One Beach, One Story · Cala Goloritzé, Sardinia · October 2026 · 4 min

Cala Goloritzé, Sardinia: The Beach a Landslide Made, and How to Book It in 2026

In 1962 a piece of the mountain fell into the sea and left Italy one of its most famous beaches. Now you need an app, a QR code and proper shoes to get in.

Cala Goloritzé is a small cove at the foot of a ravine on Sardinia's east coast, in the town of Baunei, at the southern end of the Gulf of Orosei. Three of the four Italy lists we read name it, more than any other beach in the country. It is also only 64 years old.

1962

Condé Nast Traveler and Wikipedia both say it: the beach was created by a landslide in 1962. What is there now is a tiny cove of limestone cliffs and pale pebbles, with a natural arch on one side and, above it, a limestone spire.

That spire, the Aguglia, is a climbing destination in its own right. The official Baunei tourism site credits the first ascent to the pair Manolo and Gogna, in January 1981. The beach beat the climbers to it by nineteen years.

Sardinia's most famous cove is 64 years old. Some of the people queueing for it are older.

Why you can't just turn up

Cala Goloritzé is protected as a natural monument, and access is limited. Boats are not your way in: a 2026 guide says motorboats may not moor or land within 300 metres of the shore, and the official site says you cannot leave by boat. You walk.

How to book it in 2026

1. 01

   Book in the Heart of Sardinia app.

   The official Baunei tourism site sends you to the Heart of Sardinia app or its website. A June 2026 guide says bookings open 72 hours before your day, and that in July and August places go fast.

2. 02

   Pay the ticket.

   The official page says €7. The June 2026 guide says €6 for non-residents and free for Baunei residents. Check the app for the day's price.

3. 03

   Know the limit.

   The 2026 guide puts it at 250 people on the beach at once. Wikipedia, in a 2025 revision, says 300 a day are let in, while 800 would come if they could.

4. 04

   Start early.

   The path opens at 7:30 and admits walkers until 14:00; you can stay on the beach until 17:00. The official site recommends reaching the trailhead by 10:00.

5. 05

   Wear real shoes.

   Closed shoes with good grip are compulsory. Flip-flops and sandals are not allowed on the path.

6. 06

   Carry water, and carry it back.

   There are no taps, kiosks or bins on the beach. Take at least two litres and bring your rubbish home.

The walk

It starts at the Su Porteddu car park on the Golgo plateau above Baunei. The path is about 3.5 km each way with roughly 500 metres of height, downhill first: an hour and a half down and two hours back up, by the official site's timing. It runs through a canyon of old holm oaks, passes left of the spire, and ends on wooden walkways down to the sand.

Is it worth it?

We rate it Worth a detour: first on our Italy fame list, a landslide for an origin story, and one step down because entry is capped and booked. The cap is the reason it still looks like the photographs.