The Italian beach resort city of Riccione will apparently be the first European beachhead of the caliphate: Italy: Sea Resort to Open Beach for Muslim Women. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

Riccione, 3 August (AKI) - One of Italy’s most popular Adriatic Sea resorts, Riccione, is set to open the country’s first beach exclusively for Muslim women. The city administration has approved an unprecedented measure this week providing for a beach from which men will be banned and fitted with tents to safeguard the privacy of Muslim women who want to sunbathe and swim without having to do so fully clothed as Islamic custom prescribes. Female lifeguards will also be provided.

City councilor Loretta Villa told Italy’s largest circulation paper Corriere della Sera that Riccione is now only awaiting for one of the local entrepreneurs “to apply to run the beach and we will imediately prepare the authorisation.”

Highly popular among Italians and Europeans for its resorts, shops and night clubs, Riccione, in central Italy, has become popular with Arabs, especially Saudis, who are increasingly demanding customised services, such as private jet charters.

Indeed the resort’s five start Grand Hotel des Bains is currently hosting part of the Saudi royal family.

The hotels however says its Saudi clients had to rent the indoor swimming pool so the women in their group can take a swim.

“When the Germans started coming here, didn’t we learn the language and started providing German newspapers?” asked Villa, who is on charge of state land in the city administration. “Riccione lives from tourism and we must be able to satisfy the needs of our guests.”

As far as separate beaches are concerned, she concluded, “we are not talking about superficial motives but of cultural and religious beliefs.”