4 days Ago By The Telegraph
Holidaymakers must now book in advance to access a number of beaches across Europe, as authorities attempt to manage visitor numbers during peak summer months. The latest to join this exclusive club is Tuerredda Beach in Sardinia, where beach-goers will be required to book in advance from July onwards. Those who fail to do so will be denied access.
Let’s take a look at the beaches clamping down on spontaneous day-trippers, and the impact this trend could have on your next holiday. The beaches that require a reservation Tuerredda and La Pelosa beaches, Sardinia As of this summer, tourists hoping to visit the crescent-shaped Tuerredda Beach in Sardinia will need to book in advance using an app. The new measure will come into force from July.
The local authorities have been clamping down on visitor numbers since 2020. In high summer the number of beach-goers is already capped at 1,100 per day. There are also bans on disposable plastic bags, smoking, and the removal of sand or pebbles from the bay.
Other Sardinian beaches like Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu have visitor caps too (1,447 and 3,352 respectively), and the ever-popular La Pelosa beach also requires visitors to book ahead in the summer months. Calanque de Sugiton, France Since 2022, summer access to Calanque de Sugiton – a beach in the Calanques National Park south of Marseille – has been accessible by reservation only. The measure was brought in after the creek was swamped with as many as 2,500 visitors per day.
Marseille Tourisme said: “The impact of this excessive frequentation on the natural, terrestrial and aquatic environment is unfortunately irremediable, the erosion of the site is accelerating and we see the consequences every year. This is why it is essential to put in place a strict restrictive measure.” Reservations are free and can be made three days before the day of travel, and up until 6pm on the day before, for up to five people.
Last year, reservations were required on select days in June, every day in July and August, and on the first two weekends of September. You can book access to the Calanque de Sugiton here . West Wittering, West Sussex Since the pandemic, one of the most beautiful beaches in Sussex has enforced a pre-booking parking system with a set capacity.
After the daily limit is reached, parking tickets are removed from sale. During peak days, the estate issues warnings to stay away. In a statement on Saturday August 10, 2024, the West Wittering Estate said: “We are sold out for tomorrow, Sunday, August 11.
Please do not travel to the area without a pre-booked ticket. You will be refused entry. There is no alternative parking in the local area.
” On quieter days it is still possible to roll up to West Wittering Estate on the day, although the cost of parking is 25 per cent more expensive than pre-booking. You can book ahead here . Alternatively, you could always park up in East Wittering and enjoy the adjoining beach.
Praia das Catedrais, Galicia In high summer you must book ahead to visit the Praia das Catedrais (Cathedral Beach) on Spain’s north coast, which is famous for its extraordinary rock formations. Reservations (free) are required for Easter week as well as during July, August and September. Bookings can be made up to 30 days before visiting.
You can book ahead here . Sand Harbor State Park, USA Last summer, Sand Harbor State Park on the fringes of Lake Tahoe , USA, introduced a system where beach-goers had to pre-register on weekends and public holidays to gain access to the beach. This came after visitor numbers boomed from 365,000 visitors in 2012 to 1.
3 million in 2024. “This new system aims to reduce traffic congestion on Highway 28, improve trip planning and alleviate overcrowding,” Nevada State Parks’ education and information officer, Tyler Kerver, told ABC News . “This initial trial period will help staff and visitors adjust to the new procedures, with full implementation set for April 2025.
” The system will be enforced from April 15 to October 15, 2025 for those arriving at the beach between 7am and 10.30am. After that, arrivals are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Bookings can be made here . The upshot for holidaymakers The pre-booking trend is still limited to a small number of beaches. But with destinations struggling with the effects of mass tourism, and scrambling to find solutions, it isn’t hard to imagine that similar measures could be introduced in similarly overcrowded spots such as the Balearics and the Canary Islands in years to come.
At some beaches in Majorca , local campaign groups have taken matters into their own hands by erecting fake signs at beaches warning against jellyfish and falling rocks. Crucially, in most cases a pre-booking system would be either surplus to requirement or impossible to police, particularly at beaches with multiple entry points. The small number of beaches that have introduced reservation systems have done so to manage overcrowding and reduce environmental degradation.
So while it might infringe on the thrill of spontaneity, and cause a headache for less tech-savvy travellers, the book-a-beach phenomenon will prove a sensible move in the long run. And it might, ultimately, help to disperse visitors to less visited beaches. There are hundreds of thousands of beaches around the world, meaning there is plenty of sandy space to go around if you think outside the box .
Our ultimate guide to Europe’s secret seasides and this guide to Britain’s best remote beaches offer a good starting point..
