Tourists swamp small Italian villages with crowds 'blocking streets and trapping locals in their homes'

By JAKE HOLDEN, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:59, 4 May 2026 | Updated: 02:00, 4 May 2026 Tourists have swamped Italian villages by blocking the streets with crowds and cameras and trapping residents in their homes and causing renewed local outcry. As temperatures rise, tourists have begun to infest the streets of the quaint villages that line the Amalfi Coast, knocking peeling shoulders against each other and clattering overfilled rucksacks into postcard stands. Footage online shows a narrow passageway in Positano in south-western Italy filled with a 'sea of tourists'. Nearby resident Antonio Attianese, who lives in Nocera Inferiore, said: 'For the Mayors and administrators of the Amalfi coast, they like this mess, otherwise they would have already issued orders to civilise this mass tourism. 'It’s been going on like this for years, and the situation is getting worse every year.' Not an inch is spared and more holiday makers are seen filing down into the throng from a set of stairs into the ancient street. In the town of Amalfi, lines of visitors stretch back from ferries in the harbour. One type of tourism which commentators have said is particularly harmful is 'eat and run' toursim - or 'mordi e fuggi' - where day-trippers spend little money and buy cheap souvenirs. Hundreds of tourists clogged the streets of Positano on the Almalfi Coast in southern Italy in the latest episode of over tourism in the town Locals have renewed outcry over the packed scenes posted in videos on social media Positano is a celebrity favourite on the Amalfi Coast but it is being bogged down by crowding  Former mayor of Positano Salvatore Gagliano slammed the crowding as 'scenes straight out of the Third World'. Mr Gagliano, who now owns the five-star Grand Hotel Tritone in the nearby village of Praiano, told the Telegraph: 'The roads are narrow. When they are blocked there is total confusion.' He called for regulation on cruise ships coming to Positano, adding, 'We can't handle so many people. The beauty of the Amalfi Coast is being ruined.' The town has long been a popular hangout for Hollywood stars like Kylie Jenner, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Reese Witherspoon and Mick Jagger. They are often seen at iconic spots like Hotel Le Sirenuse and the rustic beachside restaurant Da Adolfo.   Over-tourism is a common problem across Europe with Barcelona being a particularly contentious hotspot. Locals there have staged regular protests over the number of visitors descending on the sunny city in summer months, claiming that an excess of holiday homes and B&Bs has driven up rents for locals. The local authorities stepped in and slapped extra charges on tourists staying overnight in the city after holidaymakers were attacked with water pistols during a demonstration in 2024.  Dubrovnik in Croatia has also become awash with tourists in the last few years since Game of Thrones was filmed there, jacking up prices in the city for accommodation and food. Venice has long been overcrowded and is another favourite of tourists who come to see the glories of Italy. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.