Culture by the sea, the Altamarea model
Sustainable Beach of the Year, as a result of winning the Gran Galà dei Beach Club d’Italia‘s Audit People Award, Altamarea Beach Village in Cattolica has continued to invest in the 2026 season not only in green initiatives, but also in cultural activities to build a community of experiences, knowledge, outreach and attention to people around the sea. A commitment that this year has translated into new collaborations and a calendar of activities engaging adults, children and families.
Among the most significant new developments is the partnership with Marevivo, a national foundation committed to protecting the marine environment, with which Altamarea has developed outreach projects dedicated to biodiversity, marine species and biology. Creative workshops, nautical activities and meetings with experts brought educational content to the beach, turning vacation time into an opportunity for learning. The program also involved marine biologists and internationally renowned figures: on August 27, for example, a diving medicine doctor who authored a treatise on female diving will be speaking.
The theme of sustainability was also addressed through food. In collaboration with the Romagna cooperative Itaca, which promotes the Ulisse Project to transform excess macroalgae in the Adriatic Sea from waste into an economic and environmental resource, Altamarea offered sustainable cooking workshops, demonstrating how seaweed can be incorporated into regional gastronomy, from tempura to piadina. Also in the spirit of circular economy is the project carried out with Blueat, a women-led startup that presented the blue crab not only as an invasive species and economic damage, but as a possible gastronomic resource and premium food product.
Alongside environmental sustainability comes social sustainability. After obtaining gender equality certification, Altamarea is developing an increasingly comprehensive path of corporate welfare, training and inclusion. The goal is to continuously improve internal dynamics, work quality and attention to disability and social issues, in a pursuit that involves people, collaborators and the organization.
This management philosophy finds one of its expressions in the venue’s cultural vocation. On July 23 and 24, the third edition of Altamarea Book Beach took place, a literary event that brought five authors to the beach each evening. The meetings were moderated by travel journalist and writer Isa Grassano. Romance novels, psychological thrillers, essays and introspective fiction created two evenings of talk shows, accompanied by an original wine and food pairing experience.
To more closely link the sea and the territory, Altamarea involved local producers of oil, wine, cured meats and honey. The products were paired with books through a game based on analogies and curiosities, followed by a tasting. A lighthearted and fun way to showcase, alongside literature, the excellence of the inland area.
The season also confirmed the growth of Bau Beach, dedicated to guests with pets. The collaboration with the local dog training center Io mi fido di te brought “dog animators” to the beach—professionals in dog relations who alternated between recreational moments, wellness activities and educational meetings. From a fashion show inspired by “101 Dalmatians” to sunset yoga, to lessons on proper interaction between children and dogs, the offering expanded in a direction increasingly attentive to beach club guests’ needs. Altamarea’s lifeguards also obtained a BLS-D certificate after completing a veterinary first aid course.
The season’s outcome is positive, also thanks to favorable weather, but it tells above all of a change in how people experience vacation. Families remain the target audience, especially when cultural and recreational activities for children are offered. At the same time, demand is growing for services dedicated to animals and experiences that go beyond simply staying under an umbrella.
For next season, Altamarea Beach Village is preparing new projects on environmental and social sustainability and increasing use of technology. Without, however, losing what it considers its most important asset: tradition, hard work and hospitality. Because, after years of operation, the philosophy remains one of not treating the guest as a beach umbrella number, but as a person. Even when they stay for just a few days, someone with whom to build a relationship made of attention, advice and knowledge of the territory, from walks through inland wine country to cultural and historical itineraries. This, ultimately, is Altamarea’s true added value: bringing the sea beyond the beach.
