Tourists told not to visit famous Spanish attraction amid overtourism crisis
Brihuega's 1,000-hectare lavender fields attract thousands of visitors, especially in July, boosting the local economy by millions of euros and increasing the town's population over the past decade.
However, the influx of over 100,000 visitors in July alone has strained local services, causing significant traffic and parking issues in the small town.
Mayor Lusi Viejo described a recent Saturday as the village "collapsing" and advised tourists to visit between Monday and Thursday for a more manageable experience.
To address the issue, the town plans to implement a permanent park-and-ride scheme with shuttle buses, as they cannot limit visitor numbers or charge entry fees for the free-access fields.
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