Life is usually sweet in the rural Italian Dolomites thanks to scenic views and local treats such as freshly baked krapfen – a German doughnut-like pastry served at the Friedrich August mountain refuge.
But powered by social media, the delicacy and the refuge have become so famous that hundreds of people have hiked the 2,300-metre trail, queuing down the mountain and even camping overnight – to the ire of locals.
@takemyhearteverywhere Starting your morning with a Krapfen in the Dolomites hits different ⛰️🍩 📍Rifugio Friedrich August, on Col Rodella. ✨ Here’s how to get there (summer only): 🥾 From Passo Sella → 15–30 min easy hike (also kid-friendly!) 🚠 Or take the cable car from Campitello di Fassa to Col Rodella + 5 min walk – but note: it’s closed in summer 2025 ⏰ Go early – the Krapfen sell out fast! Tag someone who’d wake up at sunrise for this 🍩🌄 #dolomites #breakfastwithaview ♬ original sound – Italy
The pastries, also known as bombolone in Italian thanks to their bomb-like shape and the way the cream filling explodes in the mouth, sell for up to €4 each at the refuge where they have been made and sold for over three decades. Their recent fame stems from food bloggers and influencers who have posted about eating the treats against the stunning mountain backdrop, tapping directly into emerging travel preferences for off-the-beaten path destinations, cultural immersion, nature, and gastronomy.
Francesco Abbruscato, president of the Veneto branch of the Italian Alpine Club, told Vita.it that social media sites like Instagram and TikTok are bringing an atypical kind of attention and tourist to the region, changing people’s relationship with the landscape.
@graces__adventures breakfast spot of dreams ✨⛰️🇮🇹 info + my top tips: 📍 location is Rifugio Friedrich August 🍩 Krapfen donuts are €3 each and there are different toppings/fillings to choose from 🥾 the 20min hike starts from Passo Sella, I’d start as early as poss as it gets busy (I got there at 7:30 and by the time I left at 8:30 there were queues) 🚐 I slept overnight in my campervan at the carpark on Passo Sella and it was €50 – not cheap but amazing views 🚗 car parking is €20 for the day unless you find a free layby further away and walk up 🥾 if you want to make a big day of it, have breakfast and then do the Sassolungo Loop hike #dolomitesitaly #krapfen #soloadventures #solofemaletravel #dolomitesunesco ♬ son original – katdzhan3000
“The main problem is those who visit the mountains without knowing or respecting them,” Abbruscato said. “Until five or six years ago we did not witness overtourism in precise points or at certain moments in the Dolomites. Now there are iconic places where it is no longer possible to appreciate the beauty as we’re surrounded by dozens of people who take selfies and are only there for that.”
The Dolomites comprise a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps, including 18 peaks above 3,000 metres and inscribed by the UN as World Heritage among “the most beautiful mountain landscapes anywhere, with vertical walls, sheer cliffs and a high density of narrow, deep and long valleys.”
Attracting at least 10 million visitors a year, tourism in the Dolomites (and sports events such as the 2026 Olympics) represent a high threat for some areas the UN says, with the large number of visitors causing a “negative impact” on the alpine natural environment and the quality of life of residents.
Those impacts are being felt at the Friedrich August. Despite the influx of paying customers, a worker there told local media the refuge team there does not like the “chaotic” situation. Meanwhile, Marco Bussone, president of the national union of mountain communities warned Fanpage news outlet that, “The mountains are not a playground.”
Mountain communities plagued by tourists after finding online fame include Vlkolínec, at the heart of Slovakia and the Carpathians, an idyllic hamlet of 43 dwellings whose residents are outnumbered 7000-to-one by visitors. Some have demanded the village be removed from UNESCO’s World Heritage list, to relieve the tourism pressure. Elsewhere in the Dolomites, a group of Italian farmers have imposed paying turnstiles on walking trails in what they termed a “cry for help” from authorities to manage tourist numbers.
