Visitors to Sardinia’s beautiful beaches who take anything more than photos, memories and the sand between their toes are finding out it’ll cost them more than a few clams.
Footing the Bill
The Italian island of Sardinia is famous for many things (though not, curiously, for sardines) and infamous for several others, such as the bizarre banned casu martzu cheese that owes its unique taste and consistency to its being infested with maggots. Yum! So don’t get any bright ideas about taking a little bit of Sardinia home when your vacation ends, or you might find yourself saying “cheese” to the police as they snap your mugshot. (images via Paola at top and Pietro Zanarini above)
Sands Sherriff
Last year alone, Italian police seized over 200 pounds of sand, pebbles and seashells from tourists who wanted more tangible memories of their time spent on Sardinia’s beautiful beaches. As the travel and tourism industry begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, police and customs agents are finding that visitors have returned to their souvenir-stealing ways. Examples need to be set because this is not fine… thieving tourists, on the other hand, ARE being fined. (image via Pietro Zanarini)
Pebbles, Flints & Stones
Sardinia’s natural wonders – the island’s white, yellow, orange and black sand beaches are legendary – have long tempted visitors to pack a little (or a lot) piece of paradise on their way out.
You might not think a tiny glass vial of sand or the odd stone or shell is a big deal but in time, the thefts can add up. In response to the problem, regional authorities introduced a law in 2017 that made taking sand from Sardinia’s beaches an illegal act. (images via Adrian Juniper)
Not a big fan of sardines? There are plenty of “worse” fish in the sea. Check out Butt Ugly: Deep-Sea Assfish Is Aptly Named!
