The Island Of Sardinia Has Restricted The Number Of Summer Visitors

Sardinia's well-known beaches will soon be safeguarded by ticketed access, advanced reservations, and towel prohibitions.

Several new restrictions, including penalties of up to €3,500, have been implemented on the Italian island to safeguard its stunning beaches from overcrowding due to intensive tourism.

The beaches on this island, especially the one known as "the pink beach," are world-famous for their immaculate condition. However, its coastline has been deteriorating as a result of visitor congestion and inappropriate tourist behaviour. Consequently, the island has limited the number of holidaymakers and instituted fees at many of its most well-known beaches in an effort to protect the shoreline.

Sardinia, the island off Italy's western coast, is home to some of the country's most stunning shores. The island often ranks high on lists of the best spots in Italy to enjoy the beach. So, in an effort to preserve the island's natural resources, new restrictions and rules have been implemented on its beaches this season.

In the summer, millions of people visit the Spiaggia Rosa on the nearby island of Budelli to take pictures on the stunning pink beach. However, the lovely beaches can only be seen by guests from a boat. The beach's reputation led to its closure in the mid-1990s as its precious sand started to vanish. After discovering visitors sneaking kilograms of sand away as souvenirs, the local authority stepped in and declared that this year anybody caught wandering on the beach will be fined €500 and anyone found collecting sand will be fined up to €3,500.

Visitor quotas have also been set at La Maddalena, Cala Coticcio, and Cala Brigantina. Two beaches in the La Maddalena archipelago are now off-limits. In the height of summer last year, the number of visitors to Cala Coticcio and Cala Brigantina was capped at 60 per day. Visitors could only enter the beaches with a guide if they booked a time window online and paid €3 per person. Although this year's tourist cap and entry charge are yet to be released, it's safe to assume that you'll still need to get in touch with a local guide to arrange a visit.

Many of the island's beaches are now restricted to a smaller number of tourists. Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu, two popular northern destinations, will each cap visitor numbers at 1,447 and 3,352 until September 15. There is a daily cap of 700 visitors in Cala Mariolu.

Beachgoers in Villasimius must pay for parking at the lot serving Punta Molentis, Riu Trottu, and Portu Sa Ruxi. It will cost you €10 for a car, plus €1 for each passenger. Pedestrians and bicyclists must pay €3. Parking lots and beach entrances are staffed by personnel who verify admission tickets.

Stintino's famous Pelosa beach on the western shore is restricted to a daily visiting cap. Daily beach attendance is capped at 1500 visitors, as some days last year saw as many as four thousand visitors.

Sunbathers at Pelosa Beach must purchase a €3.50 ticket in advance. Mats, rather than towels, are recommended while visiting the area since they collect less sand and are hence compliant with the rules.

Cala Birala, located near Ogliastra on the east coast, has a daily visitor cap of 300 persons and a 90-minute time limit for those who come by boat.

Cala dei Gabbiani has a similar visiting limit of 300 per day. Two hours was the limit placed on visitors the previous year.

Overcrowding is a problem in many famous tourist sites in Italy. The city of Venice is considering implementing a booking system and entrance charge. Similarly, fines of €270 are imposed on visitors who loiter in the streets of Portofino for an extended period of time.

 

source: euronews.com