Tourists will have to book online spots for popular beach for UK travellers (2025)

Ongoing efforts to combat overtourism mean that tourists will now need to book ahead if they want a space on the popular beach with golden sands and clear blue waters

Tourists in Sardinia will need to book ahead if they want to visit one of the most popular beaches as Italy tries to combat overtourism.

The crescent-shaped bay, Tuerreda, is located on the island of the same name, and it’s located less than 200 yards off the southern coast of Sardinia.

The number of beachgoers is already restricted to 1,100 a day in the summer months, but the local council of Teulada wants visitors to book a spot via an app before they can enjoy the beach. Mayor of Teulada Angelo Milia told local media: “We hope to start with the new system as early as July.”

Italy has around 50million visitors each year, but is one of several European countries trying to stem the flow of tourists over concerns they do damage to natural beauty spots and historical sites.

National government has been slow to adopt measures in the country, but local councils are taking a more aggressive approach to control numbers.

Sardinian authorities in Tuerredda have been limiting numbers since 2020 and have imposed bans on disposable plastic bags, smoking, and the removal of sand or pebbles from the beach.

A crisis summit was held in Amalfi attended by the leaders of 25 tourist towns, including the mayor of Taormina, the Sicilian hilltop town which has attracted a new wave of tourists following the successful TV series White Lotus.

Mayors want greater flexibility to restrict tourist access in periods of high demand, more say in co-ordinating trains, ferries and other public transport, and greater flexibility in imposing local taxes or ordering businesses to hire temporary staff.

Mayor of Capri Paul Falco is demanding more power over the timing of tourist arrivals, especially day-trippers, who come to the island in their thousands in the summer, and he has suggested an hourly limit on the number of ferries.

In a statement he said: “On Capri, we want to protect to the fullest those who come to visit us and ensure a quality experience for all.”

The number of tourists now exceeds the local population in Capri during the summer, with 16,000 foreigners visiting the island in May and June last year, compared to 13,000 residents.

Mayor of Pinzolo in the Italian Alps, Michele Cereghini, said at the end of the summit: “We are well aware of the value and importance of tourism for the growth of our areas, but we are equally aware of the need to guarantee the well-being of our residents. It is the concept of quality tourism that we want to guarantee and preserve.”

In a different attempt to mitigate the number of residents, Franco Cerrotta, the mayor of Anacapri, proposed a barrier of 40 buoys be placed 100 metres around the western rim of the island to deter boats from blocking Capri’s famous Blue Grotto.

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