The All-Female Beach

We run away from Italian men," said Tiziana Andreoletti. "They're such a drag." And it happens all the time. Boy meets girl and boy annoys girl. So, the Italians have enacted an interesting solution to this problem. They have created a beach strictly for women. No men, children or loud disco music are allowed. "It's a simple idea," said beach owner Fausto Ravaglio. "We have given the women their own world.''

Known as "Pink Beach," the area opened a week ago and is complete with exercise classes, water aerobics and makeup and manicure tips. It greets men with a pink sign that reads: "No Men." The 50-mile stretch of coastline linking Rimini to Riccione also restricts traditional beach food such as deep-fried squid and chips. Women can enjoy the sun, sea and sand without the lustful leers of men.

Beach-goer Marianna Sandu said she hit the testosterone-free sands to meet new friends and talk about "women stuff." But for some men the idea is a little farfetched. One man said the concept might be good for women, but it would fall flat with men. The beach does have one man. "The lifeguard must be a man," Ravaglio said in a foreign newspaper interview. "You clearly need a man to save women in the sea. It's a question of muscles."