'I visited Italy's beautiful overtourism capital - it's so bad you can't move'

Daily Mirror

7 hours ago

The Amalfi Coast in Italy's Campania region is a popular destination in summer, but crowds of tourists are making this beautiful place a nightmare to enjoy, according to some
As our boat arrived at Amalfi's most famous town of Positano, the first thing I noticed was the breathtaking pastel-coloured clifftop houses I'd only previously seen in photographs.
The second thing I noticed was the tourists. Though it was only early June, the port, beach and narrow streets of Positano were already packed with day-trippers who had arrived on various boats, trains and buses.
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On a sweltering day - it was already 25C at 11am - sun-seekers filled the beach, stretched out on towels and loungers, while long lines formed for the ferries that take people to various other popular destinations along the Amalfi Coast, including Capri, Salerno, and Sorrento.
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At times, particularly near the port, movement became difficult without bumping into other visitors. The smell of engine oil and exhaust fumes filled the air, while the noise of crowds made the experience anything but relaxing.
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As I looked out at the sea from the village, dozens of boats bobbed in the glittering blue water, waiting to dock with another bucketload of visitors, eager to take snaps of Positano's stunning cliffside.
It's undoubtedly one of the most beautiful towns I've ever seen. But the sheer number of tourists (myself included) has ruined the magic.
'Welcome to the Amalfi Coast, the most beautiful place in the world,' my taxi driver had said as he picked us up from Naples Airport. When I pressed him further as we made our way along the winding road to our hotel in Sorrento, I asked what Positano was like.
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'Beautiful, but busy,' he replied. His words felt understated once I saw the crowded reality. I had naively thought, 'How bad could it be?' I've been to plenty of tourist hotspots in the height of summer: Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome. Even London and Edinburgh can get exceptionally busy with tourists.
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Nothing could have prepared me for Positano, the stunning UNSECO-listed village in southern Italy, built vertically on steep cliffs that plunge into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Like much of the Amalfi Coast, it's known for giant lemons and limoncello, and has become a popular haunt with influencers, celebrities and honeymooners who go for its boutique hotels and luxury restaurants. It's also a TikTok famous location, with thousands of videos showcasing the food, scenery and beaches.
A-listers such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyoncé, and the Kardashians frequent this southern Campania coastline, often in yachts. Yet, behind this curated glamour lies the challenge of managing growing visitor numbers.
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Positano is home to fewer than 4,000 permanent residents. While there's no exact number for Positano visitor counts per day in the summer, the Amalfi Coast attracts an estimated four to five million tourists each year.
Many visitors come as day-trippers from cruise ships or tour buses, which can put pressure on villages like these as they often just come and go, contributing little to the local economy if they aren't staying overnight.
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The village was not designed for cars or large crowds. Roads are narrow and winding, leading to traffic chaos, especially on the SS163 Amalfi Drive, one of the most scenic but congested routes in Europe.
Limited parking and overcrowded buses during peak season make it difficult for both residents and visitors to get around. The sea is often crowded with private boats and ferries, which can contribute to marine pollution and harm delicate ecosystems.
Positano isn't alone with this issue. The Amalfi Coast, globally renowned for its dramatic cliffs and romantic beaches, has struggled with overtourism for years.
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In 2022, the Amalfi Coast implemented a number plate system, restricting access to the area based on the last digit of car registration plates to manage the traffic flow. Cars with number plates ending in an odd number are allowed to use the road one day, and those ending in an even number the next.
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It was aimed at easing the permanent traffic jam along the 21-mile coastal road described as 'a nightmare' by another taxi driver who took me back to Naples airport after my trip. What was supposed to be an hour drive turned into two hours and a quick dash through security to catch my flight. 'Every day is like this with the traffic,' he had added.
Local efforts, such as the opening of Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi Airport, aim to distribute visitors more evenly across the region. There's also growing encouragement for off-season tourism to spread visitor numbers more evenly throughout the year.
It comes as several Italian destinations have implemented similar measures to manage tourism, including Venice's trial day-tripper tax and restrictions on cruise ship docking.
It may be too early to predict what could become of the Amalfi Coast, but it could become the next victim of overtourism.
Travel advice for the Amalfi Coast
Visit in the shoulder season (April to May or September to October) for a quieter, more meaningful experience.
Stay overnight and support local hotels, shops, and restaurants — not just big cruise lines.
Take public transport or ferries instead of driving.
Respect the environment: stay on trails, reduce plastic use, and leave no trace.