Benidorm beach wars return as tourists race to claim the best shoreline spots in middle of night

Each summer, Benidorm residents and tourists engage in a fierce competition to secure the prime spots on the beach. A video shared on social media on August 7, 2026, highlighted the ongoing ritual, with beachgoers arriving at 6 am to claim their preferred shoreline positions before the resort fully awakens. The situation, dubbed "Beach Wars," is not new but has resurfaced this year, raising questions about the lack of action to address the issue.

Similar battles have been reported in other Spanish resorts and even in beaches around Naples, Italy. Residents and tourists in Benidorm are getting up early to lay down their sun loungers, parasols, and towels on Levante Beach, often leaving them unattended to claim space. While Spanish law does not explicitly forbid this, local bylaws do cover issues such as private use of public beach space, unauthorized occupation, and the removal of objects causing conflict.

Some fines can reach thousands of euros for the most serious offences. However, it remains unclear whether simply leaving equipment unattended constitutes a violation. Meanwhile, other Spanish resorts like Calpe have taken a more direct approach by prohibiting the installation of beach equipment before 9:30 am, with removal by the police if left unattended for more than three hours.

In Italy, authorities have taken more aggressive measures, seizing unattended beach equipment at Laghetto beach and Mappatella Beach, with fines reaching €500. The issue of beach wars extends beyond just claiming the best spots; poolside sunbeds have also become a battleground, with a survey revealing that a majority of British, French, and Italian holidaymakers admitted to reserving sunloungers using towels, a practice deemed unacceptable by the majority of respondents.