Tiny island beach that is the ‘Little Sahara of Italy’ with some of Europe’s tallest sand dunes

THERE’S a little-known beach in Italy that looks like the Sahara Desert.

With huge golden sands, dunes and beautiful blue waters, it’s one of the most beautiful places to go on holiday, and you’ll find it in Sardinia.

On the Costa Verde coastline of Sardinia is the beach called Spiaggia di Piscinas which is picture perfect.

It has soft golden sands, clear blue waters, and the beach stretches across three miles.

It’s also where you’ll find some huge dunes that look like they belong in the desert, and they can rise up to heights of 60 metres.

These dunes are the reason Piscinas has been nicknamed the “Little Sahara of Italy” and has some of the highest sand dunes in Europe.

Piscinas is surrounded by sand dunes formed by the natural forces of the Mistral – a strong northwest wind that sweeps across the island.

In the Sardinian desert, things do grow, such as junipers, rare flowers, beach grass and wild olive trees.

On the Spiaggia di Piscinas, you’ll find a hotel and two beach bars with showers, umbrellas and sunloungers – which are only available in the summer season.

One visitor said: “Piscinas is an amazing place, you can stay relaxed on the beach and then go to the desert for a walk.

“I suggest to visit because it is an incredible place and the only one in Europe where you can see something like that, otherwise you have to travel to Africa and Sahara.”

Another added: “The dunes are amazing and forever shifting.”

The dunes and the beach of Piscinas are part of a UNESCO World Heritage area.

The Saharan-style sand has earned it the title of one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, awarded by the National Geographic Society. 

Situated on the dunes is also a very beautiful hotel of Le Dune Piscinas, which is incredibly remote and right on the sand.

The hotel in Sardinia was originally a mining warehouse, which has been repurposed and renovated into a luxury eco-resort.

And you can see the remains of it too with the entrance way that was transformed from one of the old transportation tunnels.

It’s also where you’ll find 29 rooms and suites, a couple of restaurants, pool, library and spa too.

Read more on the best beaches we’ve found in the UK from Weymouth to Norfolk.

We’ve also discovered Europe’s best beach with white sands and £3 beers.