Latest news with #AltoAdigeAlpineClub
7NEWS
7 days ago
- 7NEWS
Fed-up Italian farmers set up mountain turnstiles to charge access to Instagram hot spots
If Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, had his way, travel influencers would be banned from the Dolomites. He blames them for the latest Italian social media trend which has lured hundreds of thousands of tourists to the mountain range in northern Italy, with many traipsing across private land to get that perfect shot. In response to the influx, frustrated local farmers have set up turnstiles where tourists must pay €5 (nearly $A9) to access several 'Instagrammable' spots, including the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges. Photos showing lines of up to 4,000 people a day have been popping up on social media in recent weeks. But, rather than deter people from coming, the images have acted as a magnet. 'The media's been talking about the turnstiles, everyone's been talking about it,' says Zanella. 'And people go where everyone else goes. We're sheep.' Italian law mandates free access to natural parks, such as the Alps and Dolomites, but the landowners who set up the turnstiles say they have yet to receive any official pushback from authorities. Georg Rabanser, a former Italian national team snowboarder who owns land in a meadow on Seceda, told the Ladin-language magazine La Usc he and others started charging tourists to cross their land to make a point. 'So many people come through here every day, everyone goes through our properties and leaves trash,' he says. 'Ours was a cry for help. We expected a call from the provincial authorities. But nothing. We only read statements in the newspapers. Gossip; nothing concrete. We haven't even received warning letters. So, we're moving forward.' 'This isn't what the mountains should be' Zanella, who says he avoids his once beloved alpine hiking trails during summer, supports the landowners charging admission to cross their property. He thinks the government should pay for the upkeep of the entrance system, likening the overtourism to Venice where visitors have to pay a €10 entrance fee (around $A18) on busy weekends. 'I would increase the price from €5 to €100,' he tells CNN. 'And close the accounts of travel influencers.' Beyond the public nuisance of overcrowding, he fears the naivete of social media tourists puts them at risk. 'Once upon a time, those who came up to the mountains were prepared, dressed for the mountains, and came for hiking — especially the Germans, who had maps and knew where to go,' he says. 'The Italians, on the other hand, set off, go, and take a cable car. 'Now I've seen people go up to Seceda with sun umbrellas and flip-flops and get stuck because the cable car closed and they hadn't checked the lift schedules. 'This isn't what the mountains should be.' The local tourism body has petitioned authorities to close the turnstiles, insisting the issue is being overblown. The Santa Cristina Tourist Board, which oversees part of the area where the turnstiles have popped up, said it has hired four park rangers to ensure tourists stay on the trails, don't cross the meadows and don't fly drones. 'Things have improved significantly,' Santa Cristina Tourist Board president Lukas Demetz says. 'And even the litter problem isn't as serious as people say. It's significantly reduced.' Still, across the Aosta Valley, parking lots have popped up to stop people from driving up the mountainside, and hikers are required to take the paid shuttle bus to Monte Rosa. At the Pian del Re peat bog in Piedmont, only 150 cars are allowed to park in the closest parking area to discourage visitors. Some regions, including Lake Braies, now charge €40 a car to access the area to try to deter people from coming in to take pictures. Arno Kompatscher, the governor of South Tyrol province, which includes part of the Dolomites range, has called on the national government to set restrictions to protect the fragile alpine ecosystems and dissuade local residents from renting out their chalets to tourists. New laws to curb bad behaviour The mountain residents aren't the only Italians clamping down on badly behaved visitors. Across the country, new ordinances have been a hallmark of the 2025 summer. Wearing just a swimsuit or going bare-chested in some Italian towns will attract more than a few looks. Semi-nudity could also land you a €500 fine — in the name of decorum. The Tuscan island of Elba and the Ligurian city of Diano Marina have both introduced summer ordinances that prohibit shirtless and swimsuit-only strutting — for both men and women — anywhere but the beach. And if your attire is deemed vulgar or 'indecent' in the eyes of any beholder, authorities can levy smaller fines starting at €25 euros. In Livorno, walking barefoot is prohibited. On Sardinian beaches, you'll get in trouble for digging holes for umbrellas, smoking, or lying on the sand without a mat. At the ever popular La Pelosa beach area, only 1,500 bathers are allowed at a time to prohibit overcrowding. In San Felice Circeo, a party town south of Rome where having an aperitivo on the beach is a way of life, take-away alcohol is banned both in town and on the beach. Loud music can only be blared during certain hours across much of the country and, in the southern region of Puglia, boaters risk a fine if they play music within 500m of the coast.
Metro
02-08-2025
- Metro
Italian farmers have stepped in on overtourism with this ‘pointless' €5 charge
Each year, around 34,000,000 visitors flock to experience the beauty of the Italian Dolomites – and steadily, Seceda in Val Gardena has gained a reputation as the region's most famous photo opportunity. With its jagged 2,519-metre-high mountain face, snow-topped peaks and quaint huts, in the winter it's a popular skiing destination, while the summer sees it transform into a hiking idyll. However, as is increasingly the case with many famed tourist spots across Europe, locals are becoming disgruntled over the impact overtourism is having on the area. And so, farmers have taken matters into their own hands and introduced a €5 (£4.36) charge for those passing through newly implemented turnstiles. Carlo Zanella, the Alto Adige Alpine Club's president, told CNN that he would actively ban so-called travel influencers from the Dolomites, many of whom cross private land to take the perfect shot. In his view, the charge should be more like €100 (£87.07), as the influx simply 'isn't what the mountains should be.' Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. He says that the situation has changed in recent years, as he's witnessed unprepared visitors make the journey with 'sun umbrellas and flip-flops and get stuck because the cable car closed and they hadn't checked the lift schedules.' There's no shying away from it either, as even the official Val Gardena website labels Seceda a 'top photo spot' and the 'ideal place to take impressive pictures,' though it notes that strict rules apply inside the Puez-Odle Nature Park. Pitching a tent and camping overnight isn't allowed, and visitors are encouraged to respect the natural environment, but that hasn't stopped swathes of tourists from flocking to the area, many of whom skip the hike up and instead take the cable car. Georg Rabanser, who owns land on Seceda, said that both he and other local farmers had implemented the charge for those crossing his property to prove an important point. In his experience, those visiting often leave rubbish behind despite the strict rules, leading him to describe the new unofficial policy as a 'cry for help.' 'We expected a call from the provincial authorities. But nothing,' he told La Usc, adding that since they didn't receive any 'warning letters,' they decided to move forward. It's no secret that popular destinations across Italy are struggling with overtourism, particularly in 2025, which marks the year of the Catholic Jubilee. Italy has welcomed an increasing number of visitors in recent years, with Rome experiencing the highest growth in foreign arrivals in 2024 – 5% more visitors than in 2023. Seceda has long been romanticised by those who have visited, with one tourist previously describing the view from the top as 'like a different planet.' Over on the r/hiking Subreddit, @MikeRoss95 said it was completely 'unreal,' while Italian native @alecro06 acknowledged that while they may be 'biased,' they 'can't help but feel like the Dolomites are the most beautiful place in the world.' On the other hand, in @Joesr-31's experience, this spot is 'filled with people with selfie sticks and DSLR cameras,' while @This_Paper_193 said it's overly 'crowded' these days. Following recent images of crowds of tourists queueing for the cable car going viral, others have also criticised the local authorities for enabling the situation by encouraging tourism to the area in the first place. 'It's pointless to complain about overtourism in the mountains when you've cooked up the recipe to guarantee overtourism,' @Rhoken added. In @OldManWulfen's opinion, the locality has 'been stubbornly turning every valley, town, pass and nook in the Dolomites into a theme park for decades now.' 'It's not realistic to set up an entire mountain range to prepare it for mass tourism and then do the Pikachu face when mass tourism finally arrives,' they noted. This isn't the only measure Italian tourist hotspots have introduced. Tuerredda beach in the idyllic Sardinia has capped its visitor numbers at 1,100 each day since 2020, but those wanting to indulge in a sunbathe will now need to book via an app. More Trending Earlier this year, Angelo Milia, the mayor of Teulada, told local media that he hoped to start with the new system in July, having discussed it at a wider summit on overtourism in Italy similarly attended by 25 other mayors from across the country, including Positano, Cinque Terre and Taormina. Likewise, in February, the Renaissance city of Florence announced that it would be banning self-check-in keyboxes typically used by short-term holiday lets such as Airbnb, which act as a buffer between a host and their travelling guests. In 2023, officials also banned new short-term residential lets from opening in its historic centre in an attempt to free up space for locals to live. Last year, the 'Robin Hood band' attacked a host of properties across Italy as part of a controversial protest against the spread of short-term rentals, while Venice introduced a 'tourist tax' requiring short-stay visitors to pay a €5 (£4.29) entrance fee. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: I stayed in the Airbnb alternative trying to do things differently MORE: Europe's 'Paris of the East' is an underrated gem with £37 flights and 31°C August weather MORE: Car finance compensation scandal landmark ruling announced
RNZ News
01-08-2025
- RNZ News
Fed-up Italian farmers set up mountain turnstiles to charge access to Instagram hot spots
By Barbie Latza Nadeau , CNN Italian landowners have installed turnstiles in the Dolomites as frustration grows with queues of tourists they say come in search of photos for Instagram. Photo: Carlo Zanella / CNN Newsource If Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, had his way, travel influencers would be banned from the Dolomites. He blames them for the latest Italian social media trend, which has lured hundreds of thousands of tourists to the mountain range in northern Italy, with many traipsing across private land to get that perfect shot. In response to the influx, frustrated local farmers have set up turnstiles, where tourists must pay 5 euros (NZ$9.70) to access several "Instagrammable" spots, including the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges. Photos showing lines of up to 4000 people a day, have been popping up on social media in recent weeks. But rather than deter people from coming, the images have acted as a magnet. "The media's been talking about the turnstiles, everyone's been talking about it," said Zanella. "And people go where everyone else goes. We're sheep." Italian law mandates free access to natural parks, such as the Alps and Dolomites, but the landowners who set up the turnstiles say they have yet to receive any official pushback from authorities. Georg Rabanser, a former Italian national team snowboarder who owns land in a meadow on Seceda, told the Ladin-language magazine La Usc he and others started charging tourists to cross their land to make a point. "So many people come through here every day, everyone goes through our properties and leaves trash," he said. "Ours was a cry for help. We expected a call from the provincial authorities. But nothing. We only read statements in the newspapers. Gossip; nothing concrete. We haven't even received warning letters. So we're moving forward." Zanella, who said he avoids his once beloved alpine hiking trails during the summer months, supports the landowners charging admission to cross their property. He thinks the government should pay for the upkeep of the entrance system, likening the overtourism to Venice, where visitors have to pay a 10-euro entrance fee on busy weekends. "I would increase the price from 5 to 100 euros," he told CNN. "And close the accounts of travel influencers." Beyond the public nuisance of overcrowding, he feared the naiveté of social media tourists puts them at risk. "Once upon a time, those who came up to the mountains were prepared, dressed for the mountains, and came for hiking. Especially the Germans, who had maps and knew where to go. The Italians, on the other hand, set off, go, and take a cable car," he said in a statement shared with CNN. "Now I've seen people go up to Seceda with sun umbrellas and flip-flops and get stuck because the cable car closed and they hadn't checked the lift schedules (...) This isn't what the mountains should be," he said. The local tourism body has petitioned authorities to close the turnstiles, insisting the issue is being overblown. The Santa Cristina Tourist Board, which oversees part of the area where the turnstiles have popped up, said they have hired four park rangers to ensure that tourists stay on the trails, don't cross the meadows and don't fly drones. "Things have improved significantly," Lukas Demetz, president of the Santa Cristina Tourist Board, said in a statement shared with CNN. "And even the litter problem isn't as serious as people say. It's significantly reduced." Still, across the Aosta Valley, parking lots have popped up to stop people from driving up the mountainside, and hikers are required to take the paid shuttle bus to Monte Rosa. At the Pian del Re peat bog in Piedmont, only 150 cars are allowed to park in the closest parking area to discourage visitors. Some regions, including Lake Braies, now charge 40 euros a car to access the area to try to deter people from coming in to take pictures. Arno Kompatscher, the governor of South Tyrol province, which includes part of the Dolomites range, has called on the national government to set restrictions to protect the fragile alpine ecosystems and dissuade local residents from renting out their chalets to tourists. The mountain residents aren't the only Italians clamping down on badly behaved visitors. Across the country, new ordinances have been a hallmark of the 2025 summer. Wearing just a swimsuit or going bare-chested in some Italian towns will attract more than a few looks. Semi-nudity could also land you a 500-euro fine - in the name of decorum. The Tuscan island of Elba and the Ligurian city of Diano Marina have both introduced summer ordinances that prohibit shirtless and swimsuit-only strutting - for both men and women - anywhere but the beach. And if your attire is deemed vulgar or "indecent" in the eyes of any beholder, authorities can levy smaller fines starting at 25 euros. In Livorno, walking barefoot is prohibited. On Sardinian beaches, you'll get in trouble for digging holes for umbrellas, smoking, or lying on the sand without a mat. At the ever popular La Pelosa beach area, only 1500 bathers are allowed at a time to prohibit overcrowding. In San Felice Circeo, a party town south of Rome where having an aperitivo on the beach is a way of life, take-away alcohol is banned both in town and on the beach. Loud music can only be blared during certain hours across much of the country, and in the southern region of Puglia, boaters risk a fine if they play music within 500 meters of the coast. -CNN
CNN
31-07-2025
- CNN
Fed-up Italian farmers set up mountain turnstiles to charge access to Instagram hot spots
Social media Agriculture Tech giantsFacebookTweetLink Follow Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. If Carlo Zanella, president of the Alto Adige Alpine Club, had his way, travel influencers would be banned from the Dolomites. He blames them for the latest Italian social media trend, which has lured hundreds of thousands of tourists to the mountain range in northern Italy, with many traipsing across private land to get that perfect shot. In response to the influx, frustrated local farmers have set up turnstiles, where tourists must pay 5 euros (nearly $6) to access several 'Instagrammable' spots, including the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges. Photos showing lines of up to 4,000 people a day, have been popping up on social media in recent weeks. But rather than deter people from coming, the images have acted as a magnet. 'The media's been talking about the turnstiles, everyone's been talking about it,' says Zanella. 'And people go where everyone else goes. We're sheep.' Italian law mandates free access to natural parks, such as the Alps and Dolomites, but the landowners who set up the turnstiles say they have yet to receive any official pushback from authorities. Georg Rabanser, a former Italian national team snowboarder who owns land in a meadow on Seceda, told the Ladin-language magazine La Usc he and others started charging tourists to cross their land to make a point. 'So many people come through here every day, everyone goes through our properties and leaves trash,' he says. 'Ours was a cry for help. We expected a call from the provincial authorities. But nothing. We only read statements in the newspapers. Gossip; nothing concrete. We haven't even received warning letters. So we're moving forward.' Zanella, who says he avoids his once beloved alpine hiking trails during the summer months, supports the landowners charging admission to cross their property. He thinks the government should pay for the upkeep of the entrance system, likening the overtourism to Venice, where visitors have to pay a 10-euro entrance fee (around $12) on busy weekends. 'I would increase the price from 5 to 100 euros,' he tells CNN. 'And close the accounts of travel influencers.' Beyond the public nuisance of overcrowding, he fears the naivete of social media tourists puts them at risk. 'Once upon a time, those who came up to the mountains were prepared, dressed for the mountains, and came for hiking. Especially the Germans, who had maps and knew where to go. The Italians, on the other hand, set off, go, and take a cable car,' he says in a statement shared with CNN. 'Now I've seen people go up to Seceda with sun umbrellas and flip-flops and get stuck because the cable car closed and they hadn't checked the lift schedules (…) This isn't what the mountains should be,' he says. The local tourism body has petitioned authorities to close the turnstiles, insisting the issue is being overblown. The Santa Cristina Tourist Board, which oversees part of the area where the turnstiles have popped up, says they have hired four park rangers to ensure that tourists stay on the trails, don't cross the meadows and don't fly drones. 'Things have improved significantly,' Lukas Demetz, president of the Santa Cristina Tourist Board, said in a statement shared with CNN. 'And even the litter problem isn't as serious as people say. It's significantly reduced.' Still, across the Aosta Valley, parking lots have popped up to stop people from driving up the mountainside, and hikers are required to take the paid shuttle bus to Monte Rosa. At the Pian del Re peat bog in Piedmont, only 150 cars are allowed to park in the closest parking area to discourage visitors. Some regions, including Lake Braies, now charge 40 euros a car to access the area to try to deter people from coming in to take pictures. Arno Kompatscher, the governor of South Tyrol province, which includes part of the Dolomites range, has called on the national government to set restrictions to protect the fragile alpine ecosystems and dissuade local residents from renting out their chalets to tourists. The mountain residents aren't the only Italians clamping down on badly behaved visitors. Across the country, new ordinances have been a hallmark of the 2025 summer. Wearing just a swimsuit or going bare-chested in some Italian towns will attract more than a few looks. Semi-nudity could also land you a 500-euro fine — in the name of decorum. The Tuscan island of Elba and the Ligurian city of Diano Marina have both introduced summer ordinances that prohibit shirtless and swimsuit-only strutting — for both men and women — anywhere but the beach. And if your attire is deemed vulgar or 'indecent' in the eyes of any beholder, authorities can levy smaller fines starting at 25 euros. In Livorno, walking barefoot is prohibited. On Sardinian beaches, you'll get in trouble for digging holes for umbrellas, smoking, or lying on the sand without a mat. At the ever popular La Pelosa beach area, only 1,500 bathers are allowed at a time to prohibit overcrowding. In San Felice Circeo, a party town south of Rome where having an aperitivo on the beach is a way of life, take-away alcohol is banned both in town and on the beach. Loud music can only be blared during certain hours across much of the country, and in the southern region of Puglia, boaters risk a fine if they play music within 500 meters of the coast.
