- Europe's top beaches now require advance reservations and fees for access to control crowds
- Italy leads with entry fees and visitor limits at popular beaches like Sardinia and La Pelosa
- La Pelosa beach caps visitors at 1,500 daily with €3.50 fee and advance booking required
Europe's most sought-after beaches are introducing stricter access rules for tourists. Several popular coastal destinations across the continent now require visitors to reserve a spot in advance and pay a fee to access the sand.
Italy is leading the way in crowd control with entry fees and capacity limits. In Sardinia, many beaches now require a booking and an entry fee. At La Pelosa, entry costs €3.50 per person and requires a reservation between June and September. The beach allows 1,500 visitors per day, reported the New York Post. Of these, 500 slots are available for booking throughout the season, while the remaining 1,000 open two days before the visit. The reservation system appears to be popular among tourists, as the advance slots are reportedly sold out through September 15.
Also Read: Munnar Plans Tourist Entry Fee To Tackle Waste And Traffic Ahead Of Onam In August
Another hotspot, Cala Goloritzé, also requires reservations from April to October. According to Fox News, access is limited to 250 visitors at a time. Bookings open 72 hours before the visit date.
Meanwhile, Su Sirboni Beach allows 786 visitors per day, while Cala Brandinchi caps entry at 1,447 people. For beaches without a reservation system, visitors are advised to arrive early. Once capacity is reached, entry is denied.
Roughly one-third of mainland Italy's coastline is now managed by private beach clubs that charge high entry fees. Despite laws permitting picnics, many clubs do not allow outside food or drinks, making a day at the beach increasingly expensive.
Also Read: Rome Starts Charging 2 Euro Fee To See Trevi Fountain. Why It Might Not Matter To Tourists
The restrictions come amid a surge in tourism. Italy recorded a 4.2% increase in tourist arrivals and a 7.5% rise in overnight stays in the first quarter of 2026. The growing use of reservations, fees and visitor caps has also sparked debate over whether Europe's most famous public beaches should require advance planning or remain freely accessible to everyone.
