Italy's 'Path of Love' Hiking Trail Just Reopened After 10 Years
One place that won't be overcrowded with tourists, yet.
The "most romantic walk in the world" is reopening after more than a 10-year hiatus. The Via dell’Amore (Path of Love in English) hiking path in Riomaggiore, Italy closed back in 2012 after a landslide, and was initially planned to reopen in 2019, but is now slated to fully reopen in July 2024.
The trail, which has long been the most popular in the five villages of Cinque Terre, where Riomaggiore is located, will not be open to the general public without purchasing a pass for a guided tour. The initiative is in place to prevent over tourism from causing rapid destruction and degradation of the prized path.
A 525-foot stretch of the 3,125-foot path opened last month and will be open until September 30 for a summer preview, which also requires an entry ticket. Right now, you can purchase a five euro ticket to explore the section of open trail between the hours of 9 am and 10 pm. You can find additional information and purchase tickets at ViaDellAmore.info.
It is hoped that the plan to charge and control access to the path will protect not only the path but the surrounding environment. National Geographic reports that Cinque Terre is a national park and that there's only 4,000 residents who actually live across the five villages. The overtourism has made the picturesque region uninhabitable for wildlife and locals alike.
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