Dolomites pastry rush tests alpine tourism limits

Hundreds of people overwhelmed a mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites, not for the panoramic views but in search of a creamy pastry, reigniting the debate about social-media-driven tourism, the Guardian reported this week.

The Friedrich August refuge, a historic stop on the high-altitude trail network above the Val Gardena valley, was swamped by queues after influencer videos drew crowds seeking its celebrated krapfen, a jam-filled doughnut. Local alpine communities hit out at the crush, which they said strained paths, shelters and the fragile mountain environment.

The episode lands at a sensitive moment for Trentino-Alto Adige, where tourism is the economic engine but also the sharpest source of friction between residents, visitors and the region's special autonomy.