Article - Join the queue as tourist numbers soar

[Pauline]

An article it today's Observer about the tourist overcrowding of Italy.

The Observer - Benvenuto in Italia! Join the queue as tourist numbers soar, by Stephanie Kirchgaessner, Sunday 24 July 2016
Holidaymakers seek safety in Italy but historic hotspots may struggle to absorb the crowds

From the article: "Top tourist destinations in Italy, from Florence to the rocky Cinque Terre coast, expect double-digit increases in visitors this summer, amid speculation that visitors are avoiding destinations that have been hit by terror attacks and see the bel paese as a safe haven."

We saw this in early May on the Amalfi Coast. There were a lot of people. Amalfi Coast buses were full with people standing, ferry docks packed with people, the main streets in Amalfi (where the cruise people go) were full.

We've talked about this on other threads, but it seems like only the main tourist towns/areas are crowded like this: Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast, Taormina. I haven't been to Florence, Venice or the Cinque Terre in 10+ years and I thought they were too crowded back then.

The solution may be to avoid day trips to these places, instead staying there so you are there when the day trippers leave. Or to go really off season. And to expand your travel in Italy and go to less popular regions.

 

[Andrew]

Interesting: on FlyerTalk an active poster says "Rome is empty": http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/italy/1779077-rome-empty.html

 

[Pauline]

Maybe Rome is empty because it is July and there were heatwaves the past few summers! But that doesn't stop people going to Florence. The FlyerTalk poster suggests it is because of recent terrorism, but that article suggests that people feel less threat from terrorism in Italy.

The biggest crowds I ever experienced in Rome were on our last visit, Christmas 2004. Italians from all over the country came to Rome for Christmas. You could not even get in the door of the popular cafes.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Well, I am off to Milan & Venice soon and found it much easier to find accommodations this trip. Hotels that were booked up months ago now have openings which has surprised me, as well as price drops recently.

 

[Andrew]

Or maybe there's the thought that, if there's a risk of terrorism in Italy, it would be in Rome rather than other places.

 

[Cameron]

My late husband and I traveled six years in a row to Italy. After visiting Sienna and seeing more tourists than Italians, we decided to make France (where we'd been several times) our annual holiday destination. As much as I learned from Rick Steves, we came away from that trip with the impression that every American tourist was carrying his book around. I miss Italy, love Italy and want to return, but the crowds were discouraging in the popular places, even back a few years.

 

[Sharon J]

My late husband and I traveled six years in a row to Italy. After visiting Sienna and seeing more tourists than Italians, we decided to make France (where we'd been several times) our annual holiday destination. As much as I learned from Rick Steves, we came away from that trip with the impression that every American tourist was carrying his book around. I miss Italy, love Italy and want to return, but the crowds were discouraging in the popular places, even back a few years.

Hi Cameron, We were in Tuscany the middle of June. All the small towns were not overrun, at least not yet. We then spent time in Varenna, on Lake Como, which also was not overrun by tourists. However, we decided to tour the entire lake by Ferry one day, planning on lunch in the town of Como. An absolute nightmare, but we did find a little place where we had a wonderful lunch. Couldn't get out of there fast enough. However, while we were waiting for the return Ferry with eight or so other people, up walked a tour guide with her umbrella, and about 50 people. They got there just as the Ferry was arriving, pushed themselves to the front of the line, leaving us all wondering why we should be pushed to the back. So, as a group, we all went to the side, front of the line, and managed to get in front of them. Our last stop was Venice, and after ten or so stays in Venice, we've never seen it worse. I wrote about all the cruise ships in port. We were absolutely miserable, and sadly, have decided that we have visited Venice enough, and will not return. The magic is gone, sniff sniff. We too visit Italy enough that we will only visit our favorite spots in Tuscany now, perhaps, staying in Rome at the beginning or end for two or three days, so our flights are easier. We no longer feel the need to do the tourist things there either, so will just visit our favorite areas and restaurants. We do love Varenna and Positano, however, so they are still in our future. I don't think we will ever give up on Italy. Love the country and the people.

 

[Cameron]

We spent 3 days in Varenna (I think it was 2003) and found the village quiet. Like you, we took the ferry to a few other villages that were crowded. We stayed in Sorrento for five days (2006?) and day-tripped to Positano, Capri, Paestum and then spent a week in Rome (I think it was our 4th trip to Rome). It was during our visit to Tuscany in 2007 that we decided enough with the tourist crowds. A few places were especially crowded--Siena, Cortona. We stayed on an agritourismo outside Florence and trained in, so it was still okay. We stayed for several days at the B&B Castello delle Serre in Serre di Rapolano near Siena and found it a delightful base for exploring the nearby villages of Montepulchiano, Pienza and Montalcino.

 

[Sharon J]

We Never visit Florence anymore, and Siena is off our list as well. We always stay with Nico at Sant'Antonio outside Montepulciano. We have a great lunch out everyday and rarely go out for dinner. We love enjoying wine and nibbles on the large deck below the pool overlooking the entire countryside. Whenever, I feel stressed, I put myself there. I'm having my hip replaced soon, and for the first time in years, we aren't going to Italy or France next year. I'm from Southern California, and our kids are taking us to my hometown of Riverside and Disneyland for my 70th birthday. I grew up in that theme park, and they know how much I love it. So, home I go next June. Can't wait. Already have our apartment reserved at Sant'Antonio for June of 2018.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Well, just back from Italy: after several flights in to Rome FCO, we found it so easy & less hectic to fly in and out of MXP (Malpensa).
Took the Malpensa Express train to Cardona station, then taxi to hotel in Milan. It was so easy with only one suitcase each and no stairs.
Milan was not busy this trip like it was the last time I was there in the summer. The train to Venice was also an easy trip. Then I took the water bus to St. Mark's Square. This is where we found the crowds, but only 3 ships in port. There were several large tour groups staying in our hotel during the 5 nights we were there and most were European, Asian or from the Middle East. The streets were very busy, as were the shops. People were spending money. We went for an enjoyable day to Burano which was lovely until the crowds came at lunch time.
Modena and Parma were not busy at all with many businesses closed down. Verona was extremely busy with many English speaking people. Took a day trip to Lake Garda- Sirmione which was lovely very early, but became very crowded with Italians about 10 am.

 

[ellen]

I was just in Venice two weeks ago and found it heaving with people. It was hard for six of us walking together to stay together, the crowds between Riato and San Marco were huge. There was only one large cruise ship in port while we were there. It was also difficult to get last minute dinner reservations for a group of six, we wound up calling three places from my list before we found one that could seat us. Fortunately it turned out to be the one closest to the hotel and the food was excellent, so it all worked out.

 

[jan]

Which restaurant, ellen?

We are in Venice now and it is still quite crowded, in the usual areas. But in the slightly "off the beaten path" neighborhoods it is really quiet. I took this picture yesterday--while Strada Nuova was quite busy, just stepping off to the side a bit was empty.

 

[ellen]

Sorry for the late response Jan, I just saw your question. The restaurant is Osteria Bancogiro, web site here: http://www.osteriabancogiro.it/

It's one of the restaurants Dean recommended years ago for an article on Slowtrav.

 

[italian excursion]

Yes, crowded! I see that this thread is old but I thought I would comment, nonetheless. I was disappointed a couple of years ago when the area around Orvieto, Civita d' Bangoregio bloomed like the chicken pox after a hot bath. I understand the economy in the countryside is in need of infusion which is why the locals love that there are now overwhelming crowds in that area but I used to spend whole days up there and might see only half a dozen people.

Orvieto, off-season is still fairly moderate but they have been getting a lot of press, especially since George Lucas bought and renovated an enormous monastery. So, again, on the one hand my Italian & ex-pat friends enjoy the boost in the economy, but I fear it will become over run with tourists who come and go, never to return, so never really seeing the damage they might do. Change is not an easy thing to maneuver or accept, at least for me!

Ciao,
Cheryl
www.italianexcursion.com

 

[Mom83]

So sad to see the posts about the crowds as we are spending a week 20 minutes east of Siena and 4 1/2 days in Rome in early October.

We were last in Tuscany in Oct, 2011 and in Rome in May, 2010. I do not remember thinking the crowds were any worse than other times we visited, so it will be interesting to see if I can tell the difference this year.

This year we are taking good friends for their first visit to Italy, so I do want them to see Siena and Florence while we are in Tuscany for the week. I am a very slow traveler, so Florence will consist of a nice lunch, visiting the Academia to see the Statue of David, walking by the Duomo, and then a leisurely dinner. Siena will include a visit to the Duomo. I will make reservations for everything in advance. The days other than Siena and Florence will be spent in much smaller towns.

While I know it will be crowded, I do want our friends to see some of the major sights in Rome. So far, I only have reservations for the Scavi tour. I will get Vatican Museum reservations and reservations for the Coliseum Underground tour that they want to do. I will just warn them that both Florence , Siena and Rome will be very crowded and that we will just plan to see one major sight each day. Sometimes I think the crowds are easier to take if you are expecting them.

The one visit where I do remember the crowds was in April 2005. We were finishing our stay in Venice on 4/3 and driving down to Rome that day for our last week. Pope John Paul died on 4/2 and we expected Rome to be a mess. Surprisingly, there were actually very few crowds anywhere except the area of the Vatican. But the crowds there were unbelievable!

I look forward to hearing what others think in the months before we go.

 

[Valerie]

THERE ARE NO CROWDS IN BASILICATA! I repeat...no crowds in Basilicata!

 

[Ian Sutton]

We did hear similar comments in Portugal, that they had a big upsurge in tourism last year, with the season on the coast going on weeks longer than normal. A good year for the local traders

As for Italy, I often find myself at the opposite end of the spectrum to the majority. I am quite hypocritical in being a tourist who would rather not find myself surrounded by tourists. However learning to get by in the language opens up the whole country, not just the places who will have menus printed up in your language and three others, with helpful pictures to assist your choice of Spaghetti Bolognese (sic.). I get a secret delight in a resident of a more obscure town/village looking at me incredulously "Un turista? Qui?!" I've certainly had some of the most sincere and hospitable encounters in places that might not even get a single line in a guide book.

Is Rick Steves guide bad? I've never read it, but get the impression it was / is a good guide that offered something positively different to the traditional guide books, but has been taken too literally as the 'gospel' of Italian travel. A bit like Robert Parker in the wine world.

In all of these things, recognising there is no tight or wrong, no 'must see' location, is a key understanding. Take on board (a wide variety of) opinions, guidance, suggestions, then compact that down into what sounds most appealing. Even then, go with an open mind - I normally prepare an overlong list of things that might appeal, places to see, eat in, buy food in, drink in, bus routes (even timetables), day trip options etc. knowing we might only fit in ~ 20%, but just as importantly we'll keep our eyes, ears and noses open to things that look, sound or smell interesting when we are there - and we've found some of our own gems this way.

So my thing is away from the mass tourist trail, but I won't criticise anyone for going to Rome, Venice, Florence, San Gimignano, Pisa etc. Indeed in the latter case I'll be encouraging them, trying to get across the message that the Pisa that gets fearsome abuse, is actually just the area immediately surrounding the field of miracles, and between there and the two stations. Those areas indeed show the blight of mass tourism. However the real Pisa, only a 5 minute walk away, is surprisingly untroubled by tourism and is a pleasing, almost 'under the radar' city. Others can make similar cases for anywhere, including those famous places. A little bit of research and willingness to step off the mass tourism trail, can reap excellent rewards.

 

[Sharon J]

My husband has tried very hard to learn as much Italian as possible over the years. We return to Italy once a year, and I can't tell you how appreciative the people are in his trying to converse with them in Italian, even when he's just asking them for the correct pronunciation or tense. We have been in restaurants, where people sitting next to us, would share their food, when he asked what kinds of cheese they were eating in Italian. Even if you can only say a few words, they do appreciate the effort. We have also found that in France.

 

[Pauline]

I'm lucky because my husband Steve has learned Italian. He thinks he doesn't speak well but I think he does. I know a few words and can order coffee, while he is always have long conversations with people. It makes a huge difference in traveling in Italy. He speaks French too. I understand a bit more French than Italian, but not enough to speak.

I normally prepare an overlong list of things that might appeal, places to see, eat in, buy food in, drink in, bus routes (even timetables), day trip options etc. knowing we might only fit in ~ 20%, but just as importantly we'll keep our eyes, ears and noses open to things that look, sound or smell interesting when we are there - and we've found some of our own gems this way.

Me too! I go with a long list of day trips and we never get to all of them. I like to leave some things not done - a reason to return.

 

[Rome Addict]

Florence was INSANE until November 6 this year. I really regretted booking an apartment for 3 months. It got so bad we took off for Two weeks in October. Cruise ship after cruise ship loads of passengers. Dare I mention the direct flights to Pisa from Asia?

Literally you had to move like a football player catching an end pass. Pushing and shoving, impossible admissions unless you were willing to pay for off hours tours! The old " go to the museum's at 3pm there isn't a line?" No longer true. Europeans will stay home this year and the rest of the world will go to Europe too.