Italy has introduced mandatory booking systems for some of its most popular beaches to combat overtourism, requiring visitors to reserve spots online. From Sardinia to Lampedusa, beaches are capping visitor numbers to reduce overcrowding and environmental pressure.
How the Booking Systems Work
Visitors must go to their chosen beach's local website and book a spot online. Many systems provide a QR code to present on arrival. Some beaches require booking 48 hours in advance, while others allow last-minute reservations. Slots fill quickly, so advance planning is essential.
For example, La Pelosa beach in Sardinia, known for its white sand and shallow waters, caps visitors at 1,500 and charges €3.50 (£2.99) to enter. It is booked out until September 15. Cala Goloritzé, a UNESCO-protected beach requiring a 90-minute trek, caps at 250 visitors and costs €7 (£6). It has no spaces left for the rest of July or early August.
Time Slots and Additional Rules
Some beaches also enforce time slots. Spiaggia dei Conigli on Lampedusa, a cove-style beach that won the 2013 Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards for Beaches, splits the day into two sessions, allowing 550 people per morning and afternoon block.
Why These Measures Are Necessary
Italy welcomes over 185 million tourists annually, making it one of the top five most visited countries. In the first quarter of 2026, tourist arrivals reached approximately 71.6 million, a 16% increase from the same period in 2025. Daniele Silvetti, mayor of Ancona, told The Times that overtourism makes beach capping and booking 'inevitable.' He said: 'If you want to save these beaches and avoid closing them to the public you have got to cap the number of visitors.'
Sebastiano Venneri, a tourism official with Italy's Legambiente environmental group, told the outlet that the summer reservation scheme aims to encourage travel during shoulder seasons. He said: 'Something has to be done since the number of tourists globally is jumping from one billion in 2000 to an expected two billion in 2030.' Referencing Sardinia's La Pelosa beach, he added: 'The Pelosa beach in Sardinia risks vanishing just by virtue of visitors removing sand on their towels.'
Sardinian regional official Pierpaolo Fois warned that the 'coast is facing the same kind of problem as Italy's Dolomite mountains. You get to the top of a mountain to find peace and nature and all you find is other people.'
Broader Beach Debate in Italy
This summer, Antonio Decaro, Governor of Puglia, called for tourists and locals to be allowed to bring their own food and drinks to beaches. This sparked debate amid the mass privatisation of Italy's coastline by private beach clubs, known as 'stabilimento,' which charge for sunbeds, umbrellas, food, and facilities. The number of such clubs has risen by 12% in recent years, leading to protests from locals demanding accessible public beaches.
Tamar Miller, founder of Italy Awaits Travel, told Metro that post-Covid, Italy has been bombarded with tourists, and 'what was once considered off the beaten path is now the new trend.' She noted that Puglia is now a Mecca for Italian tourism, with its charming beaches capitalised on by business owners.
Famous Italian Beaches with Booking Systems
- La Pelosa — Sardinia
- Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu — Sardinia
- Cala Goloritzé — Sardinia
- Cala Violina — Tuscany
- Spiaggia dei Conigli — Lampedusa
- Baia del Silenzio — Italian Riviera
- Due Sorelle — Ancona (protected, accessible only by sea, ferry must be booked in advance)
