Italy travel warning as tourists could be fined £427 for setting foot on pretty pink beach
dailyrecord.co.ukAnyone visiting Italy this summer has been warned that they could face a hefty fine for walking on one of the country's most famous and picturesque beaches.Spiagga Rosa, or Pink Beach, boasts beautiful natural pink sands that glow in the sun and make for the perfect photo opportunity - but it should only ever be admired from afar, on organised boat trips.
It's strictly forbidden to step on the beach, as authorities have said it's now in danger of being destroyed by holidaymakers keen to take a walk there and snap some pictures.The Mirror reports that tourists could find themselves massively out of pocket if they don't obey this rule, which is never ideal on holiday.
Fabrizio Fonnesu, director of the Maddalena archipelago national park, said: “The beach is again in danger as people arrive by boat, clamber up the beach, then post photos, which allow us to fine them up to 500 euros (£427)."The beach is located on Budelli Island just off the coast of Sardinia, and the sand gets its unusual hue from the shells of the Pink Miniacina microorganism.
It first came under threat from tourists in 1980, leading authorities to clamp down on visitors who were caught stealing sand, which caused the colour to fade.It's now illegal to do this, and people can face fines of up to 3,000 euros (£2,565) if they’re caught stealing sand to keep as a souvenir or sell online.
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