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Two of Italy's largest islands, Sicily and Sardinia, known for their stunning beaches and azure waters, have been facing environmental challenges due to their immense popularity with tourists. The rampant tourism has brought about trash accumulation and sand theft.
However, local authorities are taking proactive measures to safeguard the natural surroundings this summer. Stricter daily visitor limits are being enforced, particularly affecting highly acclaimed beaches on these sought-after islands. In Baunei, a secluded village in eastern Sardinia, visitor caps have been in place in previous years, and now tighter restrictions are being implemented for the most exquisite beaches along the picturesque 40-kilometre coastline overlooking the Gulf of Orosei.
What Are The Measures Taken
Visitor Cap Four beaches in the area have been affected by visitor restrictions. Cala dei Gabbiani and Cala Biriala now have a daily limit of 300 visitors each, while Cala Goloritze is limited to 250 per day. The largest beach, Cala Mariolu, has a daily cap of 700 people. Visitors heading to Cala Goloritze, which can only be reached by foot or boat, must pay a six-euro entrance fee. This fee will support the implementation of surveillance measures, the establishment of a parking area, and the maintenance of pathways and beach facilities, as confirmed by the local authorities.
Towel Ban Stringent measures are being implemented by Stintino, a charming fishing village on the northern coast, to safeguard its most stunning asset, the pinkish coral beach of La Pelosa. This beautiful beach showcases its distinctive hue and provides breathtaking vistas of the enchanting Isola Piana island, renowned for its remarkable stone lookout tower. Due to the excess of sunbathers and the sand sticking to beach towels, they have been banned along with smoking and sand stealing, with fines starting at 100 euros.
Spot Booking Before introducing a visitor cap and a nominal entrance fee of two euros, the Isola dei Conigli beach used to attract more than 1,500 people daily. This beach serves as a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles, making it a significant ecological site. To ensure the preservation of this delicate ecosystem, visitors are required to abide by a designated "beach code," urging them to stay within their sunbathing areas unless they are going for a swim. Furthermore, local authorities are actively advocating for the designation of Isola dei Conigli as a protected marine park, aiming to address the issue of private yachts and boats anchoring in the bay.
