Overview

• Regina Simmons describes narrow Positano streets packed “shoulder to shoulder” and a railway station she likened to a “horror movie” after a day trip from Sorrento
• She found almost all signage in English and fellow Americans everywhere, rendering her months of Italian lessons unnecessary
• Summer visitor numbers in Positano and other Mediterranean hotspots have hit record highs and sparked anti-tourism protests over overcrowding
• Simmons urges travelers not to follow trendy social media endorsements without factoring in peak-season congestion
• Unimpressed by the crowds, the Simmons family says they are considering alternative, less-crowded European destinations for their next holiday