Beautiful little village ‘bans’ tourists as it’s invaded by movie fans | World | News
A picturesque lakeside European attraction that came onto tourists’ radar in the early 2000s, it has now become a victim of its own success. The 18th-century villa, known for its appearances in blockbuster films such as James Bond and Star Wars, has now been forced to reduce visitor numbers to preserve its beauty as the country continues its fight against overtourism.
Situated on the shores of the iconic Lake Como in northern Italy, Villa del Balbianello recently took the drastic decision to reduce the number of tourists who can visit each day from 2,000 to just 1,200. Built in 1787 on the ruins of a Franciscan monastery, the mansion featured in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and the Bond film Casino Royale (2006) and attracts worldwide tourists keen to recreate iconic scenes. However, this has led to an increase in the number of pedestrians threatening the historic property and its gardens.
The Italian Environmental Fund (FAI) – the Italian equivalent of the National Trust, which also runs the property – said at the time that reducing visitor numbers was a “drastic decision”. The new rules were said to be designed to counter the impact of “overtourism, which is having a huge impact on Lake Como”. Telegram.
Although Villa del Balbianello was predicted to suffer a huge drop in income, the FAI said the decision was necessary because allowing too many tourists to visit would “not only compromise the preservation of the property but also damage its image”.
In the Star Wars universe, Villa del Balbianello served as Padmé Amidala’s lakeside retreat on her home planet of Naboo and was where she secretly married Anakin Skywalker. Casino Royale, meanwhile, served as a spectacular point of recovery for James Bond and Vesper Lynd after Bond was tortured. Another film that used this beautiful setting was 1995’s A Moon by the Lake.
This is not the only place in Italy that has had to take precautions against overtourism. In Venice, an entrance fee of between 5 and 10 euros has been introduced for day trippers, managing crowds through a reservation system. The iconic floating city also limited group sizes to 25 people and banned the use of megaphones and powered tours. Large cruise ships diverted to Marghera or Ravenna, from where passengers can travel to Venice, are also no longer allowed into the lagoon.
In the Dolomites, farmers set up payment gates on roads to protest litter and overcrowding, while major cities such as Rome and Florence imposed visitor limits, tourist taxes and stricter rules for short-term rentals such as Airbnb. Italian authorities are also encouraging holidaymakers to explore less-visited areas to spread visitor numbers and reduce pressure on the busiest spots.
Indeed, this year, Italy’s tourism board, led by ENIT, is actively promoting less-visited regions through campaigns such as “99% of Italy” and “Bright Destinations 2026”, a digital campaign on TikTok and Instagram; It aims to combat overtourism by focusing on hidden gems from hotspots in regions such as Puglia, Sardinia and Abruzzo, promoting slow travel, sustainable tourism and cultural interaction in villages and on hiking routes across the country.
