Amalfi Coast Itinerary: A Detailed Guide To the Amalfi Coast, Italy
Have you got a trip to Italy coming up and want to get the perfect Amalfi Coast itinerary?
The Amalfi Coast is one of Europe’s most romantic destinations with stunning cliffs, dramatic coastlines and some of Italy’s best food and drink. We have visited the Amalfi Coast twice over the last few years and we have learned lots of do’s and dont’s to make your trip to Italy more enjoyable.
This Amalfi Coast Itinerary will guide you through some of the most important questions including the best things to do there; how to get from Naples to the Amalfi Coast; where to stay and the best day trips to take on your visit.
Amalfi Coast Itinerary – Summary
Where to Stay
- Hotel Conca Park (Sorrento)
- Casa Nilde (Positano)
- Hotel Marina Riviera (Amalfi)
When to Visit
The best time to visit the Amalfi Coast is June and September due to the good climate and reduced crowds
Must do Activities
How to get from Naples to the Amalfi Coast
The main airport you will use to get to your final destination on the Amalfi Coast is in Naples. Naples is around 50-60km North and there are two main ways to get to the Amalfi Coast from Naples airport depending on where you are staying – Bus or Ferry.
You can also get the train but we found the other two methods more enjoyable, particularly if you want to admire the view along the journey. In our experience, if you are staying in Sorrento, the bus is the better option and if you are staying further down the coast, the ferry is more practical.
Bus
The bus from Naples to Sorrento is run by Curreri Viaggi and is the easiest way to get to Sorrento from Naples Airport. The bus takes around 90 minutes total and costs €13pp for a return ticket. This bus journey also has some stunning views of the coast, as well as phone charging ports on board. You can get tickets for this bus service here.
Ferry
If you are staying further down the coast in places like Positano, the best way to get there is to take the ferry from Naples to Positano. There are two main operators of ferries for this route, Lucibello, which has a high speed ferry that takes around an hour and NGL, whose options typically take 1.5 hours.
Prices for the ferries vary based on the demand and time of the year but usually cost around €30pp each way. The Positano Jet services numerous other options throughout the coast including ferries to Capri so you will likely use their ferries at some point on your trip.
Private Transfer
Naturally, a private transfer is more expensive but saves alot of the hassle of navigating public transport etc. If you do want to arrange a transfer, we would suggest Welcome Pickups, who have really strong reviews for reliability online.
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How to get around the Amalfi Coast
The options for getting around the coast are pretty much the same as getting from the airport – ferries, buses or car hire. One thing we will say is that the roads along the Amalfi Coast are very narrow in places and if you meet a bus on a sharp corner it can be a heart in mouth situation.
That being said, renting a car, gives you great flexibility and much less time queuing for buses. If you want to rent a car, try out The advantage of taking the bus is that bus tickets are very cheap and it can be less stressful. That being said, if you visit during peak season, the queues for public transport are very long and you will have to plan your days more carefully.
In terms of getting to the islands like Ischia and Capri, you will use the ferry system and we found the ferries to be really easy to navigate. Get your tickets in advance where possible but otherwise they are quite seamless and run throughout the day during peak season.
When to visit the Amalfi Coast
One thing to consider when planning your Amalfi Coast itinerary are the crowds. The towns in the Amalfi Coast and with over 5 million visitors every year, it gets crowded, very crowded. We have visited in June and September to avoid the peak crowds but it was still very busy when we visited. Particularly if you are relying on buses to get around the region, as well as the ferries, it can be a bit stressful.
With that in mind, our suggestion would be to visit in late Spring to early Summer (late April to early June), as you will get to enjoy the famous bougainvillea flowers in full bloom, the temperatures are starting to rise and the peak crowds have not yet arrived. Alternatively, we would also suggest mid September – mid October for similar reasons, as the Amalfi Coast definitely is not as enjoyable during those peak summer months with tightly packed crowds in high temperatures.
Read Our Other Italy Posts
How long should you spend in the Amalfi Coast
If you want to have the perfect Amalfi Coast itinerary, it is essential that you allow yourself sufficient time to explore the region properly. There are so many variations of this trip that you can take, with major tourist attractions available both North and South of the Amalfi Coast.
Ideally, you want at least a week to explore the region fully. If you only have a few days to visit the region then we would suggest using Sorrento or Positano as your base and then taking one day trip from there. But if you are able to stay longer, we would really recommend doing that, with so many great places to visit around the coast.
Where to stay in the Amalfi Coast
Sorrento
We have visited the Amalfi Coast twice and in both instances, we stayed in Sorrento. Sorrento is the not on the Amalfi Coast itself, but is widely used as a base to explore the area. Sorrento is also the easiest place to reach in this region from Naples Airport.
To us, Sorrento also has the perfect blend of the beauty of the Amalfi Coast with being a slightly bigger town with more restaurants and bars available. When we visited Sorrento, we stayed at Hotel Conca Park, a beautiful 4* hotel, with a private swimming pool and just a short walk from the main streets in Sorrento centre.
There is a really good atmosphere around Sorrento and while it does it get extremely busy as well, it is a bit more open than some of the other towns in the area, giving you a little bit more room to breathe. The food options around Sorrento are amazing as well with lots of great options throughout the day and nice areas to sit outside and relax with a drink during the day.
Hotels in Sorrento
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Hotel |
Price Range |
|---|---|
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€150+ per night for Double Room | |
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€150+ per night for Double Room | |
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€150+ per night for Double Room | |
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€150+ per night for Double Room | |
|
€150+ per night for Double Room |
Restaurants in Sorrento
- O Parruchiano (Famous restaurant with lemon trees)
- Azz (Affordable Lunch)
- Garden de Genaro
- L’Antica Trattoria
- Radical (Brunch)
Bars in Sorrento
- Cornelia
- La Colonna
- Hotel Mediterraneo
- D’Anton
- Bellevue Syrene
Things to do in Sorrento
- Bagni Regina Giovanna
- Visit the Beach Clubs
- Day trips to Pompeii, Capri or Positano
Positano
Widely regarded as the main attraction on the Amalfi Coast, Positano is everything you imagine it to be and more. Positano is the first town you will see on the Amalfi Coast and it makes a big immediate impact. With stunning views along the coast and the iconic pastel houses built into the cliff tops, Positano is the ultimate romantic destination in Europe.
Positano is the most romantic place on the Amalfi Coast but also the most densely crowded. If you don’t plan to stay in Positano for your whole trip, we would still recommend booking a one night stay at least so you can really enjoy Positano without being in a rush.
The views from restaurants overlooking the water here at sunset are unmatched and we would suggest treating yourself at Franco’s restaurant for a sunset meal, particularly if you are visiting for a special occasion.
Hotels in Positano
When booking a hotel in Positano, you are really paying for location. Positano is the most expensive place to stay along this coast and the one we would recommend for honeymoons etc. but not necessarily for value for money.
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Hotel |
Price Range |
|---|---|
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€150+ per night for Double Room | |
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€180+ per night for Double Room | |
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€180+ per night for Double Room |
Things to do in Positano
- Path of the Gods Hike
- A cooking class at Buca di Bacco
- Visit the ceramics shops
- Day trips to Capri/Pompeii
Bars and Restaurants in Positano
- Casa e Bottega
- Franco’s
- Ristorante Bruno
- Chez Black
- Il Tridente
- Il San Pietro
- Terrazza Cele
- La Scogliera
Amalfi
Amalfi is the next most renowned town along the coast, attracting fairly big crowds as well – it is not quite as picturesque as Positano, but definitely worth seeing nonetheless. We would definitely recommend visiting Amalfi Cathedral, an iconic church and one of Italy’s most beautiful pieces of architecture.
Hotels in Amalfi
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Hotel |
Price Range |
|---|---|
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€150+ per night for Double Room | |
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€150+ per night for Double Room | |
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Casa Mao |
€90+ per night for Double Room |
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€90+ per night for Double Room |
Ravello
Perched high up in the mountains and a little bit further away from the hustle and bustle of Positano, Ravello is well worth adding to your Amalfi Coast trip. The crowds in Ravello are much smaller than you will see in Positano and Amalfi, making it a nice place to have a more relaxed day along the coast.
Ravello offers some stunning views of the coastline and there are lots of beautiful walks you can take through the medieval gardens and pathways. One place you should definitely visit in Ravello is Villa Rufolo, which has brightly coloured gardens and one of the best views in the entire region.
Best Day To Add To Your Amalfi Coast Itinerary
Capri
Every trip to the Amalfi Coast should include a day trip to Capri. There are ferries running throughout the day from Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno and the price is typically around €23 each way for an adult ticket and children under 2 go free. Once you get to the port in Capri, you can take the cable car up to the main square in Capri.
One of our favourite things that we did when we were in Capri was the boat tour around the island that included a trip to the Blue Grotto. You get to go snorkelling as part of this, as well as a stop off at the famous blue grotto caves, which has the most stunning crystal clear water, you really have to see it to believe it.
Another area that you should definitely visit when you are here is Anacapri. Once you are there, take the chair lift to Monte Solaro which will bring you high up over Capri and offer incredible 360 views of the area. Just be careful if you are wearing sandals etc. on the chair lift, they can easily end up in the trees down below.
Restaurants in Capri
- Ristorante Panorama
- Da Paolino
- Ristorante il Geranio
- Ziqu
Pompeii
While it is not part of the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii is a very popular day trip choice to add on to your trip. Pompeii is around The guided tour here is well worth taking, with insights from a local archaeologist about the history of the site.
Amalfi Coast Itinerary – Multi Stop trip with Rome
One other thing that has become quite popular is to combine a trip to the Amalfi Coast with a trip to Rome. You can reach Rome in around 2.5 hours by train so this is definitely a doable option. We have put together a comprehensive guide to Rome as well to help you plan your perfect Amalfi Coast itinerary with a multi stop trip to Rome.
If you are planning to spend 2 weeks or more in Italy we would suggest starting North in somewhere like Florence or Cinque Terre and working your way down through Rome before ultimately spending a week in the Amalfi Coast.
Other Places to Add to your Amalfi Coast itinerary
While we didn’t get a chance to visit these places, we would definitely recommend checking them out on your next trip to the region
- Praiano
- Ischia
- Maiori
