Popular public beaches in Italy fully booked THREE MONTHS ahead, as authorities crack down on visitor numbers

Aussies looking to embark on their Euro summer trip may need to rethink some of their plans, with famous beaches in one country now requiring a reservation months in advance.

If your plans include visiting Pelosa beach in Sardinia and you’ve not yet reserved a spot, then good luck — it’s fully booked until September 12.

Booking systems are being increasingly used across parts of Italy, with more than 20 of the most spectacular beaches limiting the amount of visitors — and the idea is spreading.

With tourist numbers in Italy reaching record highs, residents are frustrated with visitors who frequently cause issues with litter, dune erosion and wildlife disturbance.

Around 300,000 Aussies make the trip to Italy each year, with that number growing year on year according to ABS data.

One town — Cala Goloritzé — boasts a beautiful sandy cove lapped by transparent waters, and has traditionally been free from crowds due to the 90 minute trek through the woods required to get there.

But thanks to the onslaught of travel videos on social media that boast “hidden gems”, more and more tourists are flocking to the previously undiscovered beauty spot.

It’s lead to the local authorities enforcing a daily cap of 250 beachgoers who must reserve their patch of sand.

Another region of Italy has said putting a cap on visitors is the only solution to keep from closing the beaches entirely.

In an interview with The Times, Daniele Silvetti, the mayor of Ancona, on Italy’s east coast, said: “Overtourism makes this inevitable — if you want to save these beaches and avoid closing them to the public you have got to cap the number of visitors.”

The result: beaches being booked up faster than a trendy restaurant, or a highly anticipated concert tour.

Authorities in Sardinia capped visitors to Pelosa beach to 1,500 a day and saw spots fill up for months ahead in only a matter of days.

On the Italian island of Lampedusa, the famous Spiaggia dei Conigi beach is fully booked up for the entire summer season.

The hope for authorities is that capped reservations will encourage visitors to avoid famous spots and check out lesser-known beaches where numbers are not capped.

The number of tourists visiting Italy reached over 180 million in 2025, according to travel website Trip By Trip, with estimates projecting that figure will grow to a staggering 260 million by 2030.