Sardinian authorities will literally fine you thousands of euros if you try to smuggle even a tiny bottle of sand, shells, or pebbles from their pristine beaches.

A closer look

Sardinian authorities will literally fine you thousands of euros if you try to smuggle even a tiny bottle of sand, shells, or pebbles from their pristine beaches. The local government got so tired of millions of tourists stealing their coastlines piece by piece as free souvenirs that they made it a serious offense carrying a maximum penalty of three thousand euros. Customs officers at the airport regularly bust people with water bottles full of quartz, proudly displaying their confiscated hauls like a drug bust. It is a beautiful testament to human entitlement that people think they have the right to legally dismantle an Italian island just to put some dirty rocks on their bathroom shelf back in Ohio. If you really want a physical memory of your trip, just buy a poorly made magnet at the airport like a normal, law-abiding tourist