Weeks before the official start of peak season, a familiar story is unfolding in one of Italy’s most picturesque stretches: tourist gridlock on the Amalfi Coast.
Videos of visitors at a standstill in Positano, one of the area’s dozen-plus villages, prompted fresh complaints from travelers and Italians alike about the influx has turned the coast into a cautionary tale about the dangers of influencer-induced over-tourism.
“Amalfi has always been crowded, but at the moment, post-covid, it’s got even worse,” said Simone Amorico, CEO of the private tour operator Access Italy.
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Angel Castellanos, a travel expert and video host who specializes in Italy, says Amalfi’s appeal is not unfounded.
“There’s a reason people should see it,” he said. “The natural beauty and these pastel-colored houses just falling into the ocean, and the dramatic sky is just phenomenal. I mean, I love it.”
But in recent years, the crowds have become harder to manage. Residents and business owners have complained of difficulty getting around, finding parking and securing affordable housing.
“People treat the Amalfi Coast like a theme park,” Lara Capraro, a Positano local whose late father ran a tour boat operation, told The Washington Post in 2024. “I don’t know how much longer it can go on like this.”
As locals plead with municipal leaders to manage the impact of tourism, travelers can do their part and pivot — particularly at peak season.
“Americans are stuck on ‘It’s gotta be the Amalfi Coast or nothing,’” said Castellanos. He said Italy is full of comparable beach destinations that have “that classic Mediterranean feel.” Experts suggest these options.
Ponza
Ponza once served as a Roman prison for exiles, but today the island off the coast of Lazio has a much sunnier reputation: It’s a favorite vacation destination for summering Italians “without the Instagram hype around it,” Castellanos said.
Katie Parla, owner of Parla Tours and author of the cookbook “Food of the Italian Islands,” says between the train and ferry, a trip to Ponza from her home in Rome takes about four hours. Yet despite being within easy access of the capital, Castellanos says Ponza still feels “super relaxed” and “much less expensive than Amalfi.”
Once you arrive, don’t expect easy access to sandy beaches; you’ll have to work for them. Most of the popular swimming spots are reachable only if you rent a boat or hire a water taxi. And don’t wait to lock in summer accommodations until the last minute. Parla notes that Ponza’s vacation rental inventory is limited (which also limits the number of visitors).
The Aeolian Islands
Off the northeastern coast of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands are just out of the way enough to cut down on crowds. “The ratio of Americans to Italians is much, much, much less,” than other parts of Italy, Castellanos said.
The archipelago is made up of seven islands and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritagesite for its “outstanding record of volcanic island-building and destruction, and ongoing volcanic phenomena.” You don’t need to be a geologist to appreciate their natural wonders: A popular activity for visitors is to snorkel among the underwater fumaroles (gas vents).
Maratea
Two and a half hours south of the Amalfi Coast in the province of Potenza, Maratea is often referred to as “the pearl of the Tyrrhenian coast.” Kathy McCabe, the host and producer of the PBS show “Dream of Italy,” says it lives up to the nickname.
“[I] have always thought that it is one of Italy’s best-kept secrets,” McCabe said in an email.
McCabe is a fan of Maratea’s many sandy coves, grottoes and black sand beaches, like Cala Jannita, where visitors can rent umbrellas and sun-beds, or bring their own towel and stretch out for free.
Ischia
Hop on a ferry from Naples and in about an hour (the trip length will depend on the weather), you’ll arrive in Ischia, a less developed counterpart to the nearby island of Capri. “It doesn’t have that luxury, old Hollywood kind of cachet that Capri has. … It’s a bit more like being on a Greek island,” Castellanos said.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t popular. McCabe says that while Ischia is “definitely on the tourist radar,” it has managed to “preserve so much Southern Italian authenticity.” It’s also a draw for more than its beaches.
“I adore Ischia for so many reasons: its simplicity, beauty, but most of all its thermal hot springs, which are a big draw,” McCabe said. For a high-end hot spring experience, McCabe recommends the Mezzatorre hotel and spa, or for travelers on a budget, get a day pass at Poseidon Hot Springs, a wellness complex with 20 pools.
Cilento
Marina Cacciapuoti, founder of magazine and travel planning company Italy Segreta, has another pick in the Salerno region for travelers: Cilento.
McCabe describes the Cilento coast as gorgeous and less packed, even if it is still popular with locals and “Italians in the know.” Her only warning: Cilento’s most beautiful beaches, such as Cala degli Infreschi and Cala Blanca, will require some hiking or a boat ride to reach.
Maiori and Minori
If you are dead set on going to the Amalfi Coast, Cacciapuoti would stick to Maiori and Minori, two small towns past Ravello en route to Salerno that don’t get as much attention as their neighbors.
“They’re among the few towns that still retain a local character and are great for families,” Cacciapuoti said. “Maiori also has a great sandy beach, and both are largely free of tourist traps.”
If you make it to Maiori, Cacciapuoti says you can’t miss the bakery Pasticceria Napoli and — if your budget allows — renting a villa or cottage at the luxury estate Torre della Limonaia.
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