The beautiful Italian city that locals say is 'dead' amid overtourism rows

Locals in a popular Italian city say it's 'dead'. (Image: Getty)

A beautiful Italian city has been declared "dead" by locals who warned that the culture is being washed away as tourism remains unmanaged. Naples is Italy's third most visited city, attracting over 14 million people in 2024, but this popularity has come at a cost.

Locals say the historic city, the centre of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been eroded by tourists who are only interested in shopping. Sociologist and activist Francesco Calicchia lives and works in the Sanità neighbourhood. He's witnessed the working-class area transform into a "playground" full of tourists as locals feel forced to move elsewhere. He told POLITICO: "The historic centre of Naples is dead. Those streets aren’t neighbourhoods anymore. There are no Neapolitans left, no real life left.

Housing in Naples has been severely impacted by tourism. (Image: Getty)

"They’ve become playgrounds, open-air shopping malls. The problem is that this kind of tourism isn’t being managed or controlled."

Ruben Santopietro, CEO of Visit Italy, added that Naples has been "suffocated by tourism" nearly to the point of no return.

He told CNN: "A city where residents are not satisfied is a city that doesn’t work ... In five years, 50% of the città d’arte [Italian cities of culture] will become inaccessible."

The issue of housing is a particularly important one when it comes to the effects of tourism on Naples, with protests happening in March.

Chiara Capretti, a member of Resta Abitante - an association defending the right to housing - said locals are being evicted amid a rise in short-term rentals.

She told the outlet: "Short-term rentals have grown exponentially in Naples, just like in other Italian cities ... There’s been a noticeable increase in evictions."

The municipal councillor said urban planning discussions now focus on taking more neglected areas of the city and rebuilding them to accommodate locals. 

Ms Capretti called on the central government to implement laws curbing the influx of short-term rentals, as the issue inevitably ends up trickling down to affect local authorities.

She added: "There’s still no national law on short-term rentals, and that’s obviously a problem for local governments. The real decisions can only be made at the national level."