Tourists on pastry quest overrun scenic spot in Italian mountains

Tourists have overrun the picturesque Friedrich August refuge in the Italian Dolomites, not in pursuit of breathtaking vistas, but for the sake of a delicious krapfen pastry. The hut, situated at an elevation of 2,300 meters, between Col Rodella and Passo Sella in Val di Fassa, saw hundreds of people flocking to it overnight, camping and waking up early to secure a freshly baked krapfen before they ran out.

The surge in footfall was fueled by social media influencers who had promoted the pastries in videos, showcasing them against the stunning Dolomites backdrop. This led to long queues forming along the narrow path to the hut, with the crowds only growing after images of the scenes went viral online. One visitor confessed, "We only came for this," while another attributed their visit to an Instagram post featuring the krapfen and "heavenly music."

The hut has been operating for 30 years, preparing krapfen without any issues. However, restaurant staff have attributed the current chaos to influencers, claiming it has created "chaotic" conditions. Mountain communities, represented by associations like Uncem and the Veneto branch of the Italian Alpine Club, share this sentiment, arguing that the problem lies not with the pastries themselves, but with algorithms that exploit mountain environments by directing crowds to beauty spots.

Marco Bussone, president of Uncem, and Francesco Abbruscato, president of the Veneto branch of the Italian Alpine Club, expressed their frustration with image-driven tourism, stating that it is eroding the authentic essence of the mountains. They lamented that in the past, tourists appreciated the Dolomites without overtourism, but now, iconic places are overwhelmed by people taking selfies and visiting solely for the sake of social-media content.

Similar incidents have occurred in other mountain towns, such as Roccaraso in Abruzzo, where a TikTok star's promotion led to a similar frenzy over ski slopes.