Sardinia: beach shade banned for adults, allowed only for children and over-65s
Euronews.com • • world
Key Points:
- The mayor of Villasimius, Gianluca Dessì, has issued an order banning adults from setting up beach umbrellas at Punta Molentis, allowing shade only for children under 10 and seniors over 65, as part of strict measures to protect the fragile coastline ecosystem.
- An entrance fee of 10 euros per person will be charged from 6 June to 31 October 2026, alongside a cap on visitor numbers limiting land access to 70 vehicles and 150 people simultaneously, and sea access to 100 people via authorized operators.
- Additional restrictions include a ban on bringing backpacks and cool bags by sea, a maximum beach stay of one hour for sea visitors, and prohibitions on driving poles, tents, or gazebos into the sand to preserve the geomorphological balance.
- Mayor Dessì emphasized the necessity of these extraordinary measures to protect the environment, safeguard habitats, and ensure user safety, with local police conducting multiple daily inspections to enforce compliance.
- The local community and tourists have reacted with frustration and sarcasm on social media, questioning the practicality of the umbrella restrictions and expressing their discontent with the new rules.