Stintino · Gulf of Asinara
La Pelosa beach
One of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, five minutes by car from the villa
✽ 5 minutes by car from the villa
La Pelosa beach is the symbol of Stintino and one of the most photographed beaches in the world: fine white sand, transparent water shifting from green to the brightest turquoise, a seagrass bed swaying just below the surface, and in the background the 16th-century Aragonese Pelosa Tower seeming to float on a small islet. Just five minutes by car from the villa, it's the first destination for those staying with us — but it is also a fragile ecosystem, protected by access rules worth knowing before you arrive.
The water, the sand, the tower
The beach is a crescent of pale sand about four hundred metres long, sheltered from currents by Piana island and Asinara, which act as natural breakwaters. The water is very shallow for tens of metres — ideal with children — and the sandy bottom keeps its clarity even on windy days. The Pelosa Tower, built in 1578 as part of the Aragonese coastal defence system against Barbary pirate raids, stands on an islet just off the shore and is the beach's signature image. Behind the beach lies the nature reserve, with low Mediterranean scrub and junipers fragrant in the sun.
The mandatory booking
Since 2020, to protect the ecosystem, access to La Pelosa is regulated from 15 May to 15 October: you need a ticket and booking on the official site spiaggialapelosa.it. The price is €3.50 per person, with a cap of 1,500 entries per day. You pay online by card and receive a QR code to show at the beach entrance. On the hottest days of July and August, slots sell out days in advance — we suggest booking as soon as you know your arrival date. Children under twelve do not pay but still need to be registered at the time of booking.
When to go, what to bring
The best time is early morning, between 7:30 and 10:30, when the light is raking, the wind almost always absent and the beach still half empty. In the late afternoon, after 17:00, it empties again and you can enjoy sunset behind Asinara. In the middle of the day in high season the heat is intense: there's little natural shade. The rules forbid towels touching the sand (you need a straw mat or a permeable technical cloth), fins, rigid equipment, cigarettes and smoking. On the way back, rinse your feet at the showers provided — here too, no soap, to avoid altering the ecosystem. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen: there are no bars on the beach, only just outside.
