The mayor of the two southernmost villages, Riomaggiore and Manarola, has put out a call for local residents to take turns guarding Manarola's cemetery and ensure that "no one can use the site for picnics, selfies, panoramic photos or other inappropriate and disrespectful activities".
Mayor Fabrizia Pecunia has already ordered the graveyard to be kept locked after losing patience with visitors drawn to its scenic location atop a rocky outcrop, just off the coastal path that links five picture-perfect villages perched on a protected strip of Italy's north-west coast.
