Dear Diner: What are the Tacoma area's best coffee shops with a view?
Q: Are there any coffee shops with a view of water or mountains? We have great coffee shops and bakeries but none with a view? —Cate Cruver, Tacoma
In a peninsular town, one might think there would be plentiful waterfront venues for breakfast, coffee, a snack, lunch, drinks and dinner. But just 8.25 miles of Tacoma's 46 miles of shoreline are open to the public and pedestrian-accessible, according to the city, which has endeavored in the past few decades to extend existing trails like the Ruston Way path to Old Town and the Foss Waterway. Some waterfront territory, like much of Point Defiance Park, is only reachable by water, and other public-owned stretches are 'cutoff by roadways, railroad, steep slopes, or industrial operations,' as a 2014 city compilation of research described the geographic disconnect.
When it comes to the mountains, we all know glimpses of Her Majesty waver with the hills and a curve in the road, but a sustained view is worth seeking out. Bonus if a super-clear day and current vantage point also showcase the scattered snow across the Olympics.
Tacoma seems to have waterfront dining covered — specifically for a full meal or perhaps a happy-hour bev and an app, whether on Ruston Way, Thea Foss or Narrows Marina. (R.I.P. Steamer's at Titlow Beach.) We could argue about the merits of the choices therein. As a wise local Redditor once said: In Tacoma, you can have great food or a great view, but you can't have both, a statement with which I agreed at first but believe has slightly shifted, in a positive direction, in the past few years. But that is not today's objective.
Last month, I began soliciting specific reader questions for 'Dear Diner,' a new food, drink and hospitality advice column. I've received more than two dozen queries. The form will remain open, so send yours anytime one comes to mind.
Cate's question caught my attention because I immediately realized that the answers were not so obvious. A few spots quickly came to mind. Further scouring of my internal repository and some additional research turned up several more, but almost all of them have a caveat in that they're not 100% 'on the water' or they boast just a partial view of the mountains. With this kind of sunshine, though, it's no matter. Here are 11 places you can pop in, spend as little as $5 and some time, and relish a worthy view of our region's natural beauty.
▪ 5121 N. Pearl St., Ruston, 253-693-0189, wrensnestbaking.com
▪ Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
The cake in this case must go to Wren's Nest Baking Co. and its rooftop patio in Ruston. Order downstairs at the counter from an immense variety of cakes, cookies, scones, cakes, breads, puddings and more — all of which happen to be gluten-free. Add a drip coffee or seasonal latte. Take the elevator to the top and bask in the glory of a 360-degree view of Commencement Bay, the Cascades, the Olympics and Tacoma. Last summer, its first to offer deck seating, Wren's Nest required reservations, but now, as long as the weather permits from May through roughly October, any customer can head up. Seating and capacity is limited, so on a busy weekend it might require a wait, but weekdays are more of a breeze — literally and figuratively. Plus the goods are worth the squeeze.
▪ 215 Wilkes St., Steilacoom, 253-301-3323, topsidebargrill.com/topside-coffee-room
▪ Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
In Steilacoom, Topside Bar and Grill offers a lovely view of the Sound from its second-level deck, with the horn toot of the ferry toting residents to and fro Anderson and McNeil islands. By day, Topside Coffee Cabin on the ground floor provides patio seating with a still-pleasant glimpse of the water. Paired with Olympic Crest Coffee, the baking program here is underrated — pastries are made in-house, from soft, berry-filled scones and quickbreads to sweet and savory handpies. The Bair Drug and Hardware also opens at 8 a.m., and while the vintage aesthetic is part of the appeal, coffee and ice cream (especially in soda-float form) to-go are always an option. Then stroll yourself down to Pioneer Orchard Park.
▪ 3427 Ruston Way, Tacoma, instagram.com/wideawakecafetacoma
▪ Monday-Saturday 6 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Since just this spring, the humble hut near Les Davis Pier has a tenant that kind of makes you wonder what took so long. Wide Awake Cafe, which has two other shops in town, now serves seasonal espresso drinks with house touches like carrot-cake or banana-bread syrup and myriad flavors of whipped cream. Grab a pastry, bagel or breakfast sandwich and soak in the sights on the pier or along the pleasant path.
▪ 2123 N. 30th St., Tacoma, instagram.com/currancoffee
▪ Monday-Saturday 6 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Also near Ruston Way, Curran Coffee would probably be described as 'waterfront' on a real estate listing, even though you have to cross the railroad tracks. Before 11 a.m., coffee customers can hang out in The Spar's front room, but this sister-owned cafe carries its own warm vibe inside with a few sidewalk tables outside. In addition to seasonal drinks, house specialties include the Gemini with vanilla, hazelnut and salted caramel and the Taurus with chai, chocolate and macadamia. Take it with you to the Old Town Dock, where benches never seem full. Pick a fresh catch for tonight's dinner from Northern Fish Co. while you're here. Now that's the start of a perfect Tacoma day.
▪ 13965 Crescent Valley Road, Olalla, 253-858-6567, olallabaymarket.com
▪ Thursday-Saturday 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
This bayfront property underwent extensive upgrades a few years ago and powered through a subsequent debacle with Kitsap County that further galvanized its loyal fans. Back in business, sans live music, the market serves food and drink a few days a week from after dawn 'til dusk. A full coffee menu, plus wine, beer and spritzers, pairs well with house cookies, muffins and other snacks, or try a sandwich, salad, soup or the specialty: square, grandma-style pizza on a homemade sourdough crust. You can see the water from just about anywhere inside, but you'll want to relax in an Adirondack chair on the patio.
▪ 3411 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor, 253-853-6220, susannesbakery.net
▪ Wednesday-Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
The sidewalk patio at Susanne's doesn't explicitly offer views of the harbor, but you're right there! The pastry case is well-stocked here, with cinnamon rolls, many muffins, kouign-amanns (the crunchy, sugar-crusted croissants), cookies and cakes. From the deli, choose among hot and cold sandwiches as well as pasta salad, salad-salad and quiche. Take your food to-go and walk down the street to Skansie Brothers Park, where you can hang on the grass or head up the stairs for a higher view from the Welcome Plaza structure.
▪ 909 A St., Tacoma, 253-327-1937, stinktacoma.com
▪ Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Stink moved into this office-building locale in late 2024. Enter from the elevator on A Street or take the big staircase through the main entrance. The restaurant is past the desk to the right. It's full-service here for coffee, beer, wine, cocktails and Stink's sandwiches, fresh salads and homemade soups. You might not anticipate the great views of Commencement Bay, Port of Tacoma and of course Mount Rainier framed by the Murray Morgan Bridge. It's airy and bright in here despite the tough stone facade. Better yet: Ask to sit on the patio, down a short flight of stairs where you'll hear the whir of traffic on Interstate 705 but, hey, it's Tacoma!
▪ 2313 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma, commongroundtacoma.com
This stretch of Tacoma Avenue South seemed like an odd spot for a coffee shop, but the owner created a warm, inviting space that always seems to be full of folks in meetings, on their laptops and hanging with their kids. Beyond the standards, specialty drinks whip with the seasons, from a raspberry and white chocolate midwinter latte to an iced coconut-macadamia number for summer. They set up a few tables in a sidewalk/parking-lot patio out front, from which you can catch a surprising view of The Mountain on a clear day.
▪ 19001 Cascadia Blvd. E., Bonney Lake, 360-897-7803, postandpour.com
▪ Sunday-Thursday 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday-Saturday 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
You know that view of Mount Rainier that smacks you in the face as you, headed eastbound on Route 410, wonder where all these cars are possibly going? Where she just … emerges as you round a seemingly random bend? You'll almost grasp the same from Post and Pour, a cafe and bar in the growing Tehaleh development in Bonney Lake. Sip on hot or cold espresso drinks, loose-leaf teas, smoothies and frappés. Snack on pastries, a big soft pretzel with Beecher's cheese, flatbreads and ciabatta-bun sandwiches. Find breakfast sandwiches and waffles on weekends only, 7 a.m.-noon.
▪ 533 Church St., Wilkeson, 360-761-7781, simplegoodnesssodashop.com
▪ Thursday-Sunday 7 a.m.-5 p.m. (plus special evening hours)
The little town of Wilkeson was dealt a terrible blow this spring as the Fairfax Bridge — the only way into the awesome Carbon Glacier, attracting recreational visitors who otherwise might never traverse this corner of the mountain valley — was deemed unsafe. You can't see Mount Rainier herself from the old coal-mining haunt, but you are, quite literally, in the mountains. Notice your lack of cell reception as you drive south on state Route 165, just a few minutes off the more trafficked thoroughfare of Route 410. The soda shop, from the owners of Simple Goodness Syrups handcrafted in Buckley, is open early this year to fill a void in the area for coffee since the closure of Nomad PNW — a decision made pre-bridge crisis. Add a house syrup like rhubarb vanilla bean or blueberry lavender, and if the time feels right, get a cocktail, too. The kitchen serves breakfast burritos, avocado toast, boards, paninis and picnic boxes for here (inside is swell, as is the back gravel patio) or to-go. There's also ice cream.
▪ Anthem Coffee, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-572-9705, myanthemcoffee.com (Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-4 p.m, Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.)
▪ S-Level Tea, 1724 Pacific Ave., 253-627-2111, slevelteaus.com (Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.)
▪ Cafe Perk at Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock St., thevillageperk.com (Tuesday-Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
As mentioned at the top, the Foss Waterway exists, thanks to immense public and private effort to reverse decades of environmental degradation, yet it always feels eerily empty. In fact, it's home to nearly a quarter (2 miles) of the city's 8.25 miles of walkable shoreline. Grab a bubble tea at the shop on Pac Ave or a coffee at Anthem, saunter across the Bridge of Glass and then north to the end of the Thea Foss Esplanade at 21st Street Park, a shaded green space under state Route 509. Turn around and walk north to the new-last-year Melanie's Park, which thoughtfully resembles the area's steam-plant history. Need a break? Enjoy a bench for a bit after admiring the Fluent Steps outside the Museum of Glass. Cross the bridge from whence you came and be thankful for this underappreciated public amenity.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
8 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Surging travel in Europe spikes concerns over tourism's drawbacks
MADRID (AP) — Suitcases rattle against cobblestones. Selfie-snappers jostle for the same shot. Ice cream shops are everywhere. Europe has been called the world's museum, but its record numbers of visitors have also made it ground zero for concerns about overtourism. Last year, 747 million international travelers visited the continent, far outnumbering any other region in the world, according to the U.N.'s World Tourism Barometer. Southern and Western Europe welcomed more than 70% of them. As the growing tide of travelers strains housing, water and the most Instagrammable hotspots in the region, protests and measures to lessen the effects of overtourism have proliferated. Here's a look at the issue in some of Europe's most visited destinations. What's causing overtourism Among factors driving the record numbers are cheap flights, social media, the ease of travel planning using artificial intelligence and what U.N. tourism officials call a strong economic outlook for many rich countries that send tourists despite some geopolitical and economic tensions. Citizens of countries like the U.S., Japan, China and the U.K. generate the most international trips, especially to popular destinations, such as Barcelona in Spain and Venice in Italy. They swarm these places seasonally, creating uneven demand for housing and resources such as water. Despite popular backlash against the crowds, some tourism officials believe they can be managed with the right infrastructure in place. Italy's Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè said she thinks tourism flows at crowded sites such Florence's Uffizi Galleries that house some of the world's most famous artworks could be better managed with AI, with tourists able to buy their tickets when they book their travel, even months in advance, to prevent surges. She pushed back against the idea that Italy — which like all of its Southern European neighbors, welcomed more international visitors in 2024 than its entire population — has a problem with too many tourists, adding that most visits are within just 4% of the country's territory. 'It's a phenomenon that can absolutely be managed,' Santanchè told The Associated Press in an interview in her office on Friday. "Tourism must be an opportunity, not a threat — even for local communities. That's why we are focusing on organizing flows.' Where overtourism is most intense Countries on the Mediterranean are at the forefront. Olympics-host France, the biggest international destination, last year received 100 million international visitors, while second-place Spain received almost 94 million — nearly double its own population. Protests have erupted across Spain over the past two years. In Barcelona, the water gun has become a symbol of the city's anti-tourism movement after marching protests have spritzed unsuspecting tourists while carrying signs saying: 'One more tourist, one less resident!' The pressure on infrastructure has been particularly acute on Spain's Canary and Balearic Islands, which have a combined population of less than 5 million people. Each archipelago saw upwards of 15 million visitors last year. Elsewhere in Europe, tourism overcrowding has vexed Italy's most popular sites including Venice, Rome, Capri and Verona, where Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' was set. On the popular Amalfi Coast, ride-hailing app Uber offers private helicopter and boat rides in the summer to beat the crowds. Greece, which saw nearly four times as many tourists as its own population last year, has struggled with the strain on water, housing and energy in the summer months, especially on popular islands such as Santorini, Mykonos and others. The impact of overtourism In Spain, anti-tourism activists, academics, and the government say that overtourism is driving up housing costs in city centers and other popular locations due to the proliferation of short-term rentals that cater to visitors. Others bemoan changes to the very character of city neighborhoods that drew tourists in the first place. In Barcelona and elsewhere, activists and academics have said that neighborhoods popular with tourists have seen local shops replaced with souvenir vendors, international chains and trendy eateries. On some of Greece's most-visited islands, tourism has overlapped with water scarcity as drought grips the Mediterranean country of 10.4 million. In France, the Louvre, the world's most-visited museum, shut down this week when its staff went on strike warning that the facility was crumbling beneath the weight of overtourism, stranding thousands of ticketed visitors lined up under the baking sun. Angelos Varvarousis, a Barcelona- and Athens-based academic and urban planner who studies the industry, said overtourism risks imposing a 'monoculture' on many of Europe's hotspots. 'It is combined with the gradual loss and displacement of other social and economic activities,' Varvarousis said. What authorities are doing to cope Spain's government wants to tackle what officials call the country's biggest governance challenge: its housing crunch. Last month, Spain's government ordered Airbnb to take down almost 66,000 properties it said had violated local rules — while Barcelona announced a plan last year to phase out all of the 10,000 apartments licensed in the city as short-term rentals by 2028. Officials said the measure was to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents. Elsewhere, authorities have tried to regulate tourist flows by cracking down on overnight stays or imposing fees for those visiting via cruises. In Greece, starting July 1, a cruise tax will be levied on island visitors at 20 euros ($23) for popular destinations like Mykonos and 5 euros ($5.70) for less-visited islands like Samos. The government has also encouraged visitors to seek quieter locations. To alleviate water problems, water tankers from mainland Greece have helped parched islands, and the islands have also used desalination technology, which separates salts from ocean water to make it drinkable, to boost their drinking water. Other measures have included staggered visiting hours at the Acropolis. Meanwhile, Venice brought back an entry fee this year that was piloted last year on day-trippers who will have to pay between 5 and 10 euros (roughly $6 to $12) to enter the city during the peak season.
8 hours ago
Surging travel in Europe spikes concerns over tourism's drawbacks
MADRID -- Suitcases rattle against cobblestones. Selfie-snappers jostle for the same shot. Ice cream shops are everywhere. Europe has been called the world's museum, but its record numbers of visitors have also made it ground zero for concerns about overtourism. Last year, 747 million international travelers visited the continent, far outnumbering any other region in the world, according to the U.N.'s World Tourism Barometer. Southern and Western Europe welcomed more than 70% of them. As the growing tide of travelers strains housing, water and the most Instagrammable hotspots in the region, protests and measures to lessen the effects of overtourism have proliferated. Here's a look at the issue in some of Europe's most visited destinations. Among factors driving the record numbers are cheap flights, social media, the ease of travel planning using artificial intelligence and what U.N. tourism officials call a strong economic outlook for many rich countries that send tourists despite some geopolitical and economic tensions. Citizens of countries like the U.S., Japan, China and the U.K. generate the most international trips, especially to popular destinations, such as Barcelona in Spain and Venice in Italy. They swarm these places seasonally, creating uneven demand for housing and resources such as water. Despite popular backlash against the crowds, some tourism officials believe they can be managed with the right infrastructure in place. Italy's Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè said she thinks tourism flows at crowded sites such Florence's Uffizi Galleries that house some of the world's most famous artworks could be better managed with AI, with tourists able to buy their tickets when they book their travel, even months in advance, to prevent surges. She pushed back against the idea that Italy — which like all of its Southern European neighbors, welcomed more international visitors in 2024 than its entire population — has a problem with too many tourists, adding that most visits are within just 4% of the country's territory. 'It's a phenomenon that can absolutely be managed,' Santanchè told The Associated Press in an interview in her office on Friday. "Tourism must be an opportunity, not a threat — even for local communities. That's why we are focusing on organizing flows.' Countries on the Mediterranean are at the forefront. Olympics-host France, the biggest international destination, last year received 100 million international visitors, while second-place Spain received almost 94 million — nearly double its own population. Protests have erupted across Spain over the past two years. In Barcelona, the water gun has become a symbol of the city's anti-tourism movement after marching protests have spritzed unsuspecting tourists while carrying signs saying: 'One more tourist, one less resident!' The pressure on infrastructure has been particularly acute on Spain's Canary and Balearic Islands, which have a combined population of less than 5 million people. Each archipelago saw upwards of 15 million visitors last year. Elsewhere in Europe, tourism overcrowding has vexed Italy's most popular sites including Venice, Rome, Capri and Verona, where Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' was set. On the popular Amalfi Coast, ride-hailing app Uber offers private helicopter and boat rides in the summer to beat the crowds. Greece, which saw nearly four times as many tourists as its own population last year, has struggled with the strain on water, housing and energy in the summer months, especially on popular islands such as Santorini, Mykonos and others. In Spain, anti-tourism activists, academics, and the government say that overtourism is driving up housing costs in city centers and other popular locations due to the proliferation of short-term rentals that cater to visitors. Others bemoan changes to the very character of city neighborhoods that drew tourists in the first place. In Barcelona and elsewhere, activists and academics have said that neighborhoods popular with tourists have seen local shops replaced with souvenir vendors, international chains and trendy eateries. On some of Greece's most-visited islands, tourism has overlapped with water scarcity as drought grips the Mediterranean country of 10.4 million. In France, the Louvre, the world's most-visited museum, shut down this week when its staff went on strike warning that the facility was crumbling beneath the weight of overtourism, stranding thousands of ticketed visitors lined up under the baking sun. Angelos Varvarousis, a Barcelona- and Athens-based academic and urban planner who studies the industry, said overtourism risks imposing a 'monoculture' on many of Europe's hotspots. 'It is combined with the gradual loss and displacement of other social and economic activities,' Varvarousis said. Spain's government wants to tackle what officials call the country's biggest governance challenge: its housing crunch. Last month, Spain's government ordered Airbnb to take down almost 66,000 properties it said had violated local rules — while Barcelona announced a plan last year to phase out all of the 10,000 apartments licensed in the city as short-term rentals by 2028. Officials said the measure was to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents. Elsewhere, authorities have tried to regulate tourist flows by cracking down on overnight stays or imposing fees for those visiting via cruises. In Greece, starting July 1, a cruise tax will be levied on island visitors at 20 euros ($23) for popular destinations like Mykonos and 5 euros ($5.70) for less-visited islands like Samos. The government has also encouraged visitors to seek quieter locations. To alleviate water problems, water tankers from mainland Greece have helped parched islands, and the islands have also used desalination technology, which separates salts from ocean water to make it drinkable, to boost their drinking water. Other measures have included staggered visiting hours at the Acropolis. Meanwhile, Venice brought back an entry fee this year that was piloted last year on day-trippers who will have to pay between 5 and 10 euros (roughly $6 to $12) to enter the city during the peak season.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Surging travel in Europe spikes concerns over tourism's drawbacks
MADRID (AP) — Suitcases rattle against cobblestones. Selfie-snappers jostle for the same shot. Ice cream shops are everywhere. Europe has been called the world's museum, but its record numbers of visitors have also made it ground zero for concerns about overtourism. Last year, 747 million international travelers visited the continent, far outnumbering any other region in the world, according to the U.N.'s World Tourism Barometer. Southern and Western Europe welcomed more than 70% of them. As the growing tide of travelers strains housing, water and the most Instagrammable hotspots in the region, protests and measures to lessen the effects of overtourism have proliferated. Here's a look at the issue in some of Europe's most visited destinations. What's causing overtourism Among factors driving the record numbers are cheap flights, social media, the ease of travel planning using artificial intelligence and what U.N. tourism officials call a strong economic outlook for many rich countries that send tourists despite some geopolitical and economic tensions. Citizens of countries like the U.S., Japan, China and the U.K. generate the most international trips, especially to popular destinations, such as Barcelona in Spain and Venice in Italy. They swarm these places seasonally, creating uneven demand for housing and resources such as water. Despite popular backlash against the crowds, some tourism officials believe they can be managed with the right infrastructure in place. Italy's Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè said she thinks tourism flows at crowded sites such Florence's Uffizi Galleries that house some of the world's most famous artworks could be better managed with AI, with tourists able to buy their tickets when they book their travel, even months in advance, to prevent surges. She pushed back against the idea that Italy — which like all of its Southern European neighbors, welcomed more international visitors in 2024 than its entire population — has a problem with too many tourists, adding that most visits are within just 4% of the country's territory. 'It's a phenomenon that can absolutely be managed,' Santanchè told The Associated Press in an interview in her office on Friday. "Tourism must be an opportunity, not a threat — even for local communities. That's why we are focusing on organizing flows.' Where overtourism is most intense Countries on the Mediterranean are at the forefront. Olympics-host France, the biggest international destination, last year received 100 million international visitors, while second-place Spain received almost 94 million — nearly double its own population. Protests have erupted across Spain over the past two years. In Barcelona, the water gun has become a symbol of the city's anti-tourism movement after marching protests have spritzed unsuspecting tourists while carrying signs saying: 'One more tourist, one less resident!' The pressure on infrastructure has been particularly acute on Spain's Canary and Balearic Islands, which have a combined population of less than 5 million people. Each archipelago saw upwards of 15 million visitors last year. Elsewhere in Europe, tourism overcrowding has vexed Italy's most popular sites including Venice, Rome, Capri and Verona, where Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' was set. On the popular Amalfi Coast, ride-hailing app Uber offers private helicopter and boat rides in the summer to beat the crowds. Greece, which saw nearly four times as many tourists as its own population last year, has struggled with the strain on water, housing and energy in the summer months, especially on popular islands such as Santorini, Mykonos and others. The impact of overtourism In Spain, anti-tourism activists, academics, and the government say that overtourism is driving up housing costs in city centers and other popular locations due to the proliferation of short-term rentals that cater to visitors. Others bemoan changes to the very character of city neighborhoods that drew tourists in the first place. In Barcelona and elsewhere, activists and academics have said that neighborhoods popular with tourists have seen local shops replaced with souvenir vendors, international chains and trendy eateries. On some of Greece's most-visited islands, tourism has overlapped with water scarcity as drought grips the Mediterranean country of 10.4 million. In France, the Louvre, the world's most-visited museum, shut down this week when its staff went on strike warning that the facility was crumbling beneath the weight of overtourism, stranding thousands of ticketed visitors lined up under the baking sun. Angelos Varvarousis, a Barcelona- and Athens-based academic and urban planner who studies the industry, said overtourism risks imposing a 'monoculture' on many of Europe's hotspots. 'It is combined with the gradual loss and displacement of other social and economic activities,' Varvarousis said. What authorities are doing to cope Spain's government wants to tackle what officials call the country's biggest governance challenge: its housing crunch. Last month, Spain's government ordered Airbnb to take down almost 66,000 properties it said had violated local rules — while Barcelona announced a plan last year to phase out all of the 10,000 apartments licensed in the city as short-term rentals by 2028. Officials said the measure was to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents. Elsewhere, authorities have tried to regulate tourist flows by cracking down on overnight stays or imposing fees for those visiting via cruises. In Greece, starting July 1, a cruise tax will be levied on island visitors at 20 euros ($23) for popular destinations like Mykonos and 5 euros ($5.70) for less-visited islands like Samos. The government has also encouraged visitors to seek quieter locations. To alleviate water problems, water tankers from mainland Greece have helped parched islands, and the islands have also used desalination technology, which separates salts from ocean water to make it drinkable, to boost their drinking water. Other measures have included staggered visiting hours at the Acropolis. Meanwhile, Venice brought back an entry fee this year that was piloted last year on day-trippers who will have to pay between 5 and 10 euros (roughly $6 to $12) to enter the city during the peak season. ___ AP journalists Laurie Kellman in London, Derek Gatopoulos in Athens and David Biller in Rome contributed. Suman Naishadham, The Associated Press
