Netflix adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley fuels tourism to tiny Italian town

Release time：2024-05-21 07:16:52 Source：Cultural Caravan news portal

The Netflix adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1950s novel, 'The Talented Mr. Ripley,' has sparked a surge in tourism to a quaint seaside Italian town Atrani.

Airbnb saw a remarkable 93 percent increase in bookings in the city of Ravello, located approximately 15 minutes away from where Ripley was filmed. 

Bookings in Minori, another lesser-known spot just eight minutes away from Atrani, increased by 63 percent, according to the home-sharing site. 

Released earlier this month, the Netflix series Ripley comes 25 years after the Amalfi Coast was stunningly featured in the 1999 film adaptation of Highsmith's novel. 

As tourists flock to the picturesque town that is home to just 1,000 people, local residents and business owners are bracing themselves for unprecedented challenges posed by large crowds this summer.

The Netflix adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1950s novel, 'The Talented Mr. Ripley,' has sparked a surge in tourism to the quaint Italian town, Atrani

Airbnb saw a remarkable 93 percent increase in bookings in Ravello, a city located approximately 15 minutes away from Atrani where Ripley was filmed. Pictured: people waiting for a bus to Ravello in 2019

Released earlier this month, the Netflix series Ripley comes 25 years after the Amalfi Coast was stunningly featured in the 1999 film adaptation of Highsmith's novel

In a travel guide released last week, Airbnb features some hidden spots near Atrani, encouraging tourists inspired by Ripley to explore lesser-known parts on the Amalfi Coast. 

Amanda Cupples, general manager for Airbnb UK and Northern Europe, said: 'It's no surprise that a show as visually spectacular as 'Ripley' is inspiring viewers to explore the Amalfi Coast for their next getaway.' 

'As it spotlights a lesser-known Italian city of Atrani, this is showing travelers that they can avoid the crowds, while simultaneously quenching their 'Ripley' wanderlust.' 

Spanning a mere 0.8 square miles, Atrani stands out as one of the country's smallest villages, a hidden gem overshadowed by its more illustrious counterparts along the Amalfi Coast. 

While some local business owners are delighted to witness the surge in tourism following the Netflix exposure, others are less enthused. 

Antonio Buonocore, who runs the beachside restaurant Le Arcate told The Guardian: 'The impeccable photography has certainly brought our little village extra publicity.'

Spanning a mere 0.8 square miles, Atrani stands out as one of the country's smallest villages, a hidden gem overshadowed by its more illustrious counterparts along the Amalfi Coast

 People sitting at tables outside a restaurant in the center of Amalfi in the summer of 2019

Tourists flocked to a pier on the Amalfi Coast in 2019

The 1999 film adaptation of Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley features Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow

With its glittering sea, towns that look like film sets and a rich history of A-list visitors, the Amalfi Coast has since been a draw for celebrities and tourists alike. Above: Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow in the 1999 film The Talented Mr Ripley

Some locals are upset, especially after the influx of selfie-hunting tourists inundating the stretch of coast in recent years. 

Antonella Florio said: 'This coast is saturated with overtourism. If more visitors come because of the series, I sincerely hope they come in low season.' 

Luisa Criscolo, property manager at Chiara's House, agreed: 'If tourism does grow, the risk is that it's not managed intelligently. Our village can't cope with huge numbers of tourists. Cars, buses and motorbikes leave the traffic paralyzed. 

'The authorities need to keep a decent amount of places open longer so some visits can be channeled to other times of year, and must also encourage use of waterborne transport, and offer more frequent services on smaller buses.' 

When American author John Steinbeck visited the Amalfi Coast in 1953, he said it was one of the 'most beautiful and dramatic coastlines in the world'.

With its glittering sea, towns that look like film sets and a rich history of A-list visitors, the Amalfi Coast has since been a draw for celebrities and tourists alike. 

Gina Lollobrigida on the Amalfi Coast during the filming of Beat the Devil

Humphrey Bogart riding a donkey in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast during the filming of Beat the Devil

Jacqueline Kennedy walking in the streets of Ravello during her trip in 1962

One main square displays photos of Humphrey Bogart, John Huston, Lollobrigida and Truman Capote working on the 1953 film Beat the Devil.

Greta Garbo and Leopold Stokowsky, who allegedly had an affair, also stayed in Ravello. 

D.H. Lawrence also frequented the area and even worked on Lady Chatterley's Lover while he was there.

Other literary visitors to Amalfi included Henry Longfellow, Graham Greene and Virginia Woolf. Some, such as Gore Vidal, had their own villa.

Composer Richard Wagner drew on the setting of Ravello for the magic garden of Klingsor in Parsifal.

Grace Kelly spent time at the Hotel Buca di Bacco in Positano, whilst Elizabeth Taylor visited with both husband Richard Burton and boyfriend Henry Wynberg. 

Jacqueline Kennedy enjoyed a visit to the Amalfi Coast in 1962, when she was the US First Lady. She spent three weeks in Ravello and it was there that she met future lover Gianni Agnelli for the first time.  

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