This may be the most expensive souvenir in your life. Pack it in a suitcase and they’ll give you up to PLN 12,700. PLN fine

Collecting sand, shells or stones from places you have been to and “as souvenirs” is a shameful practice that many tourists are often tempted to do. Not everyone knows that there are places where it is strictly prohibited and punished even more severely. If you are checked at the airport, you may receive fines worth several thousand.

A fine of up to PLN 12,700 and even a prison sentence. Many tourists expose themselves to unpleasant consequences

Sardinia is a beautiful Italian island located in the Mediterranean Sea, which delights with beautiful, azure water, majestic mountains and rocky coastlines. No wonder it is visited by crowds of tourists every year. Unfortunately, due to their imprudent behavior, many of them not only harm the island, but also expose themselves to huge fines. If you want to take a part of this unique place with you, it often happens that your luggage includes sand, stones and shells collected from the beaches. Meanwhile, such action may result in a fine ranging from EUR 500 to even EUR 3,000, i.e. over PLN 12,700, or imprisonment.

Can you remove sand from the beach? Can you remove sand from the beach? Photo Sardinia / Private archive

Can you remove sand from the beach? In Sardinia it is prohibited

Exporting sand from Sardinia is illegal and strictly banned since 2017. Despite this, there are still tourists who do not care about the rules of the place they visit. This was the case of a Frenchman who collected more than 2 kg of sand in bottles, which resulted in him receiving a fine of PLN 1,000. euro. The unusual souvenir was, of course, confiscated from him. There were also a couple of tourists from France who tried this way 40 kilograms of white sand. In turn, two visitors caught at the airport in Cagliari with valuable shells found in their luggage received a fine of PLN 3,000. euro each.

Up to 5 tons of sand. This is how much disappears from Sardinia every year

According to “”, it disappears from Sardinian beaches every year up to 5 tons of sand. This is a huge problem that directly affects the island. The main people responsible for this state of affairs are tourists, but not only them. Sand is an increasingly desirable material used in construction. Importantly, it must come from beaches, not deserts, because the latter binds concrete poorly. So the problem is global. – Keep your memories alive, but don’t take anything with you – we can read on the Sardinian website. It is worth following the rules on the island not only to avoid getting a fine, but also so that future generations can enjoy its beauty. If you feel like it, vote in our poll below.