Through special initiatives and inclusion projects to break down architectural barriers - such as dedicated pedestrian paths, access platforms on free beaches and availability of Job chairs - the sea can be within everyone’s reach, becoming a way of bringing people together, aiding integration and ensuring accessibility.
Let’s start from Follonica - a busy seaside resort nestled in the beautiful Gulf of Follonica - with the beach of Tangram, an equipped, universally accessible beach: here, courteous tourism has always been the priority and the facility is able to assist users, also with special equipment and dedicated and trained staff.
There is a wooden walkway from the road to the sea, slides and platforms providing access to the refreshment area, 2 Job chairs and 3 of other types allowing better movement on the sand and in the water, the use of which is completely free of charge.
By adhering to the Mare per Tutti (Sea for All) project, during the period of May 27 - September 15, many bathing establishments in the municipality of Grosseto provide a free place on the beach consisting of a beach umbrella, two sun loungers or two deckchairs.
The service is intended for anyone, with a recognized disability, who wishes to fill out a special reservation form, attaching the required documentation.
As for the Maremma Regional Park, an accessible beach is that of Marina di Alberese - a part of the coast south of the mouth of the Ombrone River stretching for several kilometers - that includes a dedicated rest area with a walkway, three shaded spaces and a job chair.
Continuing through the parks of the Etruscan Coast, we find numerous accessible beaches: all the bathing establishments within the Sterpaia Park have been built based on the criteria of full accessibility for people with disabilities.
In Rimigliano Park, with a free beach stretching from San Vincenzo to Campiglia Marittima, there are numerous equipped resting spots: these are not actual bathing establishments but specially marked-out areas - which can be reached via wooden walkways - that lead to the beach and to the services compliant with standards for people with mobility disabilities.
In Rosignano Marittimo, the La Pinetina bathing establishment, located inside a cool, dense pine forest overlooking the sea, has accessible changing rooms, a ramp leading to the sea, playgrounds and playing fields and an amphibious chair for bathing. The common areas can also be accessed by people with mobility disabilities.
Also in Versilia, a land of fun and tradition, there are bathing establishments that make it possible for people with impaired mobility to get to the beach and the sea.
The Cavallone in Pietrasanta has a boardwalk to the beach and also a play area accessible to children with mobility difficulties.
The Arizona in Viareggio offers not only a boardwalk to get to the beach, but also bathing huts and access to the pool via a ramp.