Where Are Beach Umbrellas Banned In Italy And For Whom?

The Italian beach of Punta Molentis in Villasimìus has introduced a controversial new ban on beach umbrellas for some.

The sandy spot, located on Sardinia’s South-East coast, costs €10 (£8.64, as of the time of writing) to enter.

Once you’re in, only people older than 65 or with a child under 10 can pitch a beach umbrella at the site – and there’s a max limit of one per eligible person or group, The Guardian reports.

It comes alongside a slew of other changes which are designed to protect the area’s ecosystem.

In 2025, the site faced wildfires that left cars burnt out and forced beachgoers to flee by boat, per the BBC.

“The ecosystem of Punta Molentis is among the most precious in our territory, but also among the most fragile,” the council explained.

“The fires of 2025 and exceptional marine weather events have reduced the capacity of the sandy shore and put habitat and biodiversity to a severe test.

“Because of this, it is necessary to limit human impact and ensure the protection of this heritage for future generations.”

As a result of the disaster and the risk for future fires, authorities have decided to limit the number of beach visitors to 150 at a time (pre-booking is needed to secure a spot). You can’t park more than 70 cars a day nearby, either.

Opening hours run from 8am-9pm, and you aren’t allowed to leave towels, umbrellas, tents, or chairs overnight.

The official notice also asks people to check the beach’s fire risk level before visiting, too.

Under the governing body’s Facebook post addressing these changes, one person wrote: “I advise the mayor and the entire council that voted for this outrage to visit a dermatologist to learn about the risks of skin cancer to which they are exposing us to profit from those who want to enjoy the sea at Punta Molentis”.

Another commented, “If [we] pay 20 euros for entry and parking, who are you to ban umbrellas?”

And on a separate post on the same page, yet another site user said: “To protect the beach, the only solution is to close it and make it inaccessible for a few years, to allow flora and fauna to reclaim their place. This is just a sneaky way to hand it over to the rich”.

They joked, “Do we need a black market to rent out children and the elderly?”