Its reputation was sullied by Silvio Berlusconi's "bunga bunga" sex parties, and now the holiday island of Sardinia is the subject of fresh indignity - tourists are stealing the silky white sand of its beaches.
Around five tonnes of sand was intercepted last northern summer at Cagliari airport alone and a similar quantity has been confiscated so far this year, as an increasing number of visitors have been scooping the sand into plastic bottles or bags - often carefully labelled with the name of the beach - and trying to take it home as a souvenir.
Many are stopped by vigilant airport officials who remind them that taking sand, shells and any other natural materials from the island is an offence, but the problem has been growing, campaigners say.
Indignant islanders have raised the issue with the authorities and a group has created a Facebook page called "Sardinia is being robbed and pillaged".
"With the excuse of acquiring a souvenir, tourists are taking from the island what nature took millions of years to create," the activists said. "The theft of sand is a crime."