It’s one of the great travel cliches. Tourists at beach resorts who get up early and “reserve” a spot on the beach, a deck chair or by the pool by placing a towel there. Then they go back to bed or breakfast, hoping to take up their privileged spot later on.
It’s led to (often racist) jokes, arguments and even fist fights in the past. And now it’s illegal.
Well, at least it is along the coast of Italy under “Operation Safe Sea”, which gives officials the right to issue fines of €220 to people who do not comply with requests to remove the personal items they use to “hog” sought-after space on beach sunloungers.
The town of Cecina in Tuscany has banned visitors from leaving their belongings on the beach before 8.30am. And on the weekend, the Livorno coastguard reportedly seized 37 deck and beach chairs, 30 umbrellas, and some towels and bathing suits.
Right or wrong? I guess it depends whether you’re an early riser or not.
