A picturesque corner of the Dolomites, famed for its local delicacy, faces an overwhelming influx of tourists as the stunning mountain landscape grapples with soaring visitor numbers.
This Alpine jewel, celebrated for its breathtaking vistas, cable cars, and enticing hiking trails, ranks among Italy’s most alluring destinations, attracting millions of adventurers annually.
The current season is proving to be no exception, with videos capturing throngs of tourists standing in long, serpentine lines at 2,300 meters above sea level, all eager to savor a cabin’s renowned cream-filled doughnuts.
Determined visitors often rise at the break of dawn, eager to claim their share of the popular treat before it sells out at the Rifugio Friedrich August hut, nestled on Langkofel mountain, close to the South Tyrol border.
In fact, some enthusiasts have taken to camping overnight to ensure they can indulge in a doughnut or two.
Furious locals have become fed up with holidaymakers more concerned with social media photos than appreciating the region’s natural beauty, while unimpressed TikTok users called the viral spot a ‘tourist trap’.
One wrote under a video of queues: ‘Pretty much all if the huts/refugios in the Alps have great traditional high quality locally/home-made food. 99% of them without having to wait in lines at all.’
‘This is madness,’ said an Italian influencer who promotes tourism in the region.
Shocking videos show an influx of tourists waiting hours at an altitude of 2,300 meters amidst the breathtaking scenery in ‘mad’ winding queues for famed fresh, cream-filled doughnuts
Last week on the day of the solar eclipse, severe traffic gridlocked roads on the Passo di Giau mountain
One hiker said: ‘I’ve been coming to the mountains for years and I’ve truly never seen such chaos; there are queues everywhere.’
Another wrote: ‘They’re not interested in the Dolomites. They come in flip-flops just to take pictures.’
An exasperated social media user also commented: ‘Yeah that’s why I’m choosing countries and cities and places no one in social media knows about.’
Meanwhile, last week on the day of the solar eclipse, severe traffic gridlocked roads on the Passo di Giau mountain pass.
Footage showed hundreds of cars completely at a standstill all the way down into the valley.
Barriers have also been installed near the picturesque Santa Maddalena church to prevent unauthorised drivers from reaching it by car.
The serene beauty spot has been overrun by hundreds of tourists looking to visit the most popular landmarks.
The swarm of tourists have caused carnage in the quaint village and has seen the region implement new restrictions that limit cars to just 150 per day
Furious locals have become fed up with holidaymakers more concerned with social media photos than appreciating the regions natural beauty
The serene beauty spot has been overrun by hundreds of tourists looking to visit the most popular landmarks
A woman who claimed she has been visiting the Dolomites for 35 years said: ‘This year it seemed to me as if I were on another planet. There have never been so many people here.’
Earlier this year a video showed a line hundreds of meters long at a bus stop for a shuttle as crowds waited to visit the world-famous Three Peaks.
It is one of the most visited attractions in the Alps and during peak season up to 14,000 visitors flock to the region everyday.
The councillor for the area, Nicola Bombassei, who oversees the environment and land use planning, reportedly said last month the queues were ‘unacceptable’, adding that the region is already seeing a record number of visitors.
Efforts will be made to find ways to reduce crowds, she said.
A ski-lift has been suggested in recent years as a means to better manage overcrowding in these zones, however many argue this contravenes a quota system restricting vehicle access to the area.
The director of operations for Dolomiti Bus, Gabriele Mariani, was reported to have said that their shuttle service has been reinforced in the wake of the masses of crowds.
‘We are constantly monitoring visitor flow and adapting our service according to needs,’ he added.