Italy Amalfi Coast holidays: Idyllic destination slammed for being 'super crowded' as Netflix's 'Ripley' increases interest

An idyllic holiday hotspot in Italy that has become a popular destination on Instagram has been slammed by holidaymakers for being “super crowded”. UK holidaymakers who are planning a holiday to the Amalfi Coast have been issued a travel warning by tourists who have visited. They shared their complaints on the platform Reddit.

One holidaymaker said: "Was there last week and the crowd in Positano spoiled the entire experience. It is gorgeous to look at, but the crowds are beyond anything that city can hold." Another added: “Just took a one day tour to Positano and it’s already super crowded. I can only imagine how much worse it will be in the height of summer.”

A user posted on Reddit that "Amalfi in July will be crowded, just like every other place in Italy a tourist might go to.” The user added: "Roma, Firenze, Veneto, etc. Make sure you have your accommodation booked and your train tickets if you have very precise times you need to arrive/depart from/to somewhere." 

The Amalfi Coast has drawn in celebrities and tourists with its glittering sea and towns that look like film sets. There are plenty of places tourists can visit including the pearl of Ravello, the clifftop Sorrento or Positano. 

A new Netflix series Ripley is set to increase the attention on the picturesque part of the Italian coast, coming 25 years after the Amalfi Coast was presented in the 1999 film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel, The Talented Mr Ripley. In 2022, officials went as far as banning some tourists from the roads to try to tackle the problem of overcrowding.

The mayor in Positano imposed two 'red zones' in the resort's most scenic areas in an attempt to stop tourists from lingering too long in a single spot. Selfie-hunters who fell foul of the rule were fined up to €275.