Hello,<BR>I am travelling to Italy this summer, and am hoping to stay a few days at a beach in the Le Marche region. Something has me baffled: standing room on beaches. I've read that in August (can't help going at that time) some of the beaches have standing room only, and many charge. Is this the way it's done in Italy? Thanks

I saw the beaches from Rimini south to Ancona last July (late) & August. While there were some beaches along there where bodies were lying "wall to wall" I never saw them standing shoulder to shoulder! Many of the hotels in the area sell you your bit of beach/cabana for your stay. Check the Marche site for more information. http://www.regione.marche.it

Also in region last August in Numana. As above posting you do have to rent cabana but was not overly expensive. If yuo go half way through day they cut you a deal.Wanted to try Sirolo but more diveersions for kids on southern areas. Have fun.

visited san benedetto and porto d'ascoli<BR>one week ago. the hotels provide you<BR>with the chairs/umbrellas (our hotel<BR>did and the others which i checked into<BR>did). the beaches were not crowded yet,<BR>but will be packed in august!

Is a beach that crowded supposed to be fun? On a hot, sweaty day? With people reeking of their own tanning lotion and sweat? You travel to Europe for this?

For beaches, go to the Big Island of Hawaii. We have friends from the Amalfi Coast who say their beaches do not hold a candle to Hawaiian beaches. Checkout theItalian lakes and swiim in a poo! Aloha!

We agree, don't go to Italy for the beaches, unless you are going way south to Calabria where there are wide sandy beaches. The beaches you are thinking of are alot of rocks not sandy.

it doesn't sound like kiri is going<BR>to le marche for the beaches; she<BR>states that she wants to stay on<BR>the beach for a few days. i traveled<BR>to visit family in le marche and<BR>decided to take a break from the<BR>mountains and spend a few days<BR>on the beach. i will visit again next<BR>year with my children and we will<BR>base ourselves out of a coastal<BR>city and take trips to nearby cities/<BR>villages.

Susan<BR><BR>The Amalfi coast is not the best area of Italy for beaches. you can find much better beaches in many places, actually the Amalfi coast along with Cinque terre and the surrounding area and with the coast included between Rimini and venice is probably the worse area of Italy to go to the beach. Try out Sardinia to see a really beautiful Italian beach.

My family loves Italian beaches. We have been going almost every year for the past five. The Adriatic is perfect for small children. Most of the beaches are shallow for a long way out. Gentle waves. We love the routine. Full board. Morning at the beach. Pranzo at the hotel. A nap or back to the beach. Clean up, go for a stroll then a light dinner. Ahhhh, it relaxes me just to think about it. Our favorite is the area between Pescara and Ancona. <BR>(Full board for our family of 4 was recently $125 a night. You can find bargains on the coast.)

to cindy:<BR><BR>i stayed in san benedetto this month<BR>for a few days during my visit to<BR>le marche. next june, my husband and<BR>2 children will travel with me. may<BR>i ask where you stayed for that price<BR>and were you happy with it?

The southern part of the Adriatico coast is for sure much better than the northern part (Venice to "RiminiRiccioneCesenaticoCervia"), but the coast of Tuscany can be just as quiet (the water is almost as shallow, the waves as gentle), but the landscape is usually much better.

to alice:<BR><BR>i would like to know which area on the<BR>tuscan coast you would recommend for<BR>children (10 & 6)? i travel to the<BR>east coast of italy and am not familiar<BR>with the west coast. we will visit <BR>italy next june with our children for<BR>2 weeks and will spend 1 week near <BR>family on the east coast and maybe <BR>try a new area for one week.

Basically the southern part of Tuscany is better. The northern part has large Romagna-like resorts with rows of umbrellas for rent and the water is often dirties than in the southern part. Given the age of your kids, they might enjoy a stay in Alberese, a small village near Grosseto within the area of the Maremma National park, where they might spend a few hours on the beach, than retire to the pine woods in the hottest part of the day, move back to the beach as the sun gets less strong. Alberese is not very close to the beach, which can still be reached by bycicle (you can rent them at the village) in half an hour, cycling through wheat fields, orchards and the forest. One day you may skip the beach and visit the Park, which is lovely and where I had the occasion of taking pictures of deers and to see squrrells and even a glimpse of a fox. Alberese3 hosts several pretty cheap but comfortable agritourisms, some offering the use of a kitchen.

thank you for the info. alice. i am<BR>anxious to check it out.