia are near all the main services and not far from the coastline.
