If you have a European beach trip in the offing, you may want to look at your packing list again. Down on the south-east of Sardinia at Punta Molentis, you can’t just set up your own shade anymore. As of June 6th, there are fees and limits on headcount to put an end to the kind of dangerous jostling we’ve had in the last few summers.
What changed and why
You won’t get any soft words from local authorities these days. They’ve put their foot down after a wildfire in July of last year showed where the safety net was thin. The fire put out 100 hectares or so and took with it a good number of cars, with swimmers having to make for the water in a hurry.
They say when it came to time to get out, the thicket of umbrellas was an obstacle. Then you had the winter storms to deal with, which left the dunes and what’s around them in worse shape. Now they’re after a system that puts open escape routes and the dunes first, not your spot on the sand.
Who can still have some cover
It’s a wide ban, but not without its exceptions. If you have kids 10 and under, or you are 65 plus, you can have one big umbrella with you.
For the rest, that’s it. No setting up an umbrella, a tent or anything like it. And don’t think about leaving your gear – chairs, towels, the works – on the beach when you leave for the night. That’s not on either.
Capacity and the price of entry
They are being very particular about who gets in. We’re talking 150 people and 70 cars as the daily maximum. You also won’t find more than 150 on the dunes at any given time.
Come by land and it’ll cost you 10 euros. Coolers are a no-go. All of this is to see that the evacuation lanes are clear and the coast isn’t any the worse for wear.
Stricter times in Italy
Punta Molentis is hardly alone in this. Over in Sardinia, if you try to take some sand home you could be looking at a fine of $3,500. In a lot of towns you have to use a straw mat, so you don’t walk off with the sand in your towel.
Time is of the essence in some places. Get in by boat and you might only have 90 minutes. Some will have you book and pay online before you even get there, making it as much like a show ticket as a day at the beach.
Some have had a word to say
There has been some grumbling, to be sure, over not having a bit of shade in the full Mediterranean sun. But the officials’ line is that the other option is a mess of blocked exits and hurt feelings when you need to move fast.
It means you have to be a bit more of a planner. Your shade is in your clothes and where you put yourself, not in a pole stuck in the ground.
A run-down of the rules at Punta Molentis
Here is what you should have in mind before you head out:
– For the majority, no umbrellas or tents
– One large umbrella for families with a child 10 or younger
– Same for anyone 65 and up
– 150 visitors, 70 cars per day, tops
– 150 on the dunes max
– 10 euro fee for those coming in by car
– Nothing is to be left on the beach after hours
– Leave the cool box at home
Making do with the new normal
Make for the beach a little earlier or later to stay out of the harshest of it. Put on a hat, some good sunscreen and clothes that will hold up to the UV. Drink up and step away from the sand for a while now and then.
Read up on what’s in effect before you go; they can be even more rigid in a heatwave. If you’re in a car, be there early. When they hit 70, they hit 70.
In the end
Don’t see it as a bother. It’s a matter of safety, and one they've learned from the hard way with the fires and the weather. So if you’re going to be at Punta Molentis, be ready for it. It’s a controlled affair now, not the old free-for-all.
