Overtourism has ruined the Amalfi Coast – and Puglia could be next

No longer flying under the radar, could this trending Italian region go the way of its better-known neighbours?

By Emilee Tombs from THE TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

The seaside town of Polignano a Mare is one of Puglia’s most-visited destinations Credit: getty

Hiking with a guide in the hills behind Amalfi in October 2024, I felt the full effect of overtourism in the popular coastal town as we emerged into the sunshine. Even in shoulder season, the crowds heaved around the town’s cathedral, lines snaked out of every gelato shop and packed-out tour buses wheezed along the roads.

“It’s chaotically busy, even at this time of year,” affirmed my guide Gianluca Paolillo, who runs hiking tours from Ravello and Scala. “In the summer, the popular trails like the Path of the Gods and the Amalfi Lemon Trail have too many people on them. It can take hours to complete just a short distance and the tourists are not careful. Every year we have people falling from the cliffs while trying to take the perfect picture.”

The giant, gnarly sfusato lemons that grow on the hillsides here have become a symbol of the coastline. As famous here as Mickey Mouse is in Florida. Every souvenir shop sells trinkets and T-shirts with them on, ceramics are all decorated with sunshine yellow patterns, and the gelato shops’ most-sold flavour is a sweet-sour lemon sorbet.

The shops that line the Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi main street are becoming increasingly overcrowded Credit: iStock Editorial

And then there are the £50 “Amalfi Lemon Experience” tours, offered on sites like Get Your Guide. This Disney-like version of a stroll amongst the lemon groves often includes a cooking class and a set of pictures of the purchaser posing next to a giant citrus with the sparkling Mediterranean Sea in the background.

“Everything on the coast is geared to tourists these days. Locals can’t afford to spend time here any more,” mused Gianluca.

Amalfi, Tuscany, Rome, Sicily, Venice and the Italian Lakes all suffer from overtourism, but there were always areas of Italy that remained blissfully unscathed – like Puglia. The heel of the Italian boot, this sun-baked region is home to Caribbean-like beaches, gastronomic agroturismo (farm stay) properties and, until recently, fewer international tourists. But some locals believe this is changing.

Puglia has become a popular holiday destination, due in-part to its excellent beaches Credit: getty

“When I first moved to London 12 years ago, nobody had heard of Puglia. Fast forward 12 years and people have either been or they have a holiday booked,” says Alessandra Tasca, head of wine at OMA restaurant in London, who grew up in Monopoli, a coastal town in northern Puglia. “The change has been rapid and Puglia has not handled it well. My friends living there are concerned about the future.”

This summer, the first direct flight from the US to Puglia will launch, with low-cost Italian airline Neos making the destination more accessible than ever to visitors from across the pond. The inaugural flight will depart New York on June 3, flying into Puglia’s capital, Bari. The flights will be seasonal, operating twice weekly until October 2025, and this new route is presenting opportunities anew for tour operators and accommodation specialists.

“Over the last few years, Puglia has been one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Europe,” says Livia Angelini of luxury operator Scott Dunn. “We’ve had a steady increase of approximately 16 per cent year-on-year in enquiries for the region.”

Hilltop towns like Ostuni are rammed with tourists for much of the year Credit: iStockphoto

In 2024, more than 10 million passengers flew in and out of Puglia’s three airports – Bari, Brindisi and Foggia – an increase of 10 per cent compared to the year before, and, as a result, easyJet and Ryanair have increased their flight offering to the region for 2025 to meet demand. “Puglia is a fast-growing market for us,” confirms Oliver Bell, co-founder of UK-based Oliver’s Travels. “Historically, Tuscany, Umbria and Sicily have been popular with the UK market, while for the US market it’s The Lakes and the Amalfi Coast. While these destinations still hold their ground, Puglia has climbed to the second most-booked region for 2025, tying with the Italian Lakes – a remarkable leap from fifth last year, thanks to growing awareness and better air connectivity.”

When I visited in 2017, Puglia still felt quite unknown. There were only a handful of luxury hotels that catered to an international crowd, one of the first of which was Masseria Trapana, run by Australian hotelier Rob Trapana.

By Emilee Tombs from THE TELEGRAPH.CO.UK