Italy has introduced a strict new rule for tourists visiting one of its most beloved attractions, the Via dell’Amore, or Path of Love, in the picturesque Cinque Terre region.

This famous path, renowned for its breathtaking coastal views and romantic ambiance, has reopened after a lengthy closure due to safety concerns following a landslide in 2012.

However, visitors will now face new restrictions aimed at controlling the number of tourists and preserving the site.

Starting this month, access to the Via dell’Amore will be limited to 4,000 visitors per day. To manage this, tourists will need to purchase tickets for timed entry slots.

Additionally, staff will be stationed along the route to monitor visitor behavior and ensure that the path is respected as the “open-air museum” it has become.

This measure is part of a broader effort to address the challenges of overtourism in Cinque Terre, a coastal national park consisting of five fishing villages.

“We’re not doing it to make money,”bFabrizia Pecunia, the mayor of Riomaggiore, said. “In 2011 it had around 870,000 visitors so we basically want to keep the old numbers but distribute [them] better.”

The path’s €23 million (roughly £19.4 million) renovation involved extensive safety improvements, including the removal of fragile rocks, installation of steel netting over landslip-prone areas, and the extension of an open-sided tunnel through the cliff.

The restoration project, which took nine years of planning and two years of intense construction work, aimed to enhance both safety and aesthetics. Measures were taken to ensure that the cliff netting remains invisible from the sea, and the railings were painted in a matte biscuit color to blend seamlessly with the natural environment.

The Via dell’Amore will be open to visitors from 8:30 AM to 7 PM in summer and until 5 PM in winter. Residents of the province of La Spezia will have exclusive access during the first two weeks following the reopening.

Tourists staying overnight in the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola can access the path during residents’ hours by purchasing a daytime ticket, allowing them to experience the path’s legendary sunsets.

“We want to incentivise people to stay overnight,” Pecunia said. “If people sleep here, they eat here, they visit other places. We want to give them a unique experience.”

Opened in 1931, the Via dell’Amore was initially built to connect the isolated villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola. Before its construction, residents had to either climb 600 steps over the cliffs or take a train, which began service in 1874.

The new path dramatically improved connectivity and quickly became a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Its name was changed from “via nuova” (new path) to Via dell’Amore in the 1950s, reflecting its romantic allure.

While the reopening has been welcomed by many, not everyone is pleased with the new restrictions. 

“This path was constructed by our ancestors and has always been a connection route between Manarola and Riomaggiore, and now this mayor has made it a museum,” Eugenio Bordoni, a Manarola native and owner of the travel agency Arbaspaa, told The Times. 

The new regulations for the Via dell’Amore are part of Italy’s broader strategy to manage overtourism. Other popular destinations, such as Venice, have also introduced measures like entry fees to control the flow of tourists and protect local heritage.