Fines of up to 2500 euros are threatened for people wearing flip flops and sandals on Cinque Terre trails this season. https://www.thelocal.it/20190306/sto...-begs-tourists

Good for them. I am always amazed when I encounter people on trails in the wrong footwear. Not just flip-flops, I've seen women in heels in US National Parks. And often no water bottles or any other survival gear.

Of course, it would be even better if they limited cruise ship arrivals, but doesn't seem much chance of that.

Of course, it would be even better if they limited cruise ship arrivals, but doesn't seem much chance of that.>

why? those folks have as much of a right as you or I to walk those trails or visit the CT - maybe a cap on number of visitors that would affect both cruise ships and others, especially day trippers.

This is hilarious. I read that there is a direct correlation between use of rescue services and being improperly outfitted to hike.
It does seem like cruises would put a much larger pressure on a place than day trippers, but either way would be good. Some places cannot accommodate these types of crowds, and there are alternatives!

I am really starting to wonder about "the right to visit". I think the inhabitants should have the right to limit visitors.

I agree - can limit number of visitors but not just cruise ships - what about day trippers too?

Fine with me, if you mean tour groups rather than independents, but cruise ships are a bigger problem because they have become so big. Dumping 4,000 people at a time into small villages is ridiculous. It isn't even that great in reasonably sized towns.

On the top of Schilthorn in Switzerland, there is a very steep and rough trail heading down. They put up this sign.

Whitehall, I love this photo!!!! I can't even begin to imagine why someone would want to wear high heels while hiking!! I haven't worn any type of heel since 2003 due to falling and fracturing an ankle.

Karen, we thought it was a joke until I read about the footwear issues in Cinque Terre.

I love that photo as well! We do a lot of hiking/backpacking/mountain climbing in the Cascade Mountains in the US and I am always shocked at what I see near the trailheads. Granted, these people don't make it very far, but geez, what are they thinking?! One lady a few years ago looked like she came right from church. Heels, sundress, and umbrella. We were dumbfounded but did stand and watch her try to cross a creek.

Here in the PNW there are permits you need to get for some areas, and that is becoming more common. I am all for it!

It's not just the trails. A few years back in Venice one January it was cold enough the canals froze. Walking was challenging with the ice under foot. I turn the corner and coming towards me is this guy in shorts,tshirt and flip flops. Most people looked bundled up for an arctic expedition. This guy? Bare feet in flip flops

One of my favorite photos taken in Rome is a woman riding a Vespa, wearing super-high heels, her large purse stashed between her feet, her small dog sitting on her lap, and a cigarette in one hand.

whitehall -

I've seen that sign...and I've seen people wearing heels and traction-less Uggs up there. Hilarious.

We've done a lot of hiking in New Zealand and always get a good laugh at the Aussies wearing thongs (as in flip flops) on the trails. It's gotten to the point that we can almost distinguish the nationality of a trail user by their footwear

How about barefoot on the trails? Allowed?

They have little toll booths on the trails; they say they will inspect your footwear. I guess that means no shoes, no hike. But I guess after you get through, you could toss them into your backpack. Just make sure you don't have an issue. That might be costly.

Ah! Hiked between the 5 towns in one day 15 or so years ago - free and no booths along the trails. I wonder if they control the number of hikers -like having a limit on each trail?

When I hiked the Na Pali trail in Kauai, it was so muddy, I took off my shoes and continued barefoot. I found I was less likely to slip and slide barefoot. We did just a section of the trail; maybe it wasn't all like that.

My colleague had bought hiking boots for the occasion. I just wore a pair of old shoes. (We had come to Hawaii to teach a month-long training course at the University and hadn't anticipated hiking.) My kids wore sneakers. Everyone's shoes got totally ruined by the mud, even the expensive hiking boots, which got thrown out.

We saw local residents hiking in flip flops, which at the outset seemed inappropriate, but maybe they were the most sensible footwear.

I don't think there's any limit just yet. It's forever being discussed, but the hotels and restaurants are opposed to limits.

I hiked the trails that were then open in 2002 and was not allowed onto the trails until the rangers had checked my footwear to make sure they were suitable. But maybe the weather was a consideration? It was a drizzly morning, which later turned into a horrendous storm that forced closure of the trails and made my next couple of hours extremely dangerous and downright scary.