17 Most Famous Protected Beaches In Sardinia (original) (raw)
Do you consider yourself a person who cares for and respects the environment? Do you think beaches should be included in a conservation program?
If this is not the first time you read a post of mine, you know how much I love my homeland, Sardinia, renowned for its pristine coastline and crystal-clear waters. In fact, I personally believe that the protection of beaches is essential to preserve their natural beauty so that future generations can still enjoy them.
Sardinia’s approach to manage access to some of its most beautiful beaches highlights the delicate balance between tourism and conservation. By limiting visitor numbers and implementing strict regulations, these beaches will remain stunning natural paradises, where marine life will continue to thrive.
Sardinia’s limited access beaches offer a unique opportunity to experience some of the Mediterranean’s finest coastal beauty in a sustainable and responsible way.
If you’re planning to visit some of the protected beaches in Sardinia such as the iconic Spiaggia della Pelosa or the secluded Cala Goloritzé you will need to book your visit in advance, and make sure to respect a few basic rules to care for their delicate environment and contribute to the preservation of these breathtaking landscapes.
As a regular visitor, I will share all the information you need to best plan your visit to the protected beaches in Sardinia. I will start by sharing a map of the restricted access beaches in Sardinia. After that, continue reading to see which are the limited access beaches in Sardinia and how to make reservations.
Alone in Cala Mariolu before everyone arrived
- Map Of The Protected Beaches In Sardinia
- Protected Beaches In Sardinia
- Spiaggia di Tuerredda, Teulada
- Punta Molentis, Villasimius
- Porto Sa Ruxi, Villasimius
- Cala Goloritze, Baunei
- Cala Mariolu, Cala Biriala and Cala dei Gabbiani, Baunei
- Cala Luna, Dorgali
- Oasi di Biderosa, Orosei
- Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu, San Teodoro
- Rena Bianca, Santa Teresa di Gallura
- Le Piscine, Cannigione
- Spiaggia La Pelosa, Stintino
- Cala Coticcio, Caprera
- Cala Brigantina, Caprera
- Spiaggia Rosa, Budelli
Map Of The Protected Beaches In Sardinia
Wondering “where are the best limited access beaches in Sardinia?” – I have created a protected beaches in Sardinia map that will help you locate them.
How to use this best protected in Sardinia map: This restricted access beaches in Sardinia map points out the beaches that require advanced booking in order to be visited. Use your computer mouse on desktop or laptop, or your fingers on your smartphone, to enlarge the map. Click on the star next to the title to save the map into your Google Maps account. You will then be able to view the saved map on your smartphone or computer when you click on “Your saved maps” in your Google Maps. Click on “View larger map” in the top right corner of the map to see a larger version.
One thing I need to stress about the protected beaches in Sardinia is that they aren’t necessarily secluded. On the contrary, save for Cala Brigantina in Caprera, the restricted access beaches in Sardinia can get incredibly crowded – that’s because they are very small, yet also very famous and everyone wants to go there.
Let me also point out that there are hundreds of gorgeous beaches in Sardinia, and even if you are unable to claim a spot at a limited access beach, you will find a memorable spot to spend your day. There are some secluded beaches that even in the peak season are incredibly peaceful.
My post The Most Secluded Beaches In Sardinia highlights beaches that won’t be crowded even in the peak summer months.
Tuerredda is one of the most famous protected beaches in Sardinia
Spiaggia di Tuerredda, Teulada
Tuerredda is one of the best beaches of South Sardinia. It is known for its clear turquoise waters and fine white sand, making it a popular spot for tourists looking for a relaxing day by the sea.
From the beginning of June till the end of September, access to the beach is limited to 1100 people per day, of which 729 in the free beach and 371 in one of the two beach clubs.
For the free beach, the number is counted based on a first come first serve basis. The good news is that you can check in real time how many places are still available through the official website, and decide to go elsewhere if there’s no availability (the beaches of Chia are just a short drive).
Anyway, you’d better arrive early in the morning, especially on weekends and in July and August, because locals as well as tourists love this beach and it fills up quickly.
Access to the beach is free, although visitors are usually asked to give a €1 contribution at the entrance. On the other hand, you will have to pay for a parking spot: the closest one is slightly more expensive than the others.
Tuerredda Beach
There are two beach clubs located in Tuerredda that provide various services: food, drinks, rental of all sorts of beach equipment. Contact them as early in advance as possible to check availability, find out prices and make your reservation:
Poseidon +39 339 724 6817 or +39 070 20 82 113 (via WhatsApp only)
Tropico Mediterraneo +39 351 766 9307 or +39 348 566 5502
By making a reservation for one of the two beach clubs you will be guaranteed a spot at the beach, but doublecheck until what time your reservation will be held.
Smoking is prohibited on the beach except in authorized areas. Tuerredda beach is plastic free, so avoid bringing plastic bags, cutlery or other plastic materials because you might get a fine, and make sure to pick up after yourself.
My guide How To Visit Tuerredda Beach shares more detailed information that will help you plan your visit.
Gorgeous Punta Molentis on my latest visit
Punta Molentis, Villasimius
Punta Molentis is one of the many Villasimius beaches. It’s located between Villasimius and Costa Rei, the holiday village where my family has a house and where I’ve been spending my summer since a was a baby. I know this area like the back of my hand and I go there often, (even in winter) to enjoy its charm.
This crescent-shaped small bay has incredibly fine, white sand and its shallow crystal-clear waters are typically calm, thanks to the fact that it is nicely sheltered from the wind.
Because of the erosion caused by visitors, visitors to Punta Molentis are capped to 600 per day. Each visitor has to pay a €1 conservation fee; kids up to 6 years old can go in for free.
Only 200 cars are allowed in the (paid) parking lot of Punta Molentis, and you’d better reserve a parking spot as soon as you know you want to visit and at least a day in advance (or weeks in advance in the peak season and as soon as you know your rental car plate number) through the official site.
Punta Molentis offers incredible snorkeling opportunities
Once you register on the official website, you need to click on “prenotazioni” on the left sidebar of the screen and then on “acquista”. Select Punta Molentis, pick the date you wish to visit, input the plate number of your car and the number people in your group.
Bookings are not mandatory, but you are better off with one.
The system only accepts 150 reservations, after which the parking lot (and hence the beach) work on a first come first serve basis.
If you were unable to book a spot, you need to be at the beach early in the morning, in fact in August parking lot is full by 9:00 am.
Located at the beach you will find a beach club called I Due Mari, where you can rent umbrellas and sun beds. The kiosk nearby serves food and drinks. Reservations are made from the end of the month for the following month, so, for example, if you want to visit Punta Molentis on July 8, you can book from June 24. You will have to call (or send a WhatsApp message) the number +39 3934077632 for reservations.
The beach is also equipped with toilets (but there’s a small fee to pay for usage).
My post A Guide To Visiting Punta Molentis will guide you on how to make the most of this beach.
Lovely Porto Sa Ruxi
Porto Sa Ruxi, Villasimius
Not far from Vilasimius, Porto Sa Ruxi is part of the Protected Marine Area of Capo Carbonara. This small beach has fine white sand and turquoise sea: the contrast they create make the cove stunning.
From June to October, only 450 persons per day can visit this beach. To access Porto Sa Ruxi, you must reserve your parking spot and there is an additional €1 fee per person to access this beach.
To reserve your spot at Porto Sa Ruxi, you need to visit the official website of the Comune di Villasimius (the same one you’ll use to book your spot at Punta Molentis, so the system is the same).
Once in Porto Sa Ruxi, you will find a small beach club and, hidden in the vegetation, a kiosk that serves food and drinks and where you’ll find toilets and showers. In any case, it’s best to bring what you need for the day (especially an umbrella) as availability at the beach house is very limited especially in the peak season.
Cala Goloritzé is one of the most secluded restricted access beaches in Sardinia
Cala Goloritze, Baunei
Cala Goloritzé is one of the most famous protected beaches in Sardinia. Located on the east coast of Sardinia in the Gulf of Orosei, this is a stunning beach famous for its unique rock formations (there’s an arch that can be seen from the beach, and a pinnacle that’s a fantastic spot for rock climbing), tiny white pebbles and clear blue waters.
Cala Goloritzé was declared a National Monument in 1993.
For all the reasons mentioned above, this beach is highly protected: in fact, boats must stay 300 meters from the shore and visitors are capped to 250 people per day. The only way to actually get to the beach is via a hike that starts in the Golgo Plateau, above Baunei.
It’s an 8 km (5 miles) there and back hike along an easy to follow trail that is a steady downhill on the way to the beach, and a steep uphill on the way back.
Hiking to Cala Goloritzé
To ensure your spot at the beach between June and October, you need to book in advance via the app Heart of Sardinia or via the official website.
You can book from 72 hours in advance and until 7:30 am of the intended day of visit. Tickets are €7 per person and include access to the parking lot. Children under the age of 6 can access for free.
The beach is not equipped at all – there’s no beach club or kiosk; so you’d better bring food and water for the day (and lots of it, considering you’ll especially need it on the hike back up). Hiking shoes are highly recommended for the trail.
My post How To Visit Cala Goloritzé shares more information on accessing this stunning beach.
You can also see (but not visit) Cala Goloritzé during boat tours of the Baunei Coast departing from Santa Maria Navarrese or Cala Gonone.
Cala Mariolu, despite being protected, can get quite crowded
Cala Mariolu, Cala Biriala and Cala dei Gabbiani, Baunei
Cala Mariolu, Cala Biriala and Cala dei Gabbiani are three more protected beaches in Sardinia, also part of the Baunei Coast. They are similar in terms of color of the water and sand (tiny white pebbles that are soft to walk on and look like snow).
You will definitely have heard about Cala Mariolu, often voted to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It’s made of two small coves with unique rock formations and pristine waters.
Is it worth the hype? I think so! But keep in mind that despite being protected and even though access to this beach is limited to no more than 700 daily visitors, it is so small that it still feels crowded and in order to have it to yourself you should be there no later than 8:00 am.
Cala Biriala and Cala dei Gabbiani are capped at 300 daily visitors.
You can reach these beaches on a boat tour of the Gulf of Orosei departing from either Santa Maria Navarrese, Arbatax or Cala Gonone.
Cala Biriala as seen from the boat
You can also get to Cala Mariolu and Cala Biriala on very strenuous hikes that depart from the Golgo Plateau. If you wish to hike to the beach, make sure to contact a local guide as the trail can be quite difficult to follow and very technical in parts.
Most people prefer visiting these beaches on a boat tour. This is generally a better idea as the various companies that run tours organize themselves to make sure that the beaches never go over their capacity.
The beaches are not equipped, save for a small kiosk in Cala Mariolu that serves drinks and snacks.
I recommend this zodiac tour from Cala Gonone as it moves a bit faster than the cheaper hop-on hop-off cruise, which means you will have more time at the beach. You will also have a chance to snorkel off shore.
My post How To Visit Cala Mariolu shares more information on how to make the most of this lovely cove.
Cala Luna is one of the most impressive restricted access beaches in Sardinia
Cala Luna, Dorgali
One of the latest additions to the list of limited access beaches in Sardinia is the stunning Cala Luna, one of the most scenic (and largest) coves in the Gulf of Orosei.
The beach, which measures roughly 800 meters (about 0.5 miles) is characterized by golden sand and clear waters where you’ll spot colorful pebbles and seashell, making it one of the most fun spots for snorkeling in Sardinia.
The beach is backed by white cliffs and thick Mediterranean brush. Along the cliffs you’ll find some caves which provide shelter from the sun. The beach is equipped with a small beach club where you can rent beach equipment, but there are no toilets.
You can get to Cala Luna on boat tours departing from Cala Gonone (boat tours from Santa Maria Navarrese go there, but it’s a bit further to reach) or on a hike. There are various trails that go there, but the most famous and easier to follow is the one departing from Cala Fuili, which you can reach by car from Cala Gonone.
It’s a moderate hike that takes about two to three hours (one way) to complete, depending on your pace.
I recommend** this zodiac tour of the Baunei Coast** departing from Cala Gonone that stops at various beaches along the coast, including Cala Luna. You will need to bring your own lunch and drinks.
My post A Guide To The Cala Luna Hike will provide more guidance on how to visit this unique beach.
Pristine waters and fine white sand in Oasi Bidderosa
Oasi di Biderosa, Orosei
Oasi Biderosa is one of the most beautiful natural parks in Sardinia with a coastal forest and 3 outstanding beaches.
What I love most about these coves, in addition to the white sand and clear, blue water, is the presence of a pine forest and the Curcurica pond and, last but not least, that – even in high season – the beaches here are never crowded, because visitors are capped to a really small number here.
No more than 100 cars, 30 motorbikes and 1000 visitors are allowed at Oasi Biderosa on a daily basis.
You will need to book your spot in advance via the official website if you plan to get to Oasi Biderosa by car or motorbike (no bookings are required for bikes or people who arrive on foot). There’s a fee to pay for the parking lot, and each visitor has to pay a €1 conservation fee (children under 3 years old don’t pay).
Kayaking in Sa Curcurica
When booking, you need to select the date you wish to visit, then your vehicle (car or motorbike) and the number of people in the group. There are fare reductions for cars carrying disabled people. You can also select the number of umbrellas and sun beds or bikes you wish to book for your visit.
Cove number 3 is the only one with a kiosk where you can get food and drinks, while there are toilets in each cove.
My post **How To Make The Most Of Oasi Bidderosa **shares more details on how to visit this stunning place.
Cala Brandinchi is one of the most impressive restricted access beaches in Sardinia
Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu, San Teodoro
Cala Brandinchi, which locals affectionatly call Tahiti, is the twin beach of Lu Impostu beach, from which is separated, on the southern side, by a small promontory covered by Mediterranean vegetation. Both beaches are part of the Protected Marine Area of Tavolara.
The beaches are located in San Teodoro, and easy to reach from Olbia too. Being twins, Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu are quite similar: intense turquoise, emerald green and cobalt blue sea and white powdery sand. One of their main features of these beaches is that the seabed remains very shallow for tens of meters.
Visitors to Cala Brandinchi are capped to roughly 1,500 visitors (1,427, to be precise) per day, whereas 3,352 people can visit Lu Impostu. Both beaches must be booked in advance via the website San Teodoro Spiagge.
You must select which of the two beaches you want to book and check availability for the date you are wish to visit. There is a €2 fee to pay per visitor, though disabled visitors and children to 12 years old get in for free.
Lu Impostu and (especially) Cala Brandinchi are very popular beaches among locals and tourists, so if you wish to visit try to book as early as possible.
Both beaches are very well equipped with whatever you may need for your day. You will find disabled access, kiosks to buy food and drinks, and beach clubs to rent all sorts of beach equipment (but you’re better off booking in advance).
My post A Complete Guide To Cala Brandinchi shares more details into what makes this beach special and how to make the most of your visit.
Crowds at Rena Bianca before it was listed among the protected beaches in Sardinia
Rena Bianca, Santa Teresa di Gallura
One of the nicest beaches of Northern Sardinia, Rena Bianca is located in Santa Teresa di Gallura. It’s a small, sheltered cove with white sand and clear, shallow waters that make it a great spot for families with children.
This is one of the most recent additions to the list of restricted access beaches in Sardinia. From the beginning of June till the end of September, 1015 people per day can visit this beautiful beach.
To visit, you have to book a spot via the official website and pay a small fee – children under the age of 12 and elderly over the age of 80 do not pay. 20% of the admissions (203 tickets), can be purchased at any time, while the remaining 80% (812 tickets) becomes available in the 72 hours before the day of visiting.
Once you select the date, you’ll see how many available tickets are left. You can buy up to of 4 tickets (children and elderlies are not counted as occupants). You will have to input the first name, last name and email address of all persons visiting before paying.
Located on the beach you will find beach clubs where you can rent umbrellas and sun beds, and buy food and drinks.
The use of a straw mat between your beach towel and the sand is mandatory. This is done so as to avoid taking away sand as that tends to stick to the wet towel. If you already have a straw mat, remember to bring it with you; otherwise you can buy one at the info point near the beach.
Le Piscine, Cannigione – photo by Martin Valigursky @shutterstock
Le Piscine, Cannigione
Located on the north coast of Sardinia in Cannigione, near Arzachena, Le Piscine is a small bay with two coves. With its white sand and a blue, shallow water, it is beloved by families with children. This magnificent beach is surrounded by nature and sheltered from wind.
From July till August, access to Le Piscine is restricted to 80 people, including 20 residents.
To visit Le Piscine you need to book 72 hours in advance, through the official website. Select the beach, the date and check availability: you can choose between two options: half-day or full-day.
Admission is €6 per person for a full day and €3 for half day. Children under the age of 12 enter for free.
There are no services on this beach; so, bring all you might need for your day there.
La Pelosa is the most famous protected beach in Sardinia
Spiaggia La Pelosa, Stintino
Located on the northwestern coast of Sardinia in Stintino, La Pelosa beach is known to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean. Its fine white sand, shallow turquoise waters and the Aragonese watchtower on the islet in the background have attracted many tourists during the years.
To mitigate the environmental damage caused by the large number of visitors, local authorities have implemented a set of rules to visit La Pelosa Beach, which include the need getting tickets in advance.
Visitors are capped to 1,500 per day. Of these, 700 can book well ahead, 700 can book 48 hours (or less) before the intended day of visit, and 100 are visitors staying in one of the hotels and guest houses in Stintino village.
Tickets are available via the website Spiaggia La Pelosa and cost €3.50 per person. You can get up to 4 tickets, no more than once per day. Children under 12 years of age do not require tickets.
Posing at La Pelosa
The website is in Italian only, but easy to use. Once you register, you have two options: “prenota un giorno” for bookings within 48 hours, or “prenota un giorno o un periodo” for bookings well ahead of time (I’d say, even more than two months in advance!) and multi-day tickets.
Keep in mind that the beach gets fully booked in the peak months of July and August so if that’s when you intend to visit, make sure to book well ahead. You can click on “posti disponibili” (available spots) on the menu on the left, and you will be able to see availability for the month.
There are several rules to follow at La Pelosa beach, and it’s important you follow them as rangers patrol the beach and give fines to those who don’t respect them:
- Bring a straw mat and lay your towel on top of it in order to avoid taking sand away from the beach. If you don’t have one, they are available for purchase at the info center in front of the main access.
- Only smoke in designated areas.
- Wash your feet at one of the fountains located at the access points along the beach.
- Don’t bring your dog – this is not a dog-friendly beach.
La Pelosa is equipped with beach clubs (though umbrellas and sun beds must be booked well in advance) and restaurants and kiosks where you can get food and drinks.
My post How To Visit La Pelosa Beach shares more information that will help you plan your day and make the most of it.
The clear waters of Cala Coticcio are a great reward!
Cala Coticcio, Caprera
Cala Coticcio is the most famous beach in La Maddalena National Park, and one of the most protected beaches in Sardinia. This tiny cove is sheltered by promontories of granite rock characterized by an emerald-blue sea and fine, light-colored sand.
The beach can only be reached via a hike (for which you will need hiking shoes), and since it has a high protected status, you’ll only be able to go with a local guide and access will be monitored.
There are 4 daily guided tours to Cala Coticcio for a total of no more than 60 visitors (15 per group). Tours depart at 08:00 am (back at 1:00 pm), 09:00 am (back at 2:00 pm), 13:30 pm (back at 6:30 pm) and 2:00 pm (back at 7:00 pm).
The hike to get the beach lasts about an hour each way and is easy to moderate (depending on your level of fitness), but keep in mind that if you visit in the peak summer months you will be walking in the sun and this may pose a challenge. You will stay on the beach for about 3 hours and then go back up.
Rewarding views after hiking to Cala Coticcio
If you are planning to visit Cala Coticcio in the summer, you should book well in advance, since the demand for visits in July and August is really high. To book your guided hike, you’ll have to select one from the list on the website of the national park – click on “elenco guide” and then select a guide and send them an email or a WhatsApp message.
All guides charge the same fee which is established by the national park, in addition to which you need to pay a €3 conservation fee.
There are no services in Cala Coticcio: you will need to bring water and food for the hike. Also keep in mind that you aren’t allowed to place an umbrella or lay a regular towel. You can find some shelter from the sun in the vegetation behind the beach, and use a straw mat to lay down.
My post **A Guide To The Cala Coticcio Hike **describes exactly how to visit this magnificent cove.
While some boat tours of La Maddalena Archipelago stop by Cala Coticcio, boats can’t get all the way to the beach. Smaller boats like zodiacs get to the line that marks the closest spot they can get to, and from there you can swim to the beach.
Enjoying quietness at Cala Brigantina
Cala Brigantina, Caprera
One of the lesser known beaches in Caprera, Cala Brigatina consists of two little coves surrounded by granite rocks. The sea is incredibly clear and transparent, with colors ranging from turquoise to emerald green and cobalt blue.
This is a more secluded beach and less famous compared to Cala Coticcio, which means it is quieter and you may well have it to yourself even in the peak months. Much like Cala Coticcio, it can only be reached on foot only via a guided hike.
Not all guides go to Cala Brigantina, and there might not be, unfortunately, tours every day – which is why if you wish to go you should enquire well in advance with one of the guides found on the website of La Maddalena National Park. Other than the guide’s fee, you’ll have to pay the €3 conservation fee to the National Park.
Guided hikes to Cala Brigantina depart between 08:30 and 09:00 am (back between 1:30 and 2:00 pm) and at 2:30 pm (back at 6:30 pm).
The view of Cala Brigantina from the top of the hill
Tours start with the visit of Poggio Raso Superiore Fort, an abandoned military fort built at the end of the 19th century and used as a center of sighting enemies approaching from the sea.. Located around 100 meters (328 feet) above sea level, the view of the coast from the fort is stunning.
After the guided tour of Poggio Raso Inferiore, you will begin the hike the beach. It takes around minutes and is completely downhill on the way to the beach. You will stay on the beach for around than 2 hours and walk up along the same trail.
There are no services in Cala Brigantina: bring enough water and food and remember that you can’t place an umbrella or lay a regular towel (you can use a straw mat to lay on the sand).
My post A Quick Guide To Cala Brigantina shares more information on how to visit this secluded beach.
Spiaggia Rosa, Budelli – photo by Cory Seamer @shutterstock
Spiaggia Rosa, Budelli
The Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach) of Budelli, in the Maddalena Archipelago, is famous for its pink sand. Contrary to many other pink beaches in Sardinia where the color of the sand is due to the corals in the water, here it it produced by micro-organism that lives among the poseidonia plants.
This is literally the most protected beach in Sardinia – so much so that nobody is actually allowed to set foot on the island, and you will at most be able to see it from a distance during boat tours of Maddalena Archipelago which generally also stop at the Piscine di Budelli (Budelli Pools), a wonderful swimming spot.
If you get caught setting foot on Spiaggia Rosa in Budelli (and you will if you do, as the beach is patrolled) you may end up paying a hefty fine.
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