Italy's heat wave drives tourism surge and fuels housing‑rent tensions

A severe July heat wave in Italy has left many public swimming pools in Milan closed, prompting residents to seek cooler alternatives. The hot weather coincides with a rise in tourist‑driven short‑term rentals, which analysts say have pushed average rents up by about €202 between 2019 and 2025 in cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples and Bologna. Critics argue that investment funds profit from these “B&B” conversions, while wages in the tourism sector remain low and often seasonal.

In Rome, protests have erupted over luxury student housing projects built on public land, with local committees demanding answers from authorities. Meanwhile, guidebooks highlight six natural swimming spots near Milan—Val di Mello’s lakes and waterfalls, the Ferrera cascades in Varese, the Erve pools at the foot of Monte Resegone, Jamaica Beach in Sirmione on Lake Garda, among others—offering residents a way to escape the heat, though visitors are advised to check water quality and safety conditions.