My dream Italian beach holiday turned into complete chaos - I was so overwhelmed by tourists I had to HIDE
Regina Simmons, 38, headed on a ten-hour flight from Las Vegas to Positano, Italy last month.
The mother-of-two expected to see 'calm' streets and great views that had been plastered all over social media.
However, the American and her family were left disappointed when they arrived to the Italian popular destination, the Mirror reports.
Regina, her husband Dan Simmons, 46, and their two teenage daughters were 'overwhelmed' by the vast amount of tourists.
The family stayed at a hotel in Sorrento and visited Positano for a day trip.
'It was just bananas... We were overwhelmed by the amount of people. We had to look for a restaurant to hide in and make a game plan,' tourist Regina said.
The chain restaurant owner recalled how busy the 'tight little streets' were in Positano.
'Half the people are going up and half are going down. It was complete chaos. Everyone was touching, shoulder to shoulder,' she explained.
Regina was inspired to visit the area because of the 'beautiful' videos she had seen online.
She expressed how Italy has become 'trendy' and many of her American friends are making the trip this year too.
The tourist was also disappointed with how many things were written in English, after preparing for the trip by taking Italian lessons.
She noted that there were 'Americans everywhere'.
'If it's trendy on social media, everyone wants to do what everyone else is doing, Myself included... Don't believe everything you see on social media,' Regina concluded.
Earlier this month, Europe's most famous holiday hotspots were busier than ever.
Images show swarms of holidaymakers packed shoulder-to-shoulder and forming huge queues waiting for trains and buses in some of the most beautiful destinations in Italy and Greece.
In the Italian village of Varenna - famed for its tiny streets and colourful facades of houses - Brits have complained of crowds so dense they were barely able to reach down to take their phones out of their pockets.
Disappointed sunseekers took to social media to share how their dream holiday didn't quite match reality and one woman visiting Positano, on Italy's Amalfi Coast, was left disappointed by her experience.
She said: 'Social media lied. I've been dreaming of going to Positano on Italy's Amalfi Coast for years.
'And while it is definitely a very beautiful town, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I was expecting all of the stairs, but I wasn't expecting the magnitude of the crowds and the lineups.
'Positano has become a travel destination where you need to have every moment of your itinerary planned out in advance, and book reservations for pretty much everything. Otherwise, it will all be booked up before you even touch down in Italy.'
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