Sardinian beach bans umbrellas for people aged 10 to 65

Incredulous Italians ask if they should bring grandparents to beach to stay safe, after unpopular move in Villasimìus

Umbrellas have been banned on a beach in Sardinia for anyone between the ages of 10 and 65 in the latest flashpoint in Italy’s long-running beach disputes.

The measure was among several imposed by local authorities at Punta Molentis beach in Villasimìus, on Sardinia’s south-east coast, as part of an initiative to protect its pristine environment.

On top of having to pay €10 to set foot on the public beach, only families with children under 10 are permitted to pitch an umbrella – just one, at that – and those over 65.

The measure has not gone down well with beachgoers, generating a mix of incredulity and bemusement online, as well as raising concerns about the risks of skin cancer or heatstroke.

“To put up an umbrella I have to rent a child??” asked a commenter beneath a post announcing the guidelines on the Facebook page of Villasimìus’s council. Another joked: “So to come to the beach with an umbrella I either bring my grandad or need to have a child between now and tomorrow?”

Some called for a boycott of Punta Molentis, while others said they would simply go to a beach where they could shield themselves safely from the sun.

Punta Molentis is reopening after being closed since last July after a devastating wildfire started by arsonists.