A beach towel is a staple for any trip to the seaside, as essential as sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhats. But Brits planning their summer holidays might be taken aback by a peculiar rule at one of Europe's most popular beaches.

La Pelosa, a Sardinian beach renowned for its crystal clear waters, diamond white sands and a famous 16th-century tower just off the shore, has some of the strictest rules for holidaymakers in Europe. The most notable one of them all is a ban on placing beach towels on the sand.