Soon, no more wearing flip-flops, pumps or sandals in Cinque Terre!

Yes, you read that right. Cinque Terre, one of the most famous attractions in Italy, will soon impose a fine on those caught wearing flip-flops or other such inappropriate footwear while trekking. A stunningly picturesque region, it attracts a number of hikers on trails that connect a number of villages. There are a number of trails around, with fascinated travellers embarking on one or the other.

Lately, a number of search and rescue operations had to be carried on the trails, mostly owing to ill-prepared tourists getting stuck midway. A majority of these travellers landed in a soup because of inappropriate shoes, mostly wearing flip-flops on the trails. A campaign has been started to increase awareness about the issue by the Cinque Terra National Park Authority. While awareness initiatives have already started, those caught flouting the rules would soon attract a fine that would range anywhere between INR 3890 to INR 195000!
Cinque Terre attracts some millions of visitors every year, making ill-prepared hikers a bigger menace than one can imagine. The mountain rescue teams have been under undue pressure, owing to a large number of tourists going on hikes in footwear that is nowhere near hiking gear, including pumps, sandals and, of course, flip-flops.

So yes, if you have been packing for a trip to this wonderful region in Italy, you know what not to pack!