Mountain Turnstiles to Charge Access to Instagram Hot Spots

There's this latest Italian social media trend, which lures hundreds of thousands of tourists to the mountain range in northern Italy, with many traipsing across private land to get that perfect shot. 

In response to the influx, frustrated local farmers have set up turnstiles, where tourists must pay 5 euros (nearly $6) to access several “Instagrammable” spots, including the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges. 

Photos showing lines of up to 4,000 people a day, have been popping up on social media in recent weeks. But rather than deter people from coming, the images have acted as a magnet. 

The media’s been talking about the turnstiles, everyone’s been talking about it – and of course, people go where everyone else goes. They're sheep! 😂😂😂

Italian law mandates free access to natural parks, such as the Alps and Dolomites, but the landowners who set up the turnstiles say they have yet to receive any official pushback from authorities. 

But the local tourism body have petitioned authorities to close the turnstiles, insisting the issue is being overblown. The Santa Cristina Tourist Board, which oversee part of the area where the turnstiles have popped up, say they have hired four park rangers to ensure that tourists stay on the trails, don’t cross the meadows and don’t fly drones.

Beyond the public nuisance of overcrowding, the residents have to contend with badly-behaved visitors. Across the country, new ordinances have been a hallmark of the 2025 summer. 

Wearing just a swimsuit or going bare-chested in some Italian towns will attract more than a few looks. Semi-nudity could also land you a 500-euro fine – in the name of decorum. The Tuscan island of Elba and the Ligurian city of Diano Marina have both introduced summer ordinances that prohibit shirtless and swimsuit-only strutting – for both men and women – anywhere but the beach. 

And if your attire is deemed vulgar or “indecent” in the eyes of any beholder, authorities can levy smaller fines starting at 25 euros. 

In Livorno, walking barefoot is prohibited. On Sardinian beaches, you’ll get in trouble for digging holes for umbrellas, smoking, or lying on the sand without a mat. At the ever popular La Pelosa beach area, only 1,500 bathers are allowed at a time to prohibit overcrowding. 

In San Felice Circeo, a party town south of Rome where having an aperitivo on the beach is a way of life, take-away alcohol is banned both in town and on the beach. Loud music can only be blared during certain hours across much of the country, and in the southern region of Puglia, boaters risk a fine if they play music within 500 meters of the coast.