Bologna, September 3, 2026 – The golden season is redefining its boundaries. And the sweet beach life continues to extend throughout September, weekend after weekend, until summer finally gives way to autumn. And if the Ferragosto on the Riviera was fully booked, the second half of the month also confirmed a positive trend that seems to accompany the first weeks of September. The scorching summer certainly contributed, and despite the intense heat keeping some away from the beach during the hottest months, with temperatures slightly decreasing, the desire for the sea has returned.
Hotels still full, campsites operating at summer pace, umbrellas booked, and sports events bustling along the entire Riviera. From Casalborsetti to Cattolica, it is not yet time to put away swimsuits and deck chairs.
In Cesenatico, for example, more than statistics, it is the feeling gathered among operators that reflects the picture of this September. In the large hotels – from the Grand Hotel to the Miramare up to the New Bristol – requests from both Italians and foreigners remain numerous. Andrea Falzaresi, president of the Club Family Hotel, the chain with 15 villages and large hotels on the Riviera, confirms the trend: “Until mid-September we host many families,” also thanks to the possibility of accessing all-inclusive packages at prices more affordable than in August.”
September is no longer just the ‘tail’ of August, but a period that – at least this year – has developed its own tourist demand, capable of attracting tourists and families looking for convenience, sports events, and less crowding on weekdays.
And it’s not only the rooms that are filling up. At the Cesenatico Camping Village and at Pineta sul Mare, explains Terzo Martinetti, mobile homes and pitches for campers and caravans were fully booked in the first week of September. “We work almost like in August,” he says. And this is perhaps the phrase that best captures the change: full occupancy in September as in the peak summer days.
If we move to the Ravenna area, the beach resorts record the same result “more occupancy than last year,” with a clientele of families with small children, couples, groups of tourists, and especially loyal customers. “The beach tourism has completely changed, but in September compared to ten years ago the number of people has increased – explains the owner of Bagno Perla in Punta Marina, Mirko Leoni –. We are renting a few more umbrellas. Obviously, the length of stay has drastically decreased over time, some combine the sea with visits to the villages of the nearby hills or some towns in the area.”
Supporting this new balance of the season is mainly the event calendar. Cesenatico transforms into an open-air gym, between Itf Beach Tennis, Topcat World Championships (dedicated to catamarans), Alzheimer Marathon, and Pantani Memorial, which brings 25 teams to the coast, including ten World Tour teams. And along the entire Riviera, events that attract thousands of people are added: from the International Bike Festival in Misano to MotoGP and the San Marino Grand Prix up to the Ironman, which will be held in Cervia and is now one of the most appreciated triathlons in Europe.
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