Pastry craze draws hundreds to remote Dolomites hut

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 scenic spot in the mountains, has become the target of a pastry quest after influencer videos drew huge queues. Alpine communities have hit out at the disruption caused by the sudden influx.

The episode is a fresh example of how viral content can reshape the flow of visitors to Italy's most delicate landscapes, a pattern familiar along the Ligurian coast where the Cinque Terre villages have long struggled to manage day-tripper numbers.