Hello! Today issue is full with images, so you might want to check it on the webpage ;)
Here we go, hope you enjoy it!
What should one write after being in the mountains? Take me back, perhaps. At least that is what has been in my mind for the last couple of days. Take me back to the Dolomites, to the mountains, to the fresh air, to the silence, away from the city.
As I wrote last week, my wife and I just came back from a bit longer than a week discovering the Dolomites in Northern Italy. Well, here it is — the proper write-up I promised. It was a trip to drive across mountain passes, walk the mountain range, and immerse ourselves in ancient forests, glacial lakes, mountain towns, and rocky peaks. In short, feeling small surrounded by nature. As I’ve written before, mountains have a way of putting things in perspective.
The timing was perfect. Off season, no crowds, and we were very lucky with the weather — mostly sunny days, some rain, and even some snow while crossing the mountain passes. Yes, there was some rain, and some unpredictable weather, but it is a way to feel all the elements. Weather builds character. And let’s be honest: if you want to enjoy the mountains and nature, you have to be ready to accept them as they are, not as the instagrammable version of them.
Being off season also meant fewer people, which is a good thing when it comes to nature. And it got me thinking about the impact of tourism, and in particular overtourism, on nature and the communities that live in the area. With the rise of social media and the desire to project the perfect life, the perfect photo, the perfect trip, more and more people are chasing the instagrammable version of nature: the one to be posted, shared, and liked. And that has an impact. Even during off season, we could see those behaviours. People dressing up in the mountains, getting into areas marked as stay-away, and some traces of trash left behind. All for what? A photo? Some likes? Showing that they were there? I don’t know.
The numbers speak for themselves. South Tyrol recorded 37.1 million overnight stays in 2024, with 69 tourists per resident annually — the highest ratio in Italy. A single trail on Seceda mountain attracted 8,000 visitors in one day last summer. Fed-up farmers even installed toll turnstiles on trails to protest the damage.
On the other hand, it was reassuring to see that communities and municipalities are taking action. There are initiatives aimed at sustainable tourism — booking systems to limit the number of cars and visitors that can access certain areas, charging for accessing some of the most popular spots, and even capping visitor numbers at ski resorts. It protects nature and communities alike, ensuring a balance between enjoying these places and preserving them.
As we travel, we have a choice. We can be conscious travelers, making an effort to minimize our impact, respect communities, and enjoy nature as it is. Or we can be tourists chasing the perfect photo, the perfect trip. I know that I want to be the former. I travel to discover, learn, and experience. The photos are a way to capture the experience, but the experience is the goal.
The Dolomites, that magnificent area, is beautiful. I hope it remains like that, and that the crowds and the constant search for the perfect post do not convert it into the next Venice or Barcelona. That the Dolomites’ fame invites more people to be outside in nature, walking, hiking, moving slowly at human pace. A powerful way to observe, experience, and value nature. I hope that the Dolomites remain a place to be in awe of, to feel small, to be in touch with nature, and not a place to be seen, posted, and liked.
That’s it for today! If you enjoyed this issue, share it with a friend! they might like this newsletter.
Luis