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Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Town overrun by 75,000 tourists sparking 'gridlock' as sightseers wait 'hours'
Sightseers were reportedly left waiting 40 minutes just to make it through the town centre gates as vast crowds 'overran' the area - with around 75,000 visitors reported to have landed on the resort Tens of thousands of tourists swarmed a small Italian town over the May Day bank holiday - creating a "gridlock" that halted traffic and left other sightseers waiting "hours" to get in. The 75,000 travellers sparked fury after descending on the narrow streets of Sirmione, a village of just 8,000 residents on the scenic shores of Lake Garda in Italy. The site, known for its Roman ruins, is home to a number of thermal baths and the majestic 13th-century Scaligero Castle. Sightseers were reportedly left waiting 40 minutes just to make it through the town centre gates over the weekend as vast crowds "overran" the area. A whopping 75,000 visitors are reported to have landed on the resort to visit the fortress, according to The Sun. Shocking footage circulated online showing throngs of travellers piling into the area. The endless sea of people stopped caused gridlock traffic for residents in cars and electric buses, with locals left outraged by the deluge. "Overrun by tourists — chaos, gridlock, and hours of waiting," said one on X recalling the chaotic spectacle. "A crisis that must be urgently addressed and regulated. It damages our heritage and turns the experience into a negative one." Another disgruntled user said: "Overtourism is what happens when presence is confused with existence. Fast, loud, empty. Like fast fashion — disposable and harmful. Travel less, mean more." Marco Merlo, president of the hotel and restaurant operators association, told the Times that he was "very worried about public safety and the quality of life for tourists, residents and workers." He said: "We hope the council will involve us in finding effective and widely agreed strategies." A local group called Siamo Sirmione ('We Are Sirmione') also spoke out against overtourism in their home city - which has been famously linked to historical figures such as Sigmund Freud to James Joyce. "If this is the council's management model the risk is not just hardship for residents but a real and lasting harm for the tourism and image of Sirmione," the group wrote. Roberto Salaorni, the official responsible for transport admitted the crowds could have been managed better. He said: "This is the first thing to do, possibly installing a barrier at the entrance to the castle, which would enable us to manage exceptional situations such as we saw on Friday." But he added he'd never "seen so many people" visiting Sirmione or the neighbouring towns. Italy is among a number of European destinations that have been fighting against high levels of tourism. In Venice, local officials were forced to limit large tourist groups - but the rule has long been ignored.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thousands of tourists overrun small town in ‘shocking' video: ‘Chaos, gridlock and hours of waiting'
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways They wanted to give these tourists 'the Boot.' Thousands of tourists inundated a picturesque Italian town this past weekend, creating a 'gridlock' that obstructed traffic and forced other sightseers to wait 'hours' to get in, as seen in dramatic footage circulating on X. The shocking scenes were recorded at Sirmione, a village of just over 8,000 residents that's situated on the scenic shores of Lake Garda. The town has become a popular sightseeing destination due to its Roman ruins, thermal baths and Scaligero Castle, a majestic 13th-century fortification seemingly ripped straight out of a fairytale, the Times Of London reported. Tourists to Sirmione had to wait for up to 40 minutes to enter the gates to the town center. @mamboitaliano__/X Unfortunately, this tranquil oasis turned into a mosh pit after a whopping 75,000 visitors descended on the waterfront hub over the May Day holiday weekend to visit the fortress, the Sun reported. Alarming clips show throngs of travelers lining up at the gates and piling into Sirmione's narrow passageways like the start of the Superbowl. Residents' cars and electric buses reportedly became snarled in the foot traffic while visitors had to wait 40 minutes to enter through the gates to reach Sirmione's town center. Locals were understandably displeased by the deluge. 'Overrun by tourists — chaos, gridlock, and hours of waiting,' said one on X recalling the chaotic spectacle. 'A crisis that must be urgently addressed and regulated. It damages our heritage and turns the experience into a negative one.' Tourists line up to visit the Scaligero Castle. @mamboitaliano__/X Another disillusioned poster lamented: 'Overtourism is what happens when presence is confused with existence. Fast, loud, empty. Like fast fashion—disposable and harmful. Travel less, mean more.' Marco Merlo, the president of the hotel and restaurant operators association, told the Times that he was 'very worried about public safety and the quality of life for tourists, residents and workers.' 'We hope the council will involve us in finding effective and widely agreed strategies,' he declared. 'Overtourism is what happens when presence is confused with existence,' said one X poster while decrying the crowds. 'Fast, loud, empty. Like fast fashion—disposable and harmful. Travel less, mean more.' @emanuelebertoli/X The Scaligero Castle in Sirmione. clemMTravel – Members of a local group, Siamo Sirmione ('We Are Sirmione') also decried the swamping of their beloved city, which has long been a hub for famous historical figures from Sigmund Freud to James Joyce. 'If this is the council's management model the risk is not just hardship for residents but a real and lasting harm for the tourism and image of Sirmione,' the group wrote. Roberto Salaorni, the official responsible for transport, said they didn't intend to mitigate the number of visitors entering the narrow bridge to access the castle, but admitted that the flow could've been managed better. 'This is the first thing to do, possibly installing a barrier at the entrance to the castle, which would enable us to manage exceptional situations such as we saw on Friday,' said the councilor. However, he noted that he'd never 'seen so many people' visiting Sirmione or the neighboring lake towns. Indeed, Italy is one of many destinations in Europe that's been overrun by the global tournami. The situation has become so dire in Venice that local officials implemented policies to limit large tourist groups — but to little avail. They followed this measure up in April by imposing a fee on day-trippers who 'eat and flee,' a phrase officials use for tourists who pack their lunch, snap a selfie and depart without spending a dime.
NDTV
07-05-2025
- NDTV
"Chaos, Gridlock And Hours Of Waiting": Video Shows Thousands Of Tourists Overrunning Small Town In Italy
Quick Take Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. A video of overcrowding in Sirmione, Italy, has gone viral online. The town, with a population of 8,000, experienced extreme tourist gridlock. Over 75,000 visitors arrived during the May Day holiday weekend. A video showing thousands of tourists inundating a small Italian town over the weekend is going viral online. According to the New York Post, the incident took place over the weekend at Sirmione, a village in Italy of about 8,000 residents. The video, shared on X, shows tourists creating a "gridlock", obstructing traffic and forcing other sightseers to wait hours to get in. It also shows throngs of travellers lining up at the gates and piling into Sirmione's narrow passageways, trying to enter the gates to reach the town centre. "These shocking images are from Sirmione, on Lake Garda, Italy this weekend. Overrun by tourists - chaos, gridlock, and hours of waiting. A crisis that must be urgently addressed and regulated. It damages our heritage and turns the experience into a negative one. So sad," one X user wrote while sharing the video on the microblogging site. Take a look below: 🚨 These shocking images are from Sirmione, on Lake Garda, Italy 🇮🇹 this weekend Overrun by tourists — chaos, gridlock, and hours of waiting A crisis that must be urgently addressed and regulated It damages our heritage and turns the experience into a negative one So sad… — Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) May 4, 2025 According to the Post, Sirmione has become a popular sightseeing destination due to its Roman ruins, thermal baths, and Scaligero Castle, a majestic 13th-century fortification. Over the May Day holiday, the picturesque town turned into a mosh pit after over 75,000 visitors descended on the small town to visit the fortress. As a result, cars and electric buses reportedly became snarled in the foot traffic while visitors had to wait 40 minutes to enter through the gates to reach Sirmione's town centre. Speaking to the media, Marco Merlo, the president of the hotel and restaurant operators association, said that he was "very worried about public safety and the quality of life for tourists, residents and workers". "We hope the council will involve us in finding effective and widely agreed strategies," he added. Members of a local group, Siamo Sirmione ("We Are Sirmione"), also decried the swamping of their small town. "If this is the council's management model the risk is not just hardship for residents but a real and lasting harm for the tourism and image of Sirmione," the group said. Separately, Roberto Salaorni, the official responsible for transport, said they didn't intend to mitigate the number of visitors entering the narrow bridge to access the castle, but admitted that the flow could've been managed better. "This is the first thing to do, possibly installing a barrier at the entrance to the castle, which would enable us to manage exceptional situations such as we saw on Friday," he said. But he noted that he had never "seen so many people" visiting the town or the neighbouring lake towns.
New York Post
06-05-2025
- New York Post
Thousands of tourists overrun small town in ‘shocking' video: ‘Chaos, gridlock and hours of waiting'
They wanted to give these tourists 'the Boot.' Thousands of tourists inundated a picturesque Italian town this past weekend, creating a 'gridlock' that obstructed traffic and forced other sightseers to wait 'hours' to get in, as seen in dramatic footage circulating on X. The shocking scenes were recorded at Sirmione, a village of just over 8,000 residents that's situated on the scenic shores of Lake Garda. Advertisement The town has become a popular sightseeing destination due to its Roman ruins, thermal baths and Scaligero Castle, a majestic 13th-century fortification seemingly ripped straight out of a fairytale, the Times Of London reported. 4 Tourists to Sirmione had to wait for up to 40 minutes to enter the gates to the town center. @mamboitaliano__/X Unfortunately, this tranquil oasis turned into a mosh pit after a whopping 75,000 visitors descended on the waterfront hub over the May Day holiday weekend to visit the fortress, the Sun reported. Advertisement Alarming clips show throngs of travelers lining up at the gates and piling into Sirmione's narrow passageways like the start of the Superbowl. Residents' cars and electric buses reportedly became snarled in the foot traffic while visitors had to wait 40 minutes to enter through the gates to reach Sirmione's town center. Locals were understandably displeased by the deluge. Advertisement 'Overrun by tourists — chaos, gridlock, and hours of waiting,' said one on X recalling the chaotic spectacle. 'A crisis that must be urgently addressed and regulated. It damages our heritage and turns the experience into a negative one.' 4 Tourists line up to visit the Scaligero Castle. @mamboitaliano__/X Another disillusioned poster lamented: 'Overtourism is what happens when presence is confused with existence. Fast, loud, empty. Like fast fashion—disposable and harmful. Travel less, mean more.' Marco Merlo, the president of the hotel and restaurant operators association, told the Times that he was 'very worried about public safety and the quality of life for tourists, residents and workers.' Advertisement 'We hope the council will involve us in finding effective and widely agreed strategies,' he declared. 4 'Overtourism is what happens when presence is confused with existence,' said one X poster while decrying the crowds. 'Fast, loud, empty. Like fast fashion—disposable and harmful. Travel less, mean more.' @emanuelebertoli/X 4 The Scaligero Castle in Sirmione. clemMTravel – Members of a local group, Siamo Sirmione ('We Are Sirmione') also decried the swamping of their beloved city, which has long been a hub for famous historical figures from Sigmund Freud to James Joyce. 'If this is the council's management model the risk is not just hardship for residents but a real and lasting harm for the tourism and image of Sirmione,' the group wrote. Roberto Salaorni, the official responsible for transport, said they didn't intend to mitigate the number of visitors entering the narrow bridge to access the castle, but admitted that the flow could've been managed better. 'This is the first thing to do, possibly installing a barrier at the entrance to the castle, which would enable us to manage exceptional situations such as we saw on Friday,' said the councilor. Advertisement However, he noted that he'd never 'seen so many people' visiting Sirmione or the neighboring lake towns. Indeed, Italy is one of many destinations in Europe that's been overrun by the global tournami. The situation has become so dire in Venice that local officials implemented policies to limit large tourist groups — but to little avail. They followed this measure up in April by imposing a fee on day-trippers who 'eat and flee,' a phrase officials use for tourists who pack their lunch, snap a selfie and depart without spending a dime.
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Fury in Italy as 75,000 tourists jam streets of quaint Lake Garda village as video shows arguing holidaymakers trying to barge their way in to fairytale castle
Fury has erupted in Italy after 75,000 tourists were seen jamming the streets of a quaint village while trying to barge their way into a fairytale castle. Over the long bank holiday weekend, thousands of sunseekers flocked to Lake Garda to take in the stunning sights, but locals were left fuming with their behaviour. Footage from the chaotic scenes showed swathes of tourists pushing and shoving one another as they rammed through Sirmione to catch a glimpse of the iconic Castello Scaligero di Sirmione. Local authorities estimated that about 75,000 people had visited the medieval town, which has an estimated population of just more than 8,000, during the May Day holiday weekend. The stunning Lake Garda resort was teeming with eager tourists who became clumped together as they struggled to walk through the narrow streets. Clips shared on TikTok showed queues of angry tourists in the sun attempting to make their way through the village but grinding to a halt due to the sheer number of bodies. Cars and electric buses were seen trying to squeeze their way through the human traffic but getting stuck in the middle of the road as throngs of people flooded the street. The peaceful 13th century castle grounds were filled with tourists of all ages attempting to snap photos and find shade among hundreds of others. Roberto Salaorni, the councillor responsible for transport, said there was no intention to limit the number of people allowed in through the narrow bridge giving access to the castle but the flow needed to be better regulated. 'This is the first thing to do, possibly installing a barrier at the entrance to the castle, which would enable us to manage exceptional situations such as we saw on Friday,' he said. 'Controls are absolutely necessary, but I stress that we have never seen so many people before, not just in Sirmione but in the other towns around the lake'. The dramatic rush made life for locals near impossible and resembled scenes usually seen in larger cities such as Rome and Venice. Marco Merlo, the president of the hotel and restaurant operators association said: 'We're very worried about public safety and the quality of life for tourists, residents and workers. 'We hope the council will involve us in finding effective and widely agreed strategies.' Members of a local group, Siamo Sirmione, which translates in English to 'We are Sirmione', said the crush was the worst they had ever witnessed. 'If this is the council's management model the risk is not just hardship for residents but a real and lasting harm for the tourism and image of Sirmione,' the group said. Sirmione is one of the most popular sights in Lake Garda and attracts thousands of visitors due to its picturesque peninsula. Theresa May, the former prime minister, has visited the lakeside town for the last 25 years with her husband, Philip, staying at the five-star Villa Cortine Palace hotel. The bank holiday weekend crush in Sirmione comes after an American woman came under fire after criticising a small town on the Amalfi Coast for having too many 'loud tourists' and 'no authentic' restaurants. Content creator Keri was left impressed during her visit to Positano and said that 'influencers' lied about the Italian town. 'There was maybe one good pizza place and one good pasta place, but most of them were fancy and overpriced,' she said. Keri added that the public transportation in Positano, located on the Amalfi Coast, was poor, saying: 'You basically have to hike everywhere to get around.' However, despite being a US citizen, Keri said she found too many 'loud American tourists' in the town. She said she was aware that her statement sounded 'hypocritical' but proceeded to stand by her view, saying: 'There were just so many Americans, I don't know how to put this, but it was like the people that were like weren't well travelled. 'Just loud and yelling down the tiny streets while repping their favourite football team.'
