Index – Outside – Taking an Insta picture on that pink beach can get expensive

Travelers who want to walk along a picturesque stretch of pink sandy beach off the coast of Sardinia, Italy, have been warned that they could face heavy fines for simply doing so.

This year, the Italian Coast Guard is taking extra measures to protect Spiaggia Rosa, or the Pink Beach. For this reason, visitors can be fined from €500 (170,000 forints) to €3,500 (1.2 million forints).

The colorful sandy beach – considered one of the most beautiful in the world – is located on the island of Budelli, which is part of the Maddalena archipelago. The bright color of the sand comes from the shells of microorganisms that live in shallow waters, which are crushed by currents and mixed into the sand.

Although it is forbidden to set foot on the beach, we can still see the beach from the sea during boat trips. The ban was first introduced more than 30 years ago, but from now on it will be applied more strictly, because there are fears of losing the natural value of the beach.

Fabrizio Funeso, director of the Maddalena Archipelago National Park, told The Times:

The beach is in danger as people come in boats and climb up the beach just to post pictures.

Higher fines are imposed on those who take sand from the beaches. In 2021, the couple was fined €1,000 (about 374,000 HUF) for filling a plastic bottle with sand — this offense now carries a €3,500 fine.

“We expect 1,200 boats to visit the coast every day this summer. Many people take the sand as a souvenir, and increasingly violent storms cause erosion.”