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Foreign hello, my name is Claudia. I was born and raised in Sardinia and I still call it home. I am the mastermind behind this weekly Sardinia Travel blog and now this weekly Sardinia podcast where each week I will bring you the best of Sardinia and share my most useful tips that will help you plan a memorable trip to my wonderful island. A few weeks ago I talked to you about the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia. Now, the good news is that there are beautiful beaches all over Sardinia. And for as much as I try to select the best beaches, you will be sure to find a wonderful place to spend your day with your family, alone, with your friends, whoever you want. On top of these beaches in Sardinia, we have a bunch of protected beaches. Protected beaches have limited access. Our approach to managing access to some of our most beautiful beaches highlights the delicate balance between tourism and conservation. We protect these beaches by limiting the number of visitors, implementing strict regulations, and ensuring that you and future generations get to enjoy these beaches. These beaches aren't necessarily secluded. Very few of the protected beaches in Sardinia have no crowds whatsoever. This is because they are very, very famous and everyone wants to go there. And some of them get crowded because they're really tiny. But anyhow, I will talk to you about the secluded beaches of Sardinia in the next episode. Today I just want to focus on the protected beaches. Let me start with the first one in the south of Sardinia, east of Cagliari, west of Cagliari, actually Tuerreda. Tuerreda. It's a beach that belongs to the municipality of Teulada in South Sardinia. The limited access here is implemented from June until the very end of September and during this time only 1100 people can access the beach. Part of them, the majority, can enjoy access to the free beach and the other ones, about 300 of them, can enjoy access to one of the two beach clubs. For the free beach access is based on a first come, first serve basis, meaning that you need to go to the beach as early as possible to be guaranteed a spot. The good news is that there is an official website for to a Reda beach that you can check before heading there to see if there's still a spot available. But anyhow, I recommend going there early in the morning. Once you get there, you have to pay the parking spot and you have to pay €1, just €1 to enjoy your day at the beach. If you don't want to risk it, what you can do is book a place in one of the two beach clubs. I will share the contacts in my post, which I will link to at in this podcast description and you can make a reservation. The beach is wonderful in the sense that it's prohibited smoking except in in restricted areas. It has, it's serviced, it's plastic free, so it's pristine. It's a clear water and very fine golden sand beach surrounded by beautiful vegetation where you can safely swim. It's perfect for a family day out. The only thing I recommend is avoiding going there on very windy days because it can get. It can get quite rough, especially on a mistral day. The other beach that I love going to and I go every, literally every summer, at least once a once per summer in South Sardinia is Punta Molentis. Punta Molentis, which is one of the many beautiful beaches of Villa Simius. It's actually located between Villa Simius and Costa Ri. Remember we talked about Villa Simius and Costa Rei in the previous episode. I go there because my family has a holiday home in Costa Ri. It's just an easy place to reach and it's wonderful. It's a small crescent bay, crescent shaped small bay. It has incredibly fine powdery white sand and very shallow, crystal clear waters which are very calm. It's a very sheltered beach, protected from the wind, so it's safe for the entire family. The high number of visitors in the past have caused quite a bit of erosion at this beach. So numbers are now capped to no more than 600 visitors and each visitor has to pay a €1 fee. Kids can go for free and there is a parking lot that you have to pay. Only 200 cars are allowed in the parking lot and and this must be booked in advance through the official website to get there. You also have the option of reserving your spot at one of the beach at the only beach club at the beach. It's nice. It's a nice place. They have good umbrellas, they have a kiosk where you can buy food and water anybody could actually access. The beach is equipped with toilets and it's just a wonderful place to spend your day. Overall, there are boat tours that depart from the beach in case you want to visit other beaches nearby. Personally, I've never been on one of those tours, mainly because when I'm at Punta Molenti's I just want to enjoy my day there. Also in Villasimios there's another gorgeous beach that is protected and this is Puerto Porto Sa Rushi. Porto Sa Rushi, it's spelled Porto Sa Rushi is R U X I. Very easy. Now Porto Cerrucci is protected because it's a tiny, tiny beach. Part of the protected marine area of Capo Carbonara, much like Punta Molentis, which I just talked about. And here the limited access is from June to October and only 450 persons per day are allowed. Again, they have to pay a small fee, €1 per person. And they have to pay for their parking lot, which must be booked via an official website. Once there, most of the beach is actually free and you can plant your umbrella. There is some vegetation, there is a kiosk where you can get food and drinks, which is hidden in the vegetation. And there are also toile and showers. But I always recommend bringing whatever you need for the day because the kiosk is actually quite hidden and it's a bit of a walk to get there. Now, one of the most famous protected beaches in Sardinia is Cala Golorize, Cala Goloriza, which is in the Baune coast, which here in Sardinia we know as the Gulf of Orosei. This is one of my favorite beaches in Sardinia. It's a national monument since 1993. And it's just tiny. It's a tiny place. Now, because it is a protected beach, getting there is very difficult. Now there is no road access and even boats cannot get there. Boats can get there, can get only 300 meters from the coast and nobody from the boats can actually get to the beach. Unless, I mean you want to swim it, but it's quite far the way the place where they can, where they can dock. Only 250 people per day are allowed. And these 250 people can get to Calagrodolice via a hike that departs from the Golgo Plateau. Golgo Plateau, which is right above it. It's not the easiest hike and I've done it many, many times. What do I mean? You walk for around 8 kilometers, 5 miles there and back, so 4 kilometers on the way there and 4 kilometers up on the way there. It's almost a steady downhill after the first 20 minutes. And it takes you about an hour and 15 minutes to get to the beach on the way back up. It's almost entirely uphill and it is quite steep. And if you consider that most of the time you'll be hiking this trail in the peak of the summer months, it's you. It's probably quite harsh, quite difficult and hot. Having said that, the beach is amazing. Clear waters, tiny grains of white pebbles make the color of the water truly unique. The beach must be booked in advance via the official website. Its limited access lasts from June till October. You must Book via an app called Heart of Sardinia. Heart of Sardinia, 72 hours before your visit and there is a fee for of €7 to pay to get there. It's not an equipped beach at all. So bring whatever you need for the day, especially bring lots of water. You will want at least 2 liters of water per person when you visit, especially because you have to hike back up and it's hot. Not far from Cala Goloriza there are three more protected beaches also part of the Bounet, Cala Mariolu, Cala Birriala and Cala dei Gabbiani. Cala Mariolu receives 700 daily visitors and Cala Biriala and Cara di Gabbiani are capped at 300 daily visitors. The these beaches can only be reached by boat and the best thing to do when you decide to visit is to book a boat tour departing from either Calagonone or Santa Maria Navarrese. I repeat, Cala Gonone or Santa Maria Navarrese. These two small towns are located at both ends of the Boune coast. So virtually you visit the exact same spot spots when you are in either of them. The best way to visit, as I said, is by boat on a boat tour. This is because the boats coordinate themselves to make sure that the number of visitors is always in line with the local regulations. They are not equipped beaches. You will need to bring whatever you need for the day. There is a tiny, tiny kiosk at Cala Mariolu. I have to say, when I visited last time, they were not the friendliest. It's quite expensive, expensive, but you know, in case you need a drink, you can find it there. But in general, bring whatever you need for the day. These three beaches can also be reached via hike, also departing from the Gogo Plateau. The reason I don't recommend the hike is because it's very, very strenuous. There are some up sailing bits, so it's not exactly your regular day at the beach. It's more difficult than that. Another beach that is also part of this coast is Cala Luna. But Cala Luna belongs to the municipality of Dorgali and it's closer to Calagonone. I love this beach. It's been portrayed in many movies. You know, sometimes you watch a movie that tells the story of somebody that it's lost on a hidden island in the middle of the ocean. And many of these movies have actually been filmed in Cara Luna. That's how beautiful, beautiful it is. This is the largest, the biggest beach off the coast of Boune and the Gulf of as it measures 800 meters, which is around half a mile, it's characterized by golden sand mixed with tiny pebbles and clear waters. Where you can spot all the pebbles, there's a lot of marine life. It's one of my favorite spots for snorkeling in Sardinia, and it's backed by white cliffs and thick Mediterranean bush. You can get there on a hike that departs from Calafuili, which is the last beach you can reach by car from Calagonone. It's a longer hike, around 12km and it can be tricky in bits, but it's doable. I have done it and the best part, part of it is that on the way back you can actually hop on one of these boats that take you back to Calagonone. The hike takes about three hours to complete, depending on your own base. But as I said, you also have the chance of going there by boat. There are tours that depart from Calagonone every day, so it's fairly easy. You can opt for a hop on op off boat tour that takes you to the various beaches, or you can just decide to stop there for the day. Not far from Calagonone, there's a small town of Orosei, one of my favorite small coastal town in Sardinia. And that's where you'll find the Oazi Bidderosa. Oaz Ibi de Rosa is a truly impressive paradisiac place. It's characterized by a few outstanding beaches and a coastal forest. And the coves have incredibly fine white sand, crystal clear blue waters. And there is also a pond, Kurkurika pond. And even in high season, these protected beaches actually never get crowded because visitors are kept to a really small number here. No more than 100 cars, 30 motorbikes, and overall, 1,000 visitors are allowed on Oaz Ibide Rosa on a daily basis. And this thousand visitors have to spread themselves among three stunning beaches. To go there, you need to book your visit on the official website of Ozi Biderosa. And there is a small fee to pay for the parking lot and the fee to pay for the conservation of the beach. You need to select the date you wish to visit. You need to select the kind of vehicle and how many people that are in your group. My favorite beach is the furthest one from the entrance, but cove number three, beach number three is the one where you'll find the kiosks, the cell, drinks and food in case you don't want to bring yours, and where you'll find the toilets. Otherwise, much like for the other beaches, I recommend bringing whatever you need for the day, especially if you're visiting in the summer. Lots of water. Next to are Cala Brandinki and Lou Imposo, Cala Brandinqui and Lu Imposto in San Teodoro. You will surely have heard of San Teodoro. It's one of the most famous holiday destinations in Sardinia and these two beaches are very popular. They share the same parking lot, they both must be booked in advance and they both belong to the protected marine area of Tavolara. They're easy to reach from Olbia, from Loiri Porto, San Paulo as well, or San Teodoro, which is the closest base. They are quite similar. They both have intense turquoise, emerald green and cobalt blue sea and white powdery sand. Cala Brandinki has small sand dunes which you cannot climb by the way, and visitors are capped. Cala Brandinki can reach can contain around 1500 visitors, a bit less actually per day, whereas the 3350 can visit LU Imposto on a daily basis. Both beaches need to be booked in advance via the website San Teodoro Spiaggia and you must select which of the two beach you wish to visit and see if there's a availability. There is a fee to pay for every visitor and you have to pay for the parking lot. It's actually overall visiting these two beaches quite expensive, but you know, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Both have whatever you need for the day. You will find disabled access, you will find a kiosks to buy food and drink, beach clubs to rent, beach equipment like umbrellas and stuff, which I recommend booking in advance. The feeling you get at Calabrandinki is honestly that of a crowded beach because it's really narrow. So probably if you book your place at one of the beach clubs, it's better. It feels a bit less crowded. But don't let this deter you from going. It's a wonderful, wonderful place. It's for a good reason that we call it Tahiti, little Tahiti, because it's just gorgeous north of that. Further north, much further north, in Santa Teresa di Gallura, you will find Rena Bianca Beach. Rena Bianca beach is actually the main beach in Santa Teresa di Gallura and it's very, very easy to reach. You can literally walk there from the center of town. However, visitors are kept here as well because the beach is quite small and between June and September only 1050 people can spend their day at the beach. You have to book via the official website, which I Report on my blog. Don't worry. And you have to select the day and you have to book at least 72 hours in advance before the day of visiting or before. You can buy up to four tickets per person, but don't worry if you come. If traveling with your family, children and elderly are not counted as occupants. And once you get to the beach, you will find beach clubs where you can rent umbrellas and sunbeds, buy food and drinks, but of course I always recommend booking them in advance. Another protected beaches is l', Epicine, near Carniggione, Le Piscina. Carnigione is a small town, A tiny town is a hamlet of Arzakena, and Lepicine is a small bay with two coves. It has white sand and blue shallow waters, is beloved by family and children, and access is restricted from July until August. So July and August to only 80 people, including 20 residents that must book 72 hours in advance via the official website. There is a daily fee to pay, which in this case is six for the full day and three for the half day. But children under 12 enter for free. There's nothing in the way of services at this beach, so you will need to bring whatever you need for your day. Then I want to talk about La Pelosa beach. This is probably the most famous beach in Sardinia. Is it the most beautiful? Well, honestly, it's gorgeous. Is it my favorite? No, it's not. I like other beaches better. But if you are in northwestern Sardinia, for example, in the area of Alghero or Castel Sardo Porto Torres, you should definitely consider visiting. It's stunning. Visitors at this beach are capped to 1,500 per day. 700 can book well ahead, and 700 can book only 42 hours or less in advance. There are 100 spots reserved for people that are staying in hotels and guest houses in Stintino. And there is a fee to pay as well. 3.50 per person and you can get up to four tickets per day. The beach is beautiful, as I said before, Imagine really fine white sand, shallow turquoise waters, endless, endlessly shallow. And there is an Aragonese watchtower on an islet on the background. And it's just picture perfect. You know, there are some very strict regulations for those visiting this particular beach that are actually implemented in some of the beaches in Sardinia. But here there's literally the beach police that goes around to make sure that you respect these rules. For example, you cannot lay a regular towel. You will need a straw mat or one of these microfiber towels. You need to rinse your feet. Once you leave the beach, smoking is absolutely prohibited unless in designated spots. You know, anything to protect the delicate environment of this beach. And this is not a dog friendly beach. Remember, remember that there are several beach clubs at the beach, so if you want you can rent one. But you know, you need to book really well ahead, well ahead of your visit. And there are kiosks where you can buy food and water as well, food and drinks. So it's, it's an overall easy place to visit, provided that you manage to snag a spot. I have more beaches for you. One of them is Calacoticcio in Caprera. Both of them are actually in Caprera, Calacoticcio and Cala Brigantina. Calacutio is probably my favorite cove in Sardinia. It's the most famous beach in La Mandalena National Park. It's tiny, it can only be reached via hike, so you need hiking shoes for that. The hike is about an hour and it's guided, meaning that if you wish to visit this beach, you will need to contact one of the guides in the website listed in the website of La Maddalena national park and ask to join a guided tour. Now why is that? They actually really want to limit the number of people at this beach. Again, much like La Pelosa, you cannot lay a towel. In this case, you cannot even plant an umbrella. There are no more than 60 visitors per day are allowed at this beach on four guided tours in total. Two depart in the morning and two depart in the afternoon. And once you get to the beach, you know, you have enough time to actually enjoy it. You can swim, you can climb the rocks to, for photos. And there's, there are a lot of boats that approach the beach, but, but you know, nobody from the boat can actually plant an umbrella on the beach. If they do, that's absolutely illegal. As I said, you need to get there by a hike. Some boat tours in La Maddalena stop by the beach, but they cannot get all the way to the beach. The other beach in La Madalena national park in Caprera island that is protected is Cala Brigantina. For some reasons, this beach, which is gorgeous, gets, I want to say a fraction like a tenth of the visitors that Calacuticho gets is just like people don't know it for some reason. It's gorgeous, it's absolutely stunning. But to get there, there is, you have to hire a guide from the website of La Maddalena national park, pay a small fee and hike. The hike is actually Much easier than the one to Calacutito is short. Once you get there, again, no umbrellas, no regular towels, just microfiber towels. But once you get there, really what all you want to do is swim in those clear waters because they are so transparent and so inviting. That's the only, that's the one thing you, you want to do. The tour to get to Calabrigantina usually starts from Poggio Razzo Superiore Fort. So the tour usually includes a visit to this historic fort for about 10 minutes and then you'll hike down to the beach where you get to spend around 2, 3 hours depending on the day. Finally, last on this list of beaches there the Spiaggia Rosa in Budelli. So the pink beach in Budeli, which is also part of Maddalena archipelago and it's famous for its pink sun. Now, this beach is so protected that nobody, nobody can get to the beach. In recent years, only a few guides have been allowed to take groups there. But again, you cannot really walk on the beach. You walk on platforms a bit off the beach. You can also see it from the boat. On boat tours of Mandalena Archipelago, you know, this is probably the most highly protected beach in Sardina. It's actually usually patrolled. You know, they, they really care for it because it's special. It's the, the pink beach is actually produced because of the pink sand is produced by microorganisms that live among the posidonia plants. So it's not common corals. It's really unique. Now this is all I have to say about the protected beaches in Sardinia. Make sure to read the description of this podcast as I will have the selection there and I will link to my post on my blog where you can find the links on from where you can book all the various beaches. In the next episode we're gonna talk about the secluded beaches in Sardinia. The beaches where you go and be by yourself because they are really not frequented. Now, if you like this podcast, give it a five star rating and a good review. Remember, next week we're going to talk about the secluded beaches of Sardinia. And until then, goodbye.