Italy grapples with overtourism as crowds swamp top attractions

Italy’s summer tourism surge has led to severe overcrowding at major destinations. Video footage from Rome shows streets choked with visitors, while the iconic Fountain of Trevi sees hundreds jostling for a photo. At Lake Como, long queues form for ferries, and the Cinque Terre coastal villages report packed train stations and waiting lines. Local authorities have introduced measures such as limiting site attendance to 400 people at a time and charging a €2 entry fee for tourists. Popular beaches, including Sardinia’s La Pelosa, now operate with daily visitor caps, causing many travelers to miss out on bookings that fill up months in advance. Despite these steps, social‑media posts continue to highlight dense crowds, waste on streets, and heightened pickpocket risk in the busiest areas.