Tourists on pastry quest overrun scenic spot in Italian mountains

Hundreds of people overwhelmed a mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites, not for the panoramic views but in search of a creamy pastry, reigniting the debate about social-media-driven tourism. The visitors ventured en masse to the Friedrich August refuge – perched at 2,300 metres (7,500ft) above sea level, between Col Rodella and Passo Sella in Val di Fassa – some reportedly waking up at dawn or camping overnight, just to ensure they could buy a freshly baked krapfen, a traditional German pastry similar to a doughnut, before they ran out. They had been enticed by food bloggers who in videos had promoted the pastries, which cost up to €4 (£3.40) each, while eating them against the backdrop of the Dolomites, causing massive queues along the narrow path leading towards the premises.

The queues, rather than deterring the crowds, only brought in more people after images of the scenes were widely shared online. A person who works at the refuge but who wanted to remain anonymous said it had been making the pastries for 30 years without any fuss, and blamed influencers for creating a “chaotic” situation. Neither do the associations representing Italian mountain towns.

The issue is not krapfen, they said, but the algorithms ruining the mountain environment by funnelling crowds into beauty spots. Francesco Abbruscato, the president of the Veneto branch of the Italian Alpine Club, told Vita.it that image-driven tourism was eroding the true spirit of the mountains. Now there are iconic places where it is no longer possible to appreciate the beauty as we’re surrounded by dozens of people who take selfies and are only there for that.” Similar scenes played out in Roccaraso, a town in the mountains of Abruzzo, in January 2025 when day trippers descended on the resort in their droves after a TikTok star promoted videos of herself on its ski slopes.