Tourists visiting Juliet's Balcony in Verona are pressing used chewing gum onto the 13th century walls of Via Cappello, bringing a trend long associated with American cities to one of Italy's most visited historic streets.
Thousands of pieces of gum in various colours now cover sections of the ancient street wall at the exit of Casa di Giulietta, the site that draws Shakespeare fans due to its resemblance to the balcony in Romeo and Juliet. There is no official connection between the play and the marble balcony, which was constructed in the 20th century using 13th century marble.
Juliet's Balcony became a paid-for attraction in 2025, with visitors now paying 15 euros to get close to it. Before that, graffiti covered the nearby courtyard walls. Those walls have since been cleaned, and passersby have shifted their attention to Via Cappello, swapping markers for gum.
A Trend Traced to Seattle
The phenomenon is thought to have started in the early 1990s in Seattle, where the Gum Wall sits in an alley near Pike Place Market. It began when theatregoers stuck their gum to the wall before entering a venue behind it. By 2020, the wall measured eight feet in height and over 54 feet wide, with an estimated one million pieces of gum on it.
An industrial steam machine operating at 280 degrees was used in a clean-up effort that year, but the wall has since grown back. A similar installation, known as Gum Alley, also exists in San Luis Obispo, California.
Doctors Issue a Warning
NHS GP Dr Ellen Welch, the resident medical expert for holiday insurance company Total Travel Protection, said a wall covered in gum from hundreds of people is a potential hotbed for bacteria. She said research has shown that chewing gum can continue to contain and attract harmful bacteria long after it is disposed of.
Dr Welch advised visitors to avoid touching gum walls entirely, saying doing so carries a high risk of exposure to large amounts of bacteria and potential illness. She also warned against adding to the walls, noting that contact exposes the person to existing bacteria while also spreading their own. She pointed out that the original Seattle wall is cleaned frequently because it is known to attract pests.
Replacing the Padlock Trend
For romantically inclined travellers, gum walls appear to be taking the place of the padlock trend, which peaked around 2015. The Pont des Arts bridge in Paris became the most prominent example, with thousands of heart-shaped locks attached by visitors as romantic gestures.
The collective weight of the locks prompted the city council to act after a Facebook campaign by Parisians who said the practice had turned tourist attractions into eyesores and that the 19th century bridge was at risk of being damaged. Workers removed the locks with bolt cutters, and the bridge was later fitted with plexiglass to prevent the practice from returning.
