{"id":12911,"date":"2024-06-13T18:18:29","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T16:18:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=12911"},"modified":"2024-06-26T12:16:38","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T10:16:38","slug":"from-crowds-to-culture-adapting-to-mass-tourism-in-the-cinque-terre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/12911\/from-crowds-to-culture-adapting-to-mass-tourism-in-the-cinque-terre\/","title":{"rendered":"From Crowds to Culture: Adapting to Mass Tourism in the Cinque Terre"},"content":{"rendered":"

Boats, trains, and busses filled with thousands of tourists arrive daily in the Cinque Terre. The five coastal cities of the Ligurian coast reside around 3,500 thousand people, with some sources saying almost double that number of tourists visit these villages on a daily basis. The streets are filled with people, and as lunch time is about to break, lines start to form before the restaurants. The option for take-away is widely acknowledged. Locals and businesses struggle to balance the economic benefits along with the impact on their daily lives. With the narrow streets overwhelmed by the high influx of people, these communities face a unique set of challenges. The cultural landscape of the Cinque Terre received UNESCO World Heritage site status along with Portovenere and the islands Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto in 1997, adding to the scenic and cultural value. The region welcomes millions of visitors annually, leading to both opportunity and obstacles for the residents.<\/p>\n\n

\"Yvonne<\/p>\n

Yvonne Riccobaldi, who was born and raised in Manarola, one of the five villages and where she currently has set up her business and provides wine tastings for small groups to share her passion and expertise about the Cinque Terre wine as a sommelier. \u201cA lot of people that come here don\u2019t know anything about the Cinque Terre wine\u201d She explained. Yvonne experienced the impacts of increasing tourism first hand. While she started her business in Riomaggiore, she eventually moved back to Manarola due to the arrival of too many people. She also shared how she supports her decision for the small groups during her tastings; \u201cI provide wine tastings with less people to make sure they fully understand are interested.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

The view from Nessun Dorma’s Terrace onto Manarola<\/p><\/div>\n

In the same village, Simone Livadoti manages one of the most popular restaurants of the Cinque Terre, Nessun Dorma. The restaurant located on the cliff side provides a breathtaking view on the city located on the valley. However, before Nessun Dorma was opened in 2014, the area had been closed and neglected for quite some time. The mayor wanted to utilize the area again, which resulted in setting up a contest in which Simone along 2 other companies participated, the best idea would be rewarded with the area and had to work out the idea. \u201cWhen I was 24 years old, I won the contest and had to set it up\u201d he shared. The restaurant wasn\u2019t as popular as it is now; \u201cIt was me and just 2 people sitting on this long table and the rest of the restaurant was empty, now we have 3 stores.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Seasonal changes <\/strong><\/p>\n

The tourism season in the Cinque Terre usually runs, depending on the weather, from April to October. But during this season, residents often experience difficulties in their everyday life. \u201cIt\u2019s too busy, for my business it\u2019s okay because I work with small groups, but as a person that lives here it\u2019s too busy\u201d Yvonne shared. Tourists arrive from all over Italy, with busses from Florence or Pisa, the cruise ships that stop in La Spezia, or the train from Levanto to La Spezia, which runs through all the five villages. \u201cThey cross our roads and it\u2019s impossible to walk, take a coffee or meet people\u201d Yvonne adds. However, during winter season it does not seem to improve, the streets turn quiet again, but the shops and restaurants tend to close their doors. \u201cIn Manarola, during Winter there is normally only 1 bar or restaurant open\u201d Yvonne mentioned.<\/p>\n

Restaurants in the Cinque Terre are a fast-paced business, with a lot of people coming to visit, there immediately are also a lot of people that need a place to eat. Time is of the essence, \u201cin the kitchen, there is often no time, which means a lot of pasta\u2019s are frozen, just to be ready in 2 minutes\u201d Simone shared. The quality of ingredients is often also in question. \u201cRestaurants have to make a lot of money, and the quality of ingredients is therefore not good\u201d Yvonne mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\t\t