Italy imposes beach rules amid peak tourism levels
Italy is entering its peak tourism season, and so special measures have been announced to keep tourists in check. The country’s tourism ministry estimates that around 13 million Italians will be travelling within the country as it celebrates Ferragosto, an ancient holiday with roots in the Roman Empire and Augustus. Add to that the millions of tourist visiting Italy from abroad and its easy to see the challenges that the country faces.
Bad behaviour and mayhem as well as accidents often make headline news, not just in Italy but around the world as well. From the islands such as Sardinia to the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot in Puglia, access to many beaches is now only being given by booking on an app. This is in a bid to combat large crowd sizes.
Plastics, smking and, in some areas, even towels and chairs, have all been banned form the sand, Italian media reports have claimed. Some beaches on Sardinia, which sees record breaking numbers in the summer, have banned the use of rocks to anchor beach umbrellas. Santa Teresa di Gallura and Sant’Antioco have said that anyone who does not comply will face fines of 500 euros.
The mayor of northeastern Olbia in Sardinia has banned late-night swimming, beach camping, bonfires, and even the use of chairs and towels overnight. This is to curtail all-nighters.
Other areas are even stricter. Sassari, in the northwestern part of the island, has said that music must stop at 2am while the resort enclaves of Platamona, Porto Ferro, and Argentiera have set a cutoff of 3am.
Rome, Florence, and Venice have all installed temporary stop lights as a crowd control measure in high pedestrian traffic regions. This is to stop people taking selfies and blocking the flow for others. Authorities on the Amalfi coast will regulate the number of vehicles clogging the roads.
Italy, like many other countries, is experiencing the problem with overtourism during the peak travel period. This can affect the quality of life for locals along with the quality of the holiday experienced by those travelling.
