Sardinia’s crackdown: 16 beaches now need advance bookings

Around 16 beaches and coves across Sardinia have now introduced reservation systems, visitor caps or entry fees, according to a Fox News report, as the Italian Mediterranean island moves to control the effects of overtourism on its coastline.

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean and has long been a magnet for travellers drawn to its clear waters, white sand beaches and dramatic coastline. That popularity, concentrated heavily in the summer months, has placed increasing strain on the island’s natural landscapes, prompting local authorities to act.

Officials have cited large crowds, damage to coastal vegetation, erosion of sand dunes and rising pressure on local ecosystems as the reasons behind the new restrictions, which now limit how many people can access certain beaches on any given day.

La Pelosa Beach, among the island’s best-known attractions for its shallow turquoise water and soft white sand, now caps visitors at 1,500 a day. Entry requires an advance online reservation, a small entrance fee, and a booking confirmation or QR code presented at the gate.

At Cala Goloritzé, a protected beach known for its limestone cliffs, the limit is far tighter — just 250 people a day during the tourist season — and both a reservation and an entry fee are mandatory. A booking platform that manages reservations for several of Sardinia’s beaches says the roughly 16 beaches now covered by these systems mean travellers should expect to plan ahead rather than decide spontaneously.

Visitors hoping to see these beaches during the busy summer season are being advised to secure bookings several weeks in advance, since available slots can fill up quickly. Authorities have also warned that anyone arriving without a valid reservation may be denied entry, even after travelling a considerable distance.

The shift marks a notable change for one of Europe’s most visited island destinations, where planning ahead has now become as essential to a beach trip as sunscreen and swimwear.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons/by Tommie Hansen