If you drive near the beach in Italy, you’ll notice sections covered in chairs with matching umbrellas. They are usually bright and can be very inviting. This is called a “lido” and here’s what you can expect.
A lido is more or less a type of beach club. When you arrive, you will be able to “rent” chairs for the day. The prices are usually set for 2 chairs and 1 umbrella and can range depending on the area and which row you decide you want. Most lidos charge more for the rows closer to the water. If you’re in a popular beach town, the general prices for all the lidos will be much higher than places that are not so popular. This year, we decided to take the girls to Tropea, Calabria. Tropea is a popular resort beach town so we knew that we would be paying more. Additionally, we were visiting at the height of the season. We did our research and although we found lidos that were cheaper than the one we ended up at, they were all booked up when we tried to make a reservation. That seems to be a trend- during peak times the less expensive lidos book up fast so make reservations early unless you aren’t concerned with how much you’re going to pay.
Many of the beaches in the south of Italy are rocky, so if you think you’ll want a chair, this could be a good option for you, but be prepared, the amenities can add up and they vary from lido to lido. However, you’ll typically get the chairs, umbrella, and use of a bathroom. Be prepared though- you’ll need to bring your own towels. From there, you may have a small table with waiter service or walk up access to get food and drinks. Some lidos have full restaurants and some just have sandwiches, snacks, and drinks for purchase. Some allow you to bring your own food and drink, some do not. You’re best bet is to research ahead of time by either calling ahead when you make the reservations or looking to see if the lido has a website.
When you finally decide on a spot, plan to spend the entire day. You will pay the same price even if you only use the chairs for an hour. Although it was much more expensive than any other lido we have ever gone to, our day in Tropea was a nice one.
We arrived at 10:30 a.m. and left around 6 p.m. so we definitely made use of our chairs even though they were over-priced. Having gone to other lidos in Italy though, I cannot say that this particular place was worth the added expense. Although the location was beautiful and the service was good, it was not “over the top” and did not warrant spending the extra money. We made the most of it though- we were on vacation after all. If we ever go back, I would make sure to make reservations at least a week in advance instead of the day before to assure a spot in a less expensive lido (the beach is the same after all).
Have you ever experienced a lido? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
very informative! I agree it does up and gets expensive going to an Italian beach.
Thank you Aggie!