Nothing beats Italy in the summer months. Millions of people, including British legions, are drawn to its beaches, cypress-lined streets, Roman ruins and Renaissance monuments. But there are a few pitfalls to avoid this summer. From the intense storms in the north to the scorching heat in the south, from the congestion in Rome to the over-tourism stampede in Venice, Il Bel Paese presents a few challenges to overcome.
Rome: Heavy traffic and holes in the ground
The capital is always a bit hectic, but this summer a series of infrastructure projects and roadworks have added an extra dash of chaos. Much of it is linked to next year’s special Giubileo, or Jubilee, a holy year celebrated by the Vatican every 25 years.
The Jubilee is expected to bring an estimated 32 million extra visitors to Rome next year, but preparations have already begun to beautify the place. The problem is that no matter where you dig in Rome, you usually come across an archaeological wonder. In early July, for example, engineers digging an underpass near the Vatican to create a large pedestrian area came across what appeared to be the remains of an ornate garden and portico built for the emperor Caligula. The remains will be carefully excavated and removed later, a process that will inevitably delay construction of the tunnel.
And that is just one infrastructure upgrade. Paths along the Tiber are being cleared of vegetation and roads and squares are being dug up as part of a €4bn (£3.4bn) remediation project.
As well as preparations for the Jubilee, which includes special masses and other events for Catholic believers, Rome is also building a new metro line with a brand new station built under Piazza Venezia, Rome’s answer to Trafalgar Square. The construction of the station has caused chaos at one of the city’s main transport nodes, located between the Colosseum and the main shopping area. The disruption, which means traffic has been slowed to a snail’s pace, is expected to last around a decade, according to engineers building the station.
Cinque Terre: Visitor restrictions and penalties for selfie-takers
It may have been named Via dell’AmoreBut there’s nothing romantic about sharing a narrow mountain road with hordes of like-minded tourists.
The Route of Love marks the beginning of the famous hiking trail connecting the five beautiful towns of Cinque Terre along the Ligurian coast, and is sure to attract many attention once it reopens after a long hiatus.
Offering stunning views over the shimmering Ligurian Sea, the path was suddenly closed after four Australian tourists were injured in a landslide in 2012. Now visitors can walk the full length of the path again, which passes through five villages along a 9.4-mile route from Riomaggiore to Monterosso.
The challenge will be to manage demand. Numbers will be limited to 400 per hour to protect the Unesco World Heritage Site.
Visitors can also stroll through pastel-coloured towns, or even laze in the sun or jump off rocks, but the once-sleepy fishing villages have become overrun with selfie-stick-wielding visitors munching on takeaway fried fish or queuing for ice cream.
No one is complaining about the cruise ships in nearby La Spezia, but the towns are flooded with boatloads of day trippers from small day cruisers, raising questions about limiting numbers and whether to impose a tax on day trippers. Portofino, a haven for the rich and famous just north of the Cinque Terre, introduced fines of up to 275 euros last year for those carrying selfie sticks in public.
Venice: crowds, queues and density of rules
Venice is like no other place on Earth. An architectural wonder, the lagoon city sits atop 118 islands separated by canals and waterways. Its magnificent palaces, churches and museums are filled with hidden treasures.
It’s no wonder that more than 20 million people visit La Serenissima each year. Not everyone can afford a five-star hotel or an expensive gondola ride down the Grand Canal. Many are day trippers who hop off trains and buses for a quick tour of the World Heritage Site’s main attractions.
St. Mark’s Square is packed, water buses are jammed and souvenir stalls do a brisk trade selling cheap masks reminiscent of the city’s annual Carnival. Scorching summer temperatures promise unbearable humidity and clouds of mosquitoes.
Venice has always been ambivalent about its dependence on tourism, with residents saying housing is increasingly at the mercy of Airbnb and stalls at the historic Rialto fish market are being destroyed as increasing numbers of locals flee the historic centre.
The council’s attempt to deter day trippers with a €5 (£4.20) fee – in a three-month trial that ended on July 14 – has done little to reduce numbers. The country’s national tourism minister, Daniela Santanche, opposes the charge, but the council is considering bringing it back in 2025 and raising it to €10.
One councillor recently joked about going the route of Barcelona and shooting unwanted tourists with water guns, but so far this has not become widespread. In the meantime, there are plenty of rules to deter bad behaviour. Tourists can be fined up to €200 for eating or drinking on a bridge or monument, up to €250 for walking around bare-chested and up to €350 for swimming in one of the canals.
Tuscany: Restaurant closures and pressure on Airbnb
Medieval villages on remote hills, dusty roads lined with cypress trees – whether it’s Siena or Arezzo, Tuscany promises a wealth of Renaissance treasures, frescoed churches and mouthwatering cuisine.
The elegant regional capital of Florence has thrived on its reputation since the days of the Grand Tour, with up to seven million visitors a year now jostling for entry to its world-class museums, churches and architectural wonders.
Long lines snake around the Uffizi and Accademia galleries, and Instagrammers sprint down the Ponte Vecchio. Cycle tours and golf carts weave through the crowds.
The city council has tried to crack down on Airbnb and other short-term rentals that are driving locals away from the historic centre, but this has not deterred tourists. Nor have the stifling summer temperatures of close to 38C
Chefs like Simone Cipriani revived the city’s culinary scene, but he recently closed his restaurant, saying budget travelers didn’t appreciate good taste. Artisan shops are being replaced by imported souvenirs, and fast-food chains are mushrooming. Today, so-called Mordi and Fuggior “eat and run” tourists opt for expensive focaccia and takeaway pizzas that they can eat on the street.
The good news is that expanded pedestrian areas have made getting around Florence easier. The city is also expanding its tram network in the next two years, and the city’s Amerigo Vespucci Airport is about to build a new terminal with a longer runway and a 19-acre rooftop vineyard. A new light rail system will eventually connect the airport to the city.
Capri: Crowded buses and high entrance fees
A legendary playground for the rich and famous, Capri has become one of Italy’s most popular travel destinations. The island’s rugged terrain and crystal clear waters attract a slew of Hollywood celebrities, celebrities and supermodels each year.
Today, the island’s natural environment and aging infrastructure are under pressure from the increasing number of day trippers, and finding a quiet place to have an aperitivo or lounge on an empty stretch of sand is almost impossible.
During peak season, the port hosts 16,000 tourists a day, more than the 13,000 inhabitants of Capri.
Mayor Paolo Falco proposes building an escalator next to the cable car to better absorb the onslaught from the port, but this is unlikely to stem the tide of visitors clogging the city’s narrow streets and main square.
Public services are strained and the island’s tiny buses are overloaded. A water emergency in June temporarily halted arrivals and on the other side of the island, the mayor of Anacapri, Franco Cerrotta, wants a ring of offshore buoys to keep motorboats a safe distance from shore.
The visitor fee has been raised from €2.50 to €5, but some say it is not enough to protect Capri’s future.
During the summer season, boat operators charge up to €100 per hour to take visitors on scenic tours around the island, and the Blue Grotto is definitely worth a visit. But if you’re looking for peace and quiet, it’s best to just get one Panino and head for the hills. Capri has a network of hiking trails high atop its rocky cliffs, offering stunning views over the Bay of Naples.
Sicily: Water restrictions and volcanic eruptions
Sicily is one of the hottest places in Italy right now. And not just because of the scorching temperatures. Even before the phenomenal success of the second season of the hit HBO television series White LotusThe film was shot in the ritzy town of Taormina, while the island was experiencing a tourism boom.
From the rugged streets of Palermo to the Baroque treasures of Syracuse, visitors discover Sicily’s unique heritage and stunning coastline, while also discovering an old-fashioned hospitality that seems to have waned elsewhere.
Despite a limited motorway network and unreliable public transport, more than 16 million tourists visited Sicily in 2023, representing a 10.8 percent increase on the previous year.
But there is a blip on the horizon. The island is in the grip of its worst drought in 20 years. Sicily is in a state of emergency and water is being rationed in many parts of the country, which is bad news for tourism.
In the southern town of Agrigento, famous for its ancient Greek temples, water shortages have reduced the number of rooms available for short-term rental, and truckloads of water are delivered for a fee. In Palermo, there is talk of shipping water from neighbouring Calabria because the lack of rain is so dismal.
Lively eruptions from Sicily’s two volcanoes, Stromboli and Etna, are also disrupting tourism at the height of the season. Record cancellations were reported on the island of Stromboli, while cloud and ash from Etna’s recent eruptions grounded flights and forced the closure of Catania Airport twice in July.