Three of the world's 50 most beautiful beaches are Italian: two in Sardinia, Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzè, and one in Sicily, in Lampedusa, the "spiaggia dei conigli". This is certified by the U.S. website worlds50beaches.com, which assigns second place to Cala Mariolu, 19th to Cala Goloritzè, on the same coast in Baunei, Ogliastra, while Conigli beach ranks 50th.

“Our 2024 list is the culmination of countless days spent by our judges, Beach Ambassadors and the World's 50 Beaches team exploring beaches around the world,” is written in the U.S. website's presentation of the result.

We hope this list provides the inspiration you need to plan your next beach vacation.” Exulting is the mayor of Baunei, Stefano Monni, a town on the Ogliastra coast that enchants with its sheer seaside landscapes, white sandy beaches and crystal clear water almost all of which can only be reached by sea and with limited numbers. “For Baunei this is an important recognition that brings the village and our beaches to the world's limelight,” the first citizen comments. “For us, the duty to safeguard these beaches grows more and more, as we have been doing for a long time, having been the forerunners of the need to preserve a dreamy but at the same time fragile ecosystem.

For the past few years, the municipal administration has introduced a closed number on the two beaches: at Cala Goloritzè, which can only be accessed by land, a maximum of 250 people can stay at the same time and only by reservation; while at Cala Mariolu 700 people can stay on the beach, arriving both by sea and land. “I would like to invite tourists to visit not only the beaches but also the hinterland,” adds Mayor Monni, “this is an area that can be enjoyed in all its beauty if you start from the interior to get to the coast when a breathtaking spectacle opens up. That is why hiking tourism is to be preferred.”