The real battle breaks out on Saturday and Sunday, when the Poetto is stormed by thousands of swimmers.

This rush to refreshment on the beach, however, forces those who live in the neighborhood to take refuge at home, held hostage by the metal sheets.

The Ztl which tries to protect the residents is of little use, many motorists challenge their fate and leave their cars in the reserved stalls anyway. Bad luck, when ever it should materialize in a report from the local police, for many it is very little: 29.80 euros is an affordable figure .

Marinella Boi is part of the coordination of the "Progetto Poetto" committee, an association that currently has over 150 members. Parking is the first of the problems, especially in the summer.

«We have always looked for a shared solution with the Municipality. The neighborhood is bursting at the seams this season, unable to bear the load of the bathers' cars. The only two rest areas of Marina Piccola and the Hippodrome are insufficient». And the stalls reserved for residents «are very often occupied by those who are not entitled to them. This is why we ask for more checks by the local police ».

Andrea Artizzu