Spoiler alert: I had no intention of falling in love. Then I ate a plate of spaghetti with arselle under a sea-view tent… and here I am, writing kind words about the Pearl of Versilia.
Everything has a beginning.
There are places you love without hesitation, and others you love in spite of everything. Forte dei Marmi is one of those: it either gets under your skin, or makes you want to run.
Writer Fabio Genovesi, who was born and raised here, didn’t mince words: in his book Morte dei Marmi he describes – half nostalgic, half ironic – the decline of a place hollowed out by ostentatious luxury, where the hum of SUVs drowns the sound of the waves, and the Fortino has become the backdrop for a never-ending display window.
I have a complicated relationship with Forte.
I love it for its endless beaches, the beach tents where you can get lost in a book for hours, the sunset aperitivos, the shops, the many bars and clubs, the slowness of long holidays, and the endless destinations nearby.
With equal passion, I also find reasons to resent it: the sea that often disappoints, the suffocating humidity, the overcrowded restaurants, the sky-high rents, the constant race to keep up with trends, the tight-knit social circles, and that subtle chill in the air that never quite lets you feel at ease. And let’s not forget the mosquitoes…
Yet, even in stormy relationships, something can shift. An unexpected truce. A place that surprises you and lets you see the glass half full – a spark that rekindles memories and makes you want to come back, despite everything, every year.
The reason for my return is called Bagno Camilla.
How I Discovered Bagno Camilla
Bagno Camilla came into my life almost by chance, as the best things often do.
I was looking for a different beach club than the one we usually went to – preferably one without familiar faces, like the moms of my kids’ friends, the kind of people who strike up conversation and never quite leave your tent.
I spend the whole year among people, words, relationships. On vacation, I need silence and space. But I’ve never been great at compromising: I still wanted somewhere beautiful, well-kept down to the details, where the food mattered too. A place that could host friends for dinner – or the occasional guest passing through.
So I did the most obvious thing: took a walk along the seafront. And three things caught my eye immediately: the space – wide and well organized – the peace, and that glorious Tiffany green shade every woman recognizes instantly.
I wrote the name down and came back months later, in winter, to meet the owners.
Bagno Camilla: a bit of history
Bagno Camilla isn’t typical “historic” beach club passed down through generations of Versilian lifeguards, nor is it one of those trendy spots that switch hands every summer chasing the latest sushi fad or beige pillow aesthetic.
It opened in 2021, in the heart of Forte dei Marmi, born from a simple but bold idea: to create the place they, the founders, would want to spend their summer. Luca and Camilla, originally from Rome, with three wonderful daughters – not a hint of experience in beach club management, but a whole life lived as demanding, sea-loving customers.
During the strange, suspended months of lockdown, while many searched for answers, they took a different path. Instead of buying a villa to renovate, they took over an old beach club—Bagno Arturo—and turned it into their life project.
“We wanted to start something new. We thought maybe a villa to fix up. Then the real estate agent suggested a beach club… and we jumped in.”
No inheritance, no background in the business. Just common sense, tons of taste, and an innovative spirit that created a beach club defined by freshness, style, and personality.
When I first stepped into Bagno Camilla, I knew something was different. Just 40 tents—spacious, elegant, breezy. No umbrellas packed like Tetris, no overlapping sunbeds, no toddlers tripping over your Kindle, no awkward DJ sets ruining your afternoon read. And most of all, the warm welcome of Luca and Camilla. Their genuine kindness, that rare talent for making you feel instantly in the right place. With simplicity and grace, they make it clear: under these tents, you’re not just going to the beach—you’re stepping into a dream.
“Sure, we could’ve added ten more tents. But from the start, we chose not to. We wanted to bring everything we’d want as clients into our beach club. And for us, space matters.”
Here, space is sacred. And in a world that’s too crowded and too fast, space is true luxury.
There’s no pressure to be seen, no stress about beach performance.
Just you, the sea, and time – finally slowing down. You can read for hours, write, observe, doze off, chat. Don’t rush.
Bagno Camilla: flavors of the coast
Then there’s the food – which, unlike many beach clubs in the area, is far from an afterthought. It’s part of the experience.
The project started with a consultation from the Michelin-starred restaurant Il Giglio in Lucca, which helped shape a menu that’s refined, grounded, and never pretentious.
The kitchen is run by four resident chefs – Ali, Roberto, Rita, and Daniele – not for show, but to ensure quality and consistency during the busy summer months.
Bagno Camilla’s kitchen was designed to host “Camilla al Forte”, a summer extension of the Lucchese restaurant, offering the same care for raw ingredients – adapted to the lighter, more relaxed pace of beach life.
The menu speaks the local dialect. It knows exactly where it is. Every dish reflects the season and the setting. And no, you won’t find tweezered edible flowers. You’ll find spaghetti with arselle that smells like the sea and nostalgia. No bottarga, no fancy foam—just spaghetti, clams, garlic, parsley, and a drizzle of good olive oil.
And the cold spaghetti?
Some dishes start as experiments but stay because the customers demand it.
Like the cold spaghetti with tomato reduction and raw shrimp—a dish designed for summer: light, clean, fresh.
“At Easter, I tried to remove it from the menu – it felt too cold for the season. But customers kept asking. So I said: never again. It stays.”
Because when something is really good, no menu logic can fight it. Today, that cold spaghetti is one of the kitchen’s signature dishes.
It’s a kitchen that evolves, experiments, flows – but always within the bounds of common sense. And most importantly: it’s never self-indulgent. What makes it special isn’t (just) what’s on your plate, but how everything has been imagined, built, adjusted, and tested… by people who were customers long before they became hosts. A slow, grounded life choice, made by those seeking a new rhythm – and finding it.
Everything at Bagno Camilla speaks the language of the sea: the deckchairs, the beach towels and cushions – provided, of course – the numbered wooden crates, the contrast between the warm sand and the harmonious layout of the loungers. Even a simple lunch – a fresh salad, perhaps – becomes a small daily ritual, with dishes served on striped placemats, fine oils, and bottles designed like pieces of art.
Here, nothing is left to chance. Everything conveys a sense of familiarity, balance, and quiet taste. An aesthetic that doesn’t try to impress – but soothes.
And at sunset, Bagno Camilla changes face: on certain evenings, the tables are lit up, lanterns glow gently under the pergola beams, and the striped cabins become the stage for cozy or festive dinners.
The pastel chairs invite you to linger, perhaps with a glass of wine in hand, and the sound of waves in the background. In the distance, the Apuan Alps rise against a sky that fades from blue to pink: a landscape so perfect it seems painted, reminding you why – sometimes – it’s worth falling for places you thought you could never love.
What makes Bagno Camilla truly special is also the discreet professionalism and genuine kindness of the entire staff: from waiters to lifeguards, everyone does their job with a smile, bringing ease and harmony to each moment of the day.
Some love Forte for its boutiques, some hate it for the clichés, others avoid it on principle.
I’ve always looked at it with suspicion.
Then, between bike rides, pier walks, and a dinner under the tent, I realized that even here, something unexpected can happen. Something that feels like simplicity.
Sometimes, that’s all it takes: a well-executed idea, a couple reinventing themselves, a plate of pasta eaten in silence with the breeze on your face.
Sometimes, all you need is to find the right beach club.
And the right people.
Bagno Camilla
Via Arenile, 51, 55042 Forte dei Marmi LU
Telefono – 0584 82903 –
Cell. – 348 3701952
Email – bagnocamillafdm@gmail.com
https://www.bagnocamilla.com/
