Gone are the days of strolling onto the beach and throwing down your towel onto an empty spot in the sand.
Instead, beachgoers heading to popular shores in Italy will need to book ahead of their visit.
With millions flocking to the dreamy destination every year, the country has had to bring in measures to tackle tourism numbers – including visitor number caps and booking systems.
Around 20 beaches in Italy have limits to the number of people who can go on them, and some are already fully booked for the summer season.
La Pelosa Beach, in Sardinia, boasts bright, turquoise waters and pristine sands.
It even recently placed eighth in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best.
But those hoping to spend a sunny afternoon on its shores may be disappointed, as regular reservations for the beach are sold out until September.
Visitors heading to La Pelosa Beach, in Sardinia, have to make a reservation beforehand
However, the popular spot is already booked up all the way to September 12
It is possible to try and book on a daily basis up to two days before, but at the time of writing, this weekend is already fully booked out.
There are only 1,500 daily places available on the beach, and bookings cost €3.50 per person.
Some tourists have found themselves caught out by the beach booking systems in Italy, not realising they had to pay for a spot.
‘When I looked up Grado I found out there were loads of sandy beaches, which is perfectly fine… Except for the fact they all seem to be charging a fee AND you have to walk literally hundreds of meters to get to a water deep enough to take a swim,’ one holidaymaker explained on Reddit.
‘This is my first time in Italy and I honestly didn’t even think about a possible fee to enter a beach.’
One traveller, @fit_nomads, posted a video on TikTok warning others to book and some commenters were outraged by the concept.
‘Too many lovely beaches in Europe to be honest. I’d never do this, it’s stupidity,’ they fumed.
Another added: ‘It’s a sad state of affairs when you have to book online a place to stand on a beach.’
But La Pelosa isn’t the only beach where holidaymakers are required to book a spot, there are others across Italy and other European destinations where you have to reserve a space and/or pay to enter.
Cala Goloritzé, Italy
Cala Goloritzé, in Sardinia, has a limit of 250 visitors at once and bookings cost €7
Another Italian spot, Cala Goloritzé is a sheltered cove in Sardinia with a limit of 250 people at any one time.
Beachgoers can book three days in advance and reservations cost €7. Children aged five and under, as well as local residents, can book for free.
Tuerredda Beach, Italy
Tuerredda Beach is limited to 1,100 visitors and reservations are €3 each
Also in Sardinia, Tuerredda Beach has a cap of 1,100 visitors and can only be accessed between June 2 to October 11 with a booking.
Tickets cost €3 each, and visitors receive a QR code they must show to enter the beach.
Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu, Italy
Cala Brandinchi is a beautiful bay in Sardinia and costs €2 to book a spot
Two beautiful Sardinian bays, Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu both require reservations from June 1 to September 30.
Visitors can only book one or two days in advance, depending on the time, and bookings cost €2 each.
Praia das Catedrais, Spain
Located in Spain, Praia das Catedrais takes reservations during Easter and from July 1 to September 30
Praia das Catedrais is a fine beach along the northwest coast of Spain.
It boasts rugged rocks and arches but attracts a vast amount of visitors during peak season.
To prevent overcrowding, reservations are required during Easter and from July 1 to September 30. It’s free to enter.
Calanque de Sugiton, France
Calanque de Sugiton, in France, also has a booking system to manage numbers
Located in the Calanques National Park, a booking system was brought in for Calanque de Sugiton beach back in 2022 after the area began to experience ‘significant erosion’.
Visitor numbers peaked to up to 2,500 a day and the extreme amount of footfall started to damage the landscape.
Those hoping to visit the beach now can book up to three days before the visit. Reservations are free.
Sandwich Bay, Kent
Though you don’t have to book beforehand to access Sandwich Bay, you do have to pay on the day to enter
Sandwich Bay is a private estate in Kent with a sandy, grassy beach.
Gated off from the public, there isn’t a booking system visitors are required to complete beforehand but you do have to pay to enter.
Visitors can buy season tickets from April 2026 to March 2027 or pay on the day. Day prices start from £5 and go up to £16, depending on the vehicle parked.
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