Tourists warned to stay away from Instagrammable lavender fields in Spanish town at weekends
The Spanish town of Brihuega attracts thousands of visitors each year, with many drawn by its picturesque lavender fields that span 1,000 hectares and serve as a stunning spot for social media photos.
The area has become more popular over the past decade, with the influx of tourism helping to combat depopulation in the rural town. This time frame has seen a 24 per cent increase in residents and millions of euros brought in for the local economy.
However, Brihuega is at risk of becoming a victim of its own success, as more and more tourists flock to the fields to pose among the sea of purple flowers, putting increased pressure on local services.
More than 100,000 people visited the fields in July, the only month the flowers fully bloom, putting a strain on the closest small town, which has just under 3,000 residents.
While the region recognises that the lavender fields play a vital part in its economy, Mayor Lusi Viejo has asked tourists if they could avoid visiting on the weekends.
'Take last Saturday, for example: the village collapsed. It was a hard time for me,' Mr Viejo told the Spanish national daily newspaper ABC, according to The Telegraph.
'We have a wide range of tourist, cultural and artistic offerings thanks to the lavender,' he said.
'But my advice is that people come and visit us between Monday and Thursday – please! Weekends are more difficult because of the huge quantity of people who come.'
The main problem is overcrowding Brihuega's historic narrow streets, with parking becoming chaotic, especially during the blooming season.
'Ahead of next year, we need to build a park-and-ride parking lot on the outskirts of the historic centre and connect it with shuttle buses,' Mr Viejo said.
In a recent letter to residents, Mr Viejo confirmed a permanent park-and-ride would be in place, complete with shuttle buses to try to make daily life easier for residents in the municipality.
The mayor also explained that access to the field is free, so the village does not have the authority to limit visitor numbers or charge a tourist fee.
Despite the issues created due to overwhelming crowds, the high number of tourists has brought in €8m for the local economy across the lavender season so far.
'Managing such an influx of visitors in such a short time is difficult. We work hard, we have a security committee, but it's still a large turnout,' the mayor said.
Mr Viejo added that the challenge is to try to attract tourists all year round and spread out visitors, instead of seeing an influx in the summer for the lavender blooming.
He said the council is working to promote visiting the fields of sumac in October and November, with the hillsides turning a deep red in the autumn season.
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