L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2024 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 T he focus isn't on t h e r a n k i n g s , although they do h i g h l i g h t t h e o b v i o u s . W h e n the World's 50 Best Beaches, drawing on the opinions of over a thousand travel journal- i s t s , i n d u s t r y e x p e r t s , a n d influencers, places the spectac- ular Cala Mariolu in Sardinia second on its 2024 list—right behind Trunk Bay in the Vir- gin Islands, famous for its velvety sand, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant coral reefs—we can only say: naturally! Naturally, because there is little to add other than to emphasize its stunning beauty: the water displays shades Caring is half of the beauty: let's learn to love Italian beaches From the Editor from deep sapphire to bright aquamarine, contrasting mag- nificently with the pristine white pebble beach. It's hard not to recognize its allure. "Cala Mariolu is accessible only by boat or via hiking trails," notes the jury, "which allows visi- tors to experience the area's natural beauty in a very person- al way. The small cove, framed by jagged cliffs and lush vege- tation, offers beachgoers extraordinary views from every angle, both on land and in the water." The evidence speaks for itself. The jury's task was essentially an easy one: they simply arranged 50 objectively beautiful places in an order influ- enced by personal tastes. Anyone could easily see the won- ders that Mother Nature has bestowed upon us. These kinds of rankings, useful primarily for promoting locations (a notoriety that is not always beneficial!), are extremely sub- jective and reflect personal preferences. After all, beyond sun, sea, and sand, everyone seeks different things in their "ideal beach." Beyond aesthetic and naturalistic criteria shared by a vast majority, the real issue is how these land- scapes make us feel, what sensations they evoke, and what memories and experiences tie us to the turquoise sea. According to this ranking, we also know that the Sardin- ian beach of Cala Mariolu is the undisputed queen of Europe, and that Cala Goloritzé, also in Sardinia, is another slice of paradise, securing the 19th spot worldwide. At 11th in Europe and 50th globally, the third Italian destination is the Rabbit Beach in Lampedusa. What can we say about these other two breathtaking spots? The first is located in the municipality of Baunei, in the southern part of the Gulf of Orosei, in the province of Nuoro. Cala Goloritzé was declared a Natural Monument in the 1990s. It is renowned for the striking 143-meter lime- stone pinnacle that towers above it, formed by a landslide from the overhanging sandstone wall. Since 1989, anchoring within 300 meters of the shore has been prohibited, and it can only be reached by land from the Golgo plateau. The Sicilian beach, on the other hand, is a small cove with an islet at its center, truly an earthly paradise. It is part of the protected marine nature reserve of Lampedusa, where navigation and scuba diving are prohibited, and swimming is allowed only with access from the land: it takes a good twen- ty-minute walk to reach it. But the effort is well worth it. Mr. Volare, who had a villa nearby, aptly called it the "pool of God." To preserve the pristine landscape, there are no ser- vices or beach establishments, and the area is partially off- limits when loggerhead turtles lay their eggs. At Cala Mariolu, 700 people can be on the beach daily, arriving both by sea and land. This limit is clearly set to pre- serve a dreamlike yet fragile ecosystem. The beach that took second place also has restricted access: only 250 daily entries are allowed. On Lampedusa's Rabbit Beach, access is free, but only 550 people are allowed on a daily basis, due to the limited space and the presence of hydrogeological risk areas. This tells us how delicate beauty is, the significant ecological footprint a beach tourist leaves on a place, and the difficulty of balancing nature and people. It also highlights the need for care and attention that earthly paradises require, the importance of preserving unique ecosystems, and safeguarding marine balances. A place is beautiful when it is cared for and loved like a family member. Only then does it truly become a place of the heart. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano Please send correspondence to P.O. BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization), www.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian news- paper in America, not to mention the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which represents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTOR Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Teresa Di Fresco Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio, Luca Signorini, Giulia Franceschini © 2020 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano PO Box 6528 Altadena, CA 91003 P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003

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