Val di Funes in Italy’s northern South Tyrol province is renowned for its bucolic beauty. The verdant valley with its clutch of Alpine houses lies just below the spiky Odle Peaks, a majestic backdrop that turns a luminous peachy-orange at sunset.
The aesthetic attraction of the area has not gone unnoticed by social media users. In recent years, what was once a popular hiking spot has been flooded by daytrippers jostling to snap the perfect Instagram shot.
Photographers have particularly focused on two picturesque churches - Santa Maddalena and San Giovanni di Ranui.
In 2022, the owner of the meadow surrounding the latter installed a pay-to-enter turnstile to manage the number of tourists walking across his land.
Now, the municipality of Funes has stepped in. "We've had enough of tour groups from China and Japan descending on the valley, parking indiscriminately, and staying only long enough to snap a few photos. They contribute nothing except the litter they leave behind," mayor Peter Pernthaler told local media.
The council has announced it will now restrict access to the Santa Maddalena church, which lies up a narrow road, from May to November.
Italian valley to restrict tourist access to Instagram-famous church
"Local residents have reached their breaking point, so we've decided to take action. We're prepared to do more: this year, we will not allow an invasion,” Pernthaler said.
It comes after residents expressed frustration over traffic and tourists clogging up the town’s parking places and trespassing on private land.
From May, a barrier will restrict access to the road leading to the Santa Maddalena church and a few houses to residents and hotel guests only.
Tourists will be required to park in a designated area. When it reaches capacity, vehicles will be directed to parking places further down the valley.
Pernthaler has clarified that there will not be a booking system for the parking area. The fee for parking is also set to increase. Currently, it costs €4 for a full day, which the mayor says is too little to deter tourists from stopping to take a quick photo.
He added that the council is in conversation with the nearby municipality of Chiusa to organise a shuttle bus service.
Famous photo spot sees up to 600 visitors a day
The news of the decision to restrict access to the church has been widely reported, but Pernthaler says it’s not a move against tourism.
"The barrier already exists, and we want to move it to the centre of Santa Maddalena, where the little church is located, so that tourists don't arrive by car, but on foot,” he told local news outlet Il Dolomiti.
"The road in Santa Maddalena is very narrow and small, and we, as a municipality, must implement all possible solutions to ensure that both residents and tourists can move freely and without getting stuck in traffic," he added.
"We need order, both for those who live here and for those who want to arrive, take the classic photo, and leave."
Pernthaler says that as many as 600 visitors come on a single day. He acknowledges that this is a lot for a small town but says, “We're used to it. For decades, our valley has been famous worldwide for its beauty, and we know that people come from every corner of the globe.”
The fame of Val di Funes on social platforms is believed to have been sparked in China when the Santa Maddalena church appeared on the sim cards of a Chinese operator in 2005.
Across the Dolomites, communities have been struggling with an influx of tourism, which residents fear will be compounded by the approaching Winter Olympics.