Italian Nuns Fight to Keep Their Beach Club in Ligurian Town

A group of nuns in Spotorno, a coastal town in Liguria, Italy, are resisting the local administration's plan to take away their beach club, which they have operated since 1946 for charitable purposes. The dispute, dubbed a 'holy war' by local media, centers on a 50-meter stretch of beach at 'Bagni Gino Garrone' that the authorities have put up for public tender to comply with EU regulations on beach concessions and regional rules on free beach quotas. The nuns' club is one of many private concessions along the Italian coast that are being challenged as the government seeks to open up the beaches to competition. The story highlights the long-standing conflict over Italy's beach management, where private operators have held concessions for decades, often at low fees. The nuns' case has become a symbol of the broader struggle, as they argue that their club serves a social purpose, funding charitable works. The outcome of this dispute could set a precedent for other concession holders across the country. The article references the current issue of the German newspaper 'der Freitag' for more details.