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They never run out of energy, dashing up and down the beach. Pool time, then games on the sand, then playing ball with their friends, a dip in the sea to test out the float, then off they go again: ball games, pool, all sorts of activities with their buddies, mini-club, tournaments, treasure hunts, rehearsals for the talent show… The days almost seem too short to fit in all their appointments. The children at Altamarea aren’t just mini-sized holidaymakers; all their needs and wishes are taken into account so they can experience a full, unforgettable summer.

At Altamarea, the children are in their element: they have their own schedule, their own activities, their own entertainers… You could say they’ve built a little village within the village, like a parallel world populated entirely by children, with its own rules, invisible, but taken very seriously.

You’ll see them stopping by the Africo bar to buy a cold bottle of water or an ice cream (…with their parents’ wallet). They plan to meet in the same place tomorrow to continue their game… In this space where they live so freely, they grow in independence. Some pretend to “be adults”, but at a certain point, it’s no longer play, it’s already a little bit of real life.

Among newcomers, regulars, and kids who’ve come from far away and don’t speak Italian, friendships are born, which might turn into singing duets for the talent show. Watching them, you can spot the leaders, the funny ones, the dreamers… all welcomed with the same enthusiasm by the animation team. A sweet bond forms between them, and you can feel the joy they share spending their days together.

For many of these kids, summer is a turning point, a time to grow, mature, shape their personalities, refine their tastes and desires. They get a taste of that summertime freedom before heading back to school. It’s the time to have fun, fall in love, have little fights, only to be back playing again the next day.

It’s moving to see how the beach becomes a place where these little ones grow up,  the backdrop of their adventures, the main character in the stories that will one day become their memories.

And at the end of summer, they’ll leave tanned, a little scuffed up, and maybe just a little more grown up.