An American recently described her trip to Italy as “a horror movie.” Here’s how to avoid her mistakes.

In 2013, I went to Italy for Thanksgiving. It was an odd choice, but I knew that Italy is better in fall, partly due to lower prices and smaller crowds. I spent two weeks backpacking across the country, and on Thanksgiving Day, I found myself on a train down to Positano.

Back then, the crowds weren’t nearly as thick as they are now at this stunning seaside town, and I enjoyed some wonderful walks along quiet streets and empty beaches. My, how things have changed.

These days, Positano seems like another world from what I experienced in 2013, yet social media will have you believing that it’s a quaint and quiet paradise just waiting for you to visit. Don’t be fooled.

What Positano, Italy is really like

Regina Simmons, 38, had long dreamed of visiting Positano, Italy. Captivated by dreamy TikTok clips showcasing quiet lanes, sun-drenched terraces, and locals meandering through markets, the Las Vegas-based mother of two envisioned a serene escape on the Amalfi Coast. But after a 10-hour journey across the Atlantic, she and her family found themselves in a very different reality.

“In the videos, everything looks completely empty and calm,” Regina told the UK-based Mirror. “In real life, there were far too many people. It was just bananas. We were overwhelmed.” Navigating the tight, cascading streets of Positano proved chaotic. “Everyone was shoulder to shoulder. Half the crowd was climbing up, the other half squeezing down—it felt like complete madness,” she recalled.

Social media’s version of Positano turned into a “horror movie”

Regina, who owns a chain of restaurants, had crafted her Italian itinerary based on the romanticized images she’d seen online: quiet cobblestone streets, market stalls brimming with fresh produce, panoramic views unmarred by crowds. But from their first moments at a packed train station—“like a horror movie,” she said—the reality of peak-season travel set in.

Alongside her husband Dan, 46, and daughters Sofia, 16, and Camila, 13, Regina also visited Rome and other high-traffic destinations during their summer trip. Though the landscapes were stunning, the sheer volume of visitors often eclipsed the charm. “There are hundreds of beautiful videos of Positano that inspire you to go,” she said. “This year feels especially trendy—so many of my American friends are traveling to Italy.”

Regina’s experience echoes a growing chorus of travelers reckoning with the disparity between curated online content and the on-the-ground realities of global hotspots—particularly during a summer when Italy seems to be everyone’s dream destination.

How to visit Italy the right way

Italy is one of the most gorgeous (and delicious) countries in the world so I’d never tell you not to visit Italy. In fact, I’ll be heading to northern Italy for a hike in the Dolomites next month, then back to Venice in late October. However, there’s a right and a wrong way to visit Italy.

If you want to visit Italy the right way (meaning, without encountering as many crowds), here’s what to do.

Choose the right destination in Italy

Remember the real estate motto “location, location, location”? Well, that applies to travel as well. If you want to avoid the crowds, choose a location that isn’t the #1 place that everyone else is searching for.

Even if you’re set on visiting hot spots like Positano, consider basing yourself elsewhere and visiting for the day. I based myself in Naples (Napoli) and took the train down, but you could also find smaller towns outside of Positano that receive fewer visitors.

Pick the perfect time to visit Italy

Italy is one of the worst places in Europe to visit in summer, not just because of its crowds and high prices, but also because of the sweltering heat that much of the country experiences.

An Italian tour operator friend of mine warned me only to visit Italy after September 10, which I highly encourage you to do. My late November trip to Italy not only had fewer crowds, but as early December eased in, I got to enjoy some holiday decorations without the Christmas crowds that would soon usher in.