Cattolica, Italy, 27 May 2020. A group of young sunbathers at the beach and a bulldozer working in the background.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 27 May 2020. An empty beach pool is prepared for reopening.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 28 May 2020. Street scene: a boy on a kick scooter wearing a face mask plays behind a fountain, a hat and a statue.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Rimini, Italy, 30 May 2020. Beach umbrellas in an empty beach, and a ferris wheel in the background.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 28 May 2020. Bulldozers preparing the city’s beach and girls wearing face masks in the foreground.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 26 May 2020. A kite flies over an empty beach-volley field.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 29 May 2020. A closed restaurant with chairs piled inside on the city’s sea promenade.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Rimini, Italy, 30 May 2020. A man doing maintenance work on a ferris wheel which is due to reopen in the coming days.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 30 May 2020. Children playground toys and tourist boats, normally in use during the tourist season, are parked in the back of the beach.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 25 May 2020. An empty water park, usually very busy during the summer tourist season.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

A woman and a man, reflected in a puddle, walk in opposite directions in a street of Tokyo. Japan is globally considered the “black hole” of child abduction in case of separation: every year nearly 150,000 parents are cut off from their children’s life by their partners.

Akira poses for a portrait in a children’s playground near his office in central Tokyo. Akira’s daughter was taken away from him by his ex-wife in 2012. After having been denied any contact for two years, he is currently divorced and reached an agreement with the ex-wife to see his daughter once a month for 3 hours.

An archive family photo depicting Tommaso (40, from Verona – Italy) with his wife and two children. 
The archive photo was taken in December 2016 in a restaurant in Tokyo, just days before his Japanese wife left with the children and completely cut him off from their lives.

Tommaso (40, from Verona – Italy), poses for a portrait in a children’s playground near his house in suburban Tokyo. In December 2016, his Japanese wife left with their two children and never came back. Since then, he has been able to see them in total for 5 hours in the first 6 months, and not a single time in the last year.

Tommaso (40, from Verona – Italy) during an appointment with his lawyer. They are discussing the next legal steps to take in the 2 civil suits he filed against his Japanese wife for abducting his children in December 2016.

A mobile phone with an archive family photo depicting Taro (51, from Tokyo – Japan) with his child in a park in Tokyo. His wife took the photo and he posted it on his Instagram account. In 2015, his wife (also Japanese) left with their children and never came back.

Taro (51, from Tokyo – Japan) poses for a portrait in a children’s playground in Tokyo. It was a spring evening of 2015 when Taro was preparing dinner at home, waiting for his (then) wife to come home with their son. They never did. Since then, he was able to see his son once, in a room with one-way mirrors.

Mitsuru (43, from Inukai – Japan, at the head of the table) leads a meeting of K-Net, an association advocating for the right to joint custody in Japan. Also at the table, several fathers who had their children abducted by their partners and are looking for advice on their cases.

An archive family photo depicting Mitsuru (43, from Inukai – Japan) with his two daughters. The archive photo was taken in the first occasion he was able to see them again, two years and a half after his partner took them away.

Mitsuru (43, from Inukai – Japan), poses for a portrait in a children’s playground in central Tokyo. After his two daughters were taken away from him by his partner after their separation, Mitsuru decided to found K-Net, an association advocating for the right to joint custody in Japan.

Mitsuru (43, from Inukai – Japan), on the PA speaker during a rally organized in front of a subway station in Tokyo by K-Net, an association advocating for the right to joint custody in Japan. Mitsuru founded K-Net in 2009, after his partner (also Japanese) abducted their two daughters.

A teddy bear holding a red rose hangs by its neck from a broken swing in a children playground in central Tokyo. A group of teenagers hanged it minutes before. Japan is globally considered the “black hole” of child abduction: every year nearly 150.000 parents are pushed away from their children’s life by their partners.

An archive family photo depicting Gianluca (43, from Cagliari – Italy) feeding his baby. The archive photo was taken just days before his Japanese wife left with the baby and completely cut him off from their lives.

Gianluca (43, from Cagliari – Italy), poses for a portrait in a children’s playground near his house in the outskirts of Tokyo. At the end of 2014, his Japanese wife left with their baby and never came back. He last saw his son in September 2015.

Gianluca (43, from Cagliari – Italy), walks home from work with his bike. At the end of 2014, his Japanese wife left with their baby and never came back. He last saw his son in September 2015.

Tokyo (Japan), September 2018. At dusk, a father and his child play on a swing in a children’s playground in Tokyo. 

Japan is internationally considered the “black hole” of parental child abduction: in Japan, every year, an estimated 150,000* parents face the tragedy of having their children abducted by their partner. Currently, the Japanese judicial system does not contemplate the joint custody in case of separation, and most of the lawsuit eventually filed by the left-behind fathers do not lead to a result in their favour. *Data: Kizuna Child-Parent Reunion.

Cattolica, Italy, 27 May 2020. A group of young sunbathers at the beach and a bulldozer working in the background.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 27 May 2020. An empty beach pool is prepared for reopening.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 28 May 2020. Street scene: a boy on a kick scooter wearing a face mask plays behind a fountain, a hat and a statue.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Rimini, Italy, 30 May 2020. Beach umbrellas in an empty beach, and a ferris wheel in the background.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Rimini, Italy, 30 May 2020. A man doing maintenance work on a ferris wheel which is due to reopen in the coming days.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

Riccione, Italy, 25 May 2020. An empty water park, usually very busy during the summer tourist season.

The tourist season take-off period in the Italian ‘Riviera Romagnola’, in late May, coincides in 2020 with the end of a 3-months lockdown for Covid-19 in Italy. Half-empty beaches, face masks, and delayed urbanization works are the image of an atypical season start.

August 26th 2019, Venice. A group of tourists from a guided tour in Venice’s St.Mark’s Square.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

August 23rd 2019, Venice. A woman from the crowds crossing the Scalzi Bridge stops to take a photograph.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

Nov 17th 2019, Venice. Four law enforcement agents patrol a flooded St. Mark’s Square. The water reaches their knees.

The week of 11th – 17th November 2019 was one of the worst in Venice’s history. In 6 days, the sea water flooded the city 3 times, with tide peaks (‘acqua alta’ in Italian) reaching almost unprecedented levels.

The sea level rise, the city slow sinking process and the industrial canals dug in the past to make way for the big ships, are among the main causes of these exceptional floods. Two people lost their lives, and damages to shops and ground floor apartments have been substantial.

Feb 10th 2020, Venice. In a foggy day, some ‘gondole’ (typical Venetian boats) are seen moored in front of St. Mark’s square.

Originally meant as a public transportation service, with the exponential increase in the number of tourists visiting the city in the last decades, the ‘gondole’ have become yet another Venice’s tourist attraction.

In Venice, floods of tourists alternate with real floods. And now the survival of the city itself is at risk. With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. As if this was not enough, the seasonal floods occurring in the city are worsening year after year due to the sea level rise.

August 23rd 2019, Venice. Tourists observe a giant map of Venice inside a parking building located in one of the main transport hubs of the city, Piazzale Roma.

Following complains from local residents, Venice municipality recently launched #EnjoyRespectVenezia, a campaign to promote more respectful behaviours among tourists visiting the city.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Space saturation, environmental problems, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

August 24th 2019, Venice. A cruise ship navigates the Giudecca Canal, in Venice’s old town, to reach the city’s cruise port.

The typical cruise ship carries over 2.500 passengers, the biggest ones up to 5.500. In Venice, in 2018 alone, 502 cruise ships reached the city (roughly 1.5 per day) carrying over 1.5 million passengers. In one year, the cruise ships polluted Venice – a city with no cars – like approximately 820.000 cars (data: transportenvironment.org) and caused 2 major accidents.

July 23rd 2019, Venice. An overcrowded promenade (‘Riva degli Schiavoni’) in the city centre.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

Nov 17th 2019, Venice. A flat’s window reflected in the underneath canal. The water reached a dangerous level and is only centimetres away from reaching the window.

The week of 11th – 17th November 2019 was one of the worst in Venice’s history. In 6 days, the sea water flooded the city 3 times, with tide peaks (‘acqua alta’ in Italian) reaching almost unprecedented levels.

The sea level rise, the city slow sinking process and the industrial canals dug in the past to make way for the big ships, are among the main causes of these exceptional floods. Two people lost their lives, and damages to shops and ground floor apartments have been substantial.

Feb 10th 2020, Venice. Tourists takes selfies, while the statues behind seem to be interacting with them.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

August 24th 2019, Venice. A cruise ship moored near Venice’s old town.

In Venice, in 2018 alone, the cruise ships polluted approximately like 820.000 cars (data: transportenvironment.org) and caused 2 major accidents.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Space saturation, environmental problems, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

Feb 10th 2020, Venice. People in St. Mark’s Square.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

Nov 15th 2019, Venice. A man reflected in a café window walks with water up to his knees in a flooded St. Mark’s Square.

The week of 11th – 17th November 2019 was one of the worst in Venice’s history. In 6 days, the sea water flooded the city 3 times, with tide peaks (‘acqua alta’ in Italian) reaching almost unprecedented levels.

The sea level rise, the city slow sinking process and the industrial canals dug in the past to make way for the big ships, are among the main causes of these exceptional floods. Two people lost their lives, and damages to shops and ground floor apartments have been substantial.

Feb 10th 2020, Venice. A man photographing a souvenir stand and people passing by.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

Feb 10th 2020, Venice. In the city’s main square, a souvenir stand is reflected in a mirror of a souvenir stand.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

Nov 15th 2019, Venice. During the city’s floods, a shop attendant is portrayed inside his souvenir shop near Rialto Bridge. The shop is flooded with water reaching his calves.

The week of 11th – 17th November 2019 was one of the worst in Venice’s history. In 6 days, the sea water flooded the city 3 times, with tide peaks (‘acqua alta’ in Italian) reaching almost unprecedented levels.

The sea level rise, the city slow sinking process and the industrial canals dug in the past to make way for the big ships, are among the main causes of these exceptional floods. Two people lost their lives, and damages to shops and ground floor apartments have been substantial.

Dec 15th 2014, seagulls flies over St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

In Venice, floods of tourists alternate with real floods. And now the survival of the city itself is at risk. With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. As if this was not enough, the seasonal floods occurring in the city are worsening year after year due to the sea level rise.

July 24th 2019, Venice. A model during an improvised photo shoot along Venice’s Grand Canal, near Rialto Bridge. The photo set re-enacts a stereotypical ‘Italian scene’, including a waterside pizza picnic, an Italian water bottle and a designer handbag.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

August 26th 2019, Venice. Crowds in St. Mark’s square. The city’s cathedral is in the background.

With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. Environmental problems, space saturation, lack of affordable housing and a generalized touristification of public spaces are some of the key issues (directly or indirectly) related to overtourism.

Nov 15th 2019, Venice. A flooded St. Mark’s Square is seen reflected in an historic café window. The café itself is flooded, and sofas are placed over the tables to keep them dry.

The week of 11th – 17th November 2019 was one of the worst in Venice’s history. In 6 days, the sea water flooded the city 3 times, with tide peaks (‘acqua alta’ in Italian) reaching almost unprecedented levels.

The sea level rise, the city slow sinking process and the industrial canals dug in the past to make way for the big ships, are among the main causes of these exceptional floods. Two people lost their lives, and damages to shops and ground floor apartments have been substantial.

August 23rd 2019, Venice. The reflection of a ‘gondola’ (typical Venetian boat) as seen in Venice’s main canal, the ‘Canal Grande’. A crowded Rialto Bridge is in the background.

Originally meant as a public transportation service, with the exponential increase in the number of tourists visiting the city the ‘gondole’ have become yet another Venice’s tourist attraction.

In Venice, floods of tourists alternate with real floods. And now the survival of the city itself is at risk. With approximately 50,000 permanent residents and almost 30 million visitors per year, Venice arguably withstands the world’s highest tourist pressure for an urban space. As if this was not enough, the seasonal floods occurring in the city are worsening year after year due to the sea level rise.

The ‘Fenoglio’ Italian Red Cross’ camp in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy) seen from above.

Yakaub (23, from Mali) and his wife Fatima (20, also Mali) portrayed inside their tent at the Red Cross reception camp in Settimo Torinese (Italy).

With their first child expected in a couple of months and their asylum request still to be processed, they hope the Italian authorities will be able to provide them with a more stable accommodation soon.

Daily life at ‘Fenoglio’ Italian Red Cross’ camp in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy).

Serena Corniglia, supervisor at ‘Fenoglio’ Italian Red Cross’ camp in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy).

A woman washes her clothes in the Red Cross reception camp in Turin (Italy). Depending on the situation, the camp can host up to 500-600 people.

Temporary houses for refugees inside a reception camp in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy).

Asylum seekers in a reception camp in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy) during their morning routine.

Daily life at ‘Fenoglio’ Italian Red Cross’ camp in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy).

Joy (18, from Nigeria) portrayed at the Red Cross reception centre in Messina (Italy).

She lost a close friend at sea, while attempting to reach Italy on boat an inflatable dinghy with other 190 people. After drifting for 18 hours somewhere in the Mediterranean, her friend was one of the 25 people who tragically drowned in the melee when a rescue boat was sighted.

Mohammed Trawally (Gambia, 21), at work at ‘Settimo Miglio’ organic farm in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy).

The farm employs asylum seekers and refugees hosted at the Red Cross camp in Settimo Torinese (Italy).

Alhagie (44, from Gambia) portrayed in his room at the Red Cross centre for male adults in Messina (Italy).

A former Gambian soldier, Alhagie left his country in early 2016 and reached Italy on a dinghy from Libya. “I think a lot about my family, that’s my main concern. I left a wife and four kids in Gambia. It is almost three weeks that I’m not able to speak to them”.

Inside the call centre at ‘Fenoglio’ Italian Red Cross’ camp in Settimo Torinese (Turin, Italy).

F., from Mali, poses at the entrance of her tent in the Red Cross reception camp in Settimo Torinese (Italy).

She was already pregnant when she embarked from Libya on a dinghy bound for Italy three months before.