Most first romantic experiences of Italians for generations have flowered on a sandy Italian beach - a phenomenon that has inspired a plethora of Italian pop songs and films. The song of Estate (summer) is generally the song that puts the most couples together - however short lived their romance may be. But there is a common plot on those stories - Italians like to go on the same beaches - make their holidays more routinely reassuring - same beach, same sea, same good restaurant, same delicious ice cream.

According to statistics from the Italian hotel association Federalberghi, during the Italian summer 73% of the Italians (32 million) will go to the Italian seaside, 46% will go to the same beach they went the year before (and most likely the year before that), and 70% of Italians go on holiday in the same month - August.

This is mostly because in Italy it is nearly impossible to work during August when it's way too hot. Major industry shuts down and employees are sent on holiday. City shops and service industries close as all their customers are on holiday.

So its no wonder that the 6694 km of the Italian coastline get extremely crowded.

If for a non-Italian the thought of 32 million Italians at the beach may seem the antithesis of a relaxing beach holiday - Italians feel right at home among hordes of their compaesani (compatriots) shouting at each other or into their mobile phones, showing off in front of members of the opposite sex, gossiping about recent or imagined exploits, and getting the best tan possible to take back to the office.

Crowded beaches are the social event of the season, an occasion to be seen and to catch up with last year's friends or meet new people.

In what some would say is a vain attempt to bring order to the massive influx of tourists to the beaches, most of the private beaches have a well prescribed etiquette written on boards at the entrance. Rules include the prohibition of powerful stereos on the beach (very trendy in the early 70s' and 80s'), beach badminton between the sun-chairs (very trendy on the 50s') or any other beach sport that involves frenetic activity on the sand. Infringements are punished with beach ban for the season.

In the last few years topless sunbathing for women and thongs (particularly for men are very definitely out. Men are also required to wear shirts in bars and restaurants beachside. Very in is checking your emails under the shade of your umbrella.

Replicating Italian social hierarchies at home, the beaches are arranged into expensive VIP beaches for those who want to appear on the cover of the celeb magazines with holidaying footballers and their model girlfriends, to the working class beaches where you can get an umbrella for 15 Euros a day, to the free beaches which are generally narrow strips of uncared for sand, next to the ports, and frequented by immigrant families and un-aware tourists. Whichever beach we are at, we have a great time. Buona vacanza a voi!