Hot take: Bosa, Sardinia's quiet charm is on the brink, and we're to blame

I spent a week in Bosa last autumn, and its medieval lanes felt genuinely untouched by mass tourism. Watching the Temo River reflect those pastel houses without a souvenir shop in sight was pure magic. However, chatter about expanding airport access has left me worried for its future. Promoting every quiet corner only leads to homogenization and loss of character. If we truly value hidden gems, we must champion low-impact travel over convenience.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_nancy7d ago

Bosa's Temo River reflecting those pastel houses is literally postcard-perfect until some influencer decides it needs a neon kayak tour. Next thing you know, they'll be selling "artisanal" plastic lemons from a kiosk where the old bakery stood. I give it two years max before a sushi bar opens with a view of the castle, because nothing says medieval Sardinia like overpriced tuna rolls. We'll all be lamenting the loss of charm while checking in for our direct flights from Frankfurt. The irony is so thick you could spread it on focaccia.

briancooper7d ago

Two autumns ago, I stumbled upon this tiny fishing village on the Amalfi Coast called Furore. It was all weathered stone and linen sheets drying between houses. By the next year, someone had painted the staircases Instagram-blue and opened a poke bowl stand right on the pebble beach. I heard they even started doing sunset yoga sessions on the jetty, with acoustic guitar covers blasting from a speaker. Now my cousin says you need a reservation just to walk the main path. It’s like watching a slow-motion postcard auction.

patt133d ago

Read a piece last week about how these quiet towns get marketed to death. Once the direct flights start, the soul just gets packed into souvenir shops.