Some of the world’s most beautiful, and consequently most popular, beaches are in Italy.
That popularity, however, comes at a steep cost.
Indeed, as visitors from around the world, as well as millions of Italians on holiday, travel to Italy’s coastlines each summer, the inevitable result is overcrowding. What’s more, all those visitors also leave behind trash and trample the fragile environment.
To rein in those crowds, authorities in Sardinia and Sicily — two of Italy’s largest islands — are imposing daily capacity limits on their beaches. Some of the beaches also now require a daily entrance fee.
Here’s what you need to know about visiting beaches on Sardinia and Sicily this summer.
Sardinia’s Cap On Daily Visitors
Sardinia is famous for its pristine beaches and bright blue waters.
Given that reputation, it’s no surprise that Cala Mariolu, the largest beach on the island, is crowded all summer. In the past, it wasn’t unusual for up to 2,000 tourists to visit the beach each day, according to Stefano Monni, mayor of Baunei, a small village on the island.
“Our land is mostly ragged tall cliffs where mouflons [wild sheep] and hawks live, and just a dozen beaches, so everyone flocks there,” Monni said, according to CNN. “We can no longer afford thousands of daily sunbathers all squeezed in one spot as in the past. It’s unsustainable.”
To manage the crowds and lessen their impact on the ecology, Baunei has put daily limits in place for some of its beaches.
Cala dei Gabbiani and Cala Biriala both now have a daily cap of 300 visitors, while Cala Goloritze has a limit of 250 visitors per day, according to CNN. Since Cala Mariolu is the largest of the beaches, it now has a daily limit of 700 people.
Additionally, Cala Goloritze, which is only accessible by foot or boat, now also requires visitors to pay an entrance fee of six euros ($6.50 USD).
To visit those beaches, would-be sunbathers and swimmers need to reserve a spot using an app called Cuore di Sardegna (“Heart of Sardinia”) at least 72 hours before their visit. The entrance fee for Cala Goloritze can either be paid online or with cash at the entrance.
Stintino’s Plan To Protect Its Famous Sand
Like Baunei, Stintino, a small fishing village on Sardinia, is working to protect its famous pink coral beach of La Pelosa, which offers stunning views of Isola Piana island.
Rita Limbania Vallebella, Stintino’s mayor, recalls one August day when authorities realized as many as 38,000 tourists were swimming in the beach’s waters.
“It was shocking and disgusting,” Vallebella said, according to CNN. “It destroyed the natural habitat leading to sand erosion.”
To prevent that type of situation, Stintino has now capped the number of visitors it allows on the beach each day.
“We’ve capped tourists on La Pelosa to 1,500 per day for a ticket fee of [$3.75 USD],” Vallebella said, CNN reports. “Bookings and payments can be made on an authorized website.”
What’s more, beach towels are no longer allowed on the beach.
“On La Pelosa, just mats are allowed,” Vallebella explains. “Unlike towels that get wet, sand doesn’t stick to mats, preferably if they are made of fiber and straw. We’ve lost so much sand because of beach towels.”
Restrictions In Sicily
Sicily, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, and a group of other islands make up a region of Italy known as Regione Siciliana.
Tourists flock to Lampedusa island in Siciliana to visit Isola dei Conigli beach. The beach, known for its clear blue waters, is considered by some people to be the world’s most beautiful beach.
Considering that reputation, it’s no wonder the beach is exceedingly popular.
“Summer can be tough,” said Filippo Mannino, mayor of Lampedusa, according to CNN. “There are about 6,700 residents, but during the holidays, over 200,000 tourists land here. It becomes unbearable for the environment and unlivable for everyone.”
Now, to better manage those crowds, Lampedusa has put a daily cap on the number of visitors allowed at the beach.
Only 350 people are allowed at the beach in the morning now, while another 350 people are allowed to visit in the afternoon, explains local councilor Totò Martello, according to CNN.
“Bookings are made online through a local authorized website,” Martello continues.
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