Italy’s incredible PINK beach is under threat from Instagram-loving tourists
Fight to save Italy’s incredible PINK beach being destroyed by Instagram-loving tourists who flout the ban on visitors so they can take selfies
- Pink Beach in Sardinia is considered one of the most beautiful in the world
A rare pink beach is under threat as Italian coastguards try to protect it from Instagram-loving tourists.
Calls to stop swimming at Pink Beach and taking photos have been defied by tourists. The beach, considered one of the most beautiful in the world, is located on the island of Budelli, off the coast of Sardinia.
The color of the sand comes from the shells of the pink miniacina microorganism that lives in seagrass. When brought to the shore, it mixes with the white sand turning it pink.
A ban was introduced in 1980 after visitors were caught stealing sand and seagrass causing the color to fade.
Fabrizio Fonnesu, director of the National Park of the Maddalena Archipelago, said: ‘The beach is once again in danger as people arrive by boat, scramble onto the beach and then post photos, leading us to fine them up to €500.
A rare pink beach is under threat as the Italian Coast Guard tries to protect it from Instagram-loving tourists
Calls to stop swimming at Pink Beach and taking photos have been defied by tourists
The beach, considered one of the most beautiful in the world, is located on the island of Budelli, off the coast of Sardinia
The color of the sand comes from the shells of the pink miniacina microorganism that lives in seagrass. When brought to the shore, it mixes with the white sand turning it pink
A ban was introduced in 1980 after visitors were caught stealing sand and seagrass causing the color to fade
Fabrizio Fonnesu, director of the National Park of the Maddalena Archipelago, said: ‘The beach is once again in danger as people arrive by boat, scramble onto the beach and then post photos, leading us to fine them up to €500.
“On two other beaches in the park, which can be visited, a limit applies this summer.
“We expect 1,200 boats to visit the park every day this summer and too many people removing sand for souvenirs, which is accompanied by increasingly intense storms to cause erosion.”
Italy is expecting a large number of tourists this summer with 127 million domestic and foreign tourists expected to visit beaches and cities. The number is expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels.