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Italy’s Empty Beaches Fuel Overcrowded Mountains and Campsites

Rising holiday expenses have emptied Italy’s beaches, prompting local experiments with access fees alongside erosion controls

Overview

  • Italy’s coastal resorts saw a 15 percent drop in beach attendance in July 2025, with German and Italian visitors particularly scarce on weekdays.
  • Campsites around Lake Garda have reached full capacity even as nearby hotels remain underbooked due to cost-sensitive travelers from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.
  • Popular Dolomite trails and cable cars are overwhelmed by weekday crowds, leading four landowners to impose a five-euro access fee at the Seceda viewpoint.
  • Opponents say up to 27 daily excursion boats at Il Corno are accelerating shoreline erosion, and local officials are debating restrictions to protect the bay.
  • Overall holiday costs in Italy have surged roughly 30 percent since 2019, with domestic flight prices up 81.5 percent, driving the shift away from traditional beach vacations.