Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
The dramatic cliffs of the Amalfi Coast are awash in a sea of colorful houses and flowers that seem to hang over the Tyrrhenian Sea.
This popular Italian destination is a wonderful place to explore for a few days, wander through the streets, take a swim and of course eat. Below you can find suggestions on what to do and see and suggstions for the perfect Amalfi Coast itinerary. With many ferries running between the towns, you can also include visits to Capri and Ischia on your list of things to do.
Our family of 5 spent several days on the Amalfi Coast during the summer of 2022 after a wedding on the Island of Ischia.
How Much Time Do You Need on the Amalfi Coast?
The first question you need to ask, is how many days do you need on the Amalfi Coast? You should plan at least 2 days on the Amalfi Coast if you just want to see the highlights or give yourself 3-4 days to enjoy a few of the towns and local activities. If you also want to visit one of the Islands, you should plan to spend at least 4 days in the area. It is possible to visit the Amalfi Coast on a day trip from Naples or even Rome. You can read more about visiting in a single day below or look into booking a tour to maximize your time.
Many people plan a week-long stay on the Amalfi Coast and you will find plenty of activities and can arrange a tour to Pompeii and the Islands.
Things to See on the Amalfi Coast
Below, you can find suggestions for a perfect Amalfi Coast Itinerary, but you can also put together your own plan with these suggestions of things to do on the Amalfi Coast.
Visit the Towns along the Coast
You could easily spend your entire Amalfi Itinerary visiting each of the towns along the Amalfi Coast. Nestled between (and even on) the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, each town on the Amalfi Coast has its own character and history. Take a bus, ferry or tour along the coast to explore each of the towns, have a meal, take a dip in the ocean and wander the narrow streets and stairways. Below you can find some of the towns.
Travel Tip: In addition to the towns below, you can find many charming villages just inland that have far few crowds and spectacular views. Check out Ravello if you're looking for something a bit different.
If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting yourself from town to town along the coast, you can also book a tour or get a private transfer to take you from place to place. It is possible to use the ferries and buses, but having your own driver for the day will guarantee you find some interesting spots to visit on your schedule.
These tours all get good reviews:
- Amalfi Coast Tour – this tour gets great reviews and includes a customized itinerary
- Amalfi Coast Boat Excursion – This is a tour by boat of the coast and avoids the crazy roads. Visit the major sites on this tour with excellent reviews.
Here is a quick overview of the different towns along the coast you should consider visiting:
Sorrento: This is town marks one end of the Amalfi Coast and is an excellent starting or ending point for exploring. The town is beautiful and was the birthplace of Limoncello so you will find plenty of places to grab a bottle.
Atrani: This smaller town nestled just over the hill from the town of Amalfi is quieter but worth a visit. Relax on the beach or visit one of the restaurants in town.
Positano: This gorgeous town is in the heart of the coast. With houses covering the hills, winding and narrow roads, and so many stairs, the town is a vibrant display of the best of the Amalfi Coast. It also equally popular and crowded. Take in the amazing views here and be fully prepared to climb the stairs!
Amalfi: Another bustling town, Amalfi has a fun and busy waterfront and a series of streets that wind up the hill full of shops and restaurants. We stayed just up the hill from Amalfi in Pontone and enjoyed the beach and town of Amalfi.
A few other smaller but beautiful towns along the coast to try include: Praiano, Minori, and Maiori
Explore the Coast on Foot
One of the best ways to explore the Amalfi Coast is by foot. Many of the roads in town are small and narrow with frequent steps, so walking around town is often plenty of exercise on it’s own. If you are feeling more ambitious I strongly recommend doing one of the hiking/walking trails that go inland for epic views out over the cliffs and the sea. We enjoyed both the hikes below during our visit.
Hike the Path of the Gods (Sentiero Degli Dei): This is a stunning hike that starts in the town of Nocelle in the hills above the coast. From here, you hike about 7 km down a path and series of stairs to Positano. The trail offers amazing views but is challenging at points with some steep drop-offs. You can get to the start of the hike by taking a bus from Amalfi to Nocelle.
Walk from Amalfi to Ravello: Another amazing walk is to walk up to Ravello or down from Ravello to Amalfi. This path is mostly a series of stairs, that hugs the hills as it makes its way up the valley past where we stayed in Pontone to Ravello.
Go to the Beach
While hiking in the hills and wandering the coastline is a great way to spend your Amalfi Coast itinerary, save some time to relax on one of the many beaches. Every town has it’s own beach complete with umbrellas and chairs you can rent. Taking a dip in the Sea will be one of the highlights of your trip.
Visit the Islands
If you have more than 2 days than it’s worth planning some time on one of the nearby islands. Both Capri and Ischia can be reached via ferry from most of the larger towns on the Amalfi Coast and have a similar feel to Amalfi with steep shorlines lined with colorful houses draped in flowers.
Capri: This rugged, but luxury island is the perfect place for a day trip or a few nights. You can take the ferry, or if you are visiting for the day, look into a tour. One of the most popular sites on Capri is the Blue Grotto. To get to the Grotto, you will need to book a tour on a local boat. Capri is very popular, and can get crowded during the summer months.
Ischia: Ischia is not quite as well known as Capri for the international traveler but is actually bigger than Capri and less steep. You will find plenty of places to swim, relax and grab an amazing meal in Ischia with a slightly more local vibe. We spent a few days in Ischia and loved the island’s charm.
Soak up the Food Scene
You can’t come to Italy and overlook the food! In addition to many top notch restaurants, you can find many smaller places to grab a morning cappuchino, afternoon gelato, or the perfect bowl of pasta for dinner. In addition to eating great food, you can also learn to cook or take a food tour to dive a little deeper into the local culture.
If you are a foodie, check out these tours:
- Eating, Cooking and Walking Tour
- Farm to Table Tour on the Amalfi Coast
- Cooking Class and Farmhouse Visit
Visit Some of the Other Nearby Sites
If you are coming and going from the Amalfi Coast, you should also consider stopping at a few of the other nearby sites. Pompeii is just a bit north of the coastline and is worth a visit. You can also visit Naples on your way to or from the Amalfi Coast.
See more about How to Visit Naples.
Suggested Itinerary for 2 Days in Amalfi Coast
If you have 2 days on the Amalfi Coast, book a place to stay right in one of the towns so you can make the most of your time in the area. If you want a livelier scene, choose Positano, Amalfi, or Sorrento, otherwise consider one of the smaller towns.
We spent 2 nights recently in Pontone right near Amalfi and loved being a little outside the busy town, but with gorgeous views out over the coast.
On your first day in Amalfi, hop on the bus of the ferry and make your way along the coast exploring the towns that appeal the most. Stop for lunch along the way, and hit the beach in the afternoon. Head back to the town you’re staying in to enjoy a relaxed dinner.
On the 2nd day of your Amalfi Coast Itinerary, take the bus up to Nocelle and hike the Path of the Gods. If you are visiting in the summer, try to get an early start as the trail can get hot and crowded later in the day.
The trail ends with a series of stairs that take you down to Positano. Give yourself time to wander through Positano and grab some gelato by the waterfront. From Positano, you can find ferries to most of the nearby towns making it easy to get back to your lodging for the night.
Another alternative if hiking isn’t your thing is to do a day trip out to Capri. You can take the ferry out for the day, or book a tour to make the most of your time.
Amalfi Coast Itinerary 4 Days (or More)
If you have 4 or more days for your Amalfi Coast Itinerary, you have time to explore the coastline and take a few days out on the islands of either Capri or Ischia. For an Amalfi coast 4 days itinerary, plan to spend 2 days on the mainland using the 2 day itinerary above (spend a day exploring the towns and a day either hiking, boating or hitting the beach). Then catch a ferry out to either Capri or Ischia and spend two nights enjoying island life.
If you have more than 4 days on the Amalfi Coast and are looking for a 5 days Amalfi Coast Itinerary or even longer, I would add on days to the mainland. There are so many towns and tours available here that you can easily fill your days by taking a cooking class, visiting another town, taking a hike, or visiting Naples or Pompeii.
1 Day on the Amalfi Coast
With just one day in the Amalfi Coast, you have two options – book a tour for the day to make the most of your short time, or choose one area of the Amalfi Coast to explore. We found Amalfi easy to get to from Naples and a great place to explore. If I had just one day I would explore this town, walk up into the hills, visit the beach and have an amazing meal.
Our Exact Amalfi Coast Itinerary during our Most Recent Visit to Italy: We spent a night in Naples after flying into the airport, and woke early the next morning to take a ferry out to Ischia. Since we were visiting Ischia for a wedding, we spent most of our time on this island swimming, walking in the castle, and treating ourselves to an amazing meal in town. After 2 days on the island, we took the ferry back to Naples and picked up our rental car. We were a bit nervous about driving along the coast, but found the main roads down to the town of Amalfi easy to navigate if we just took our time. We stayed just inland of Amalfi in the small town of Pontone. We spent the first day exploring a few of the beaches and towns and doing the walk from Ravello/Pontone down to Amalfi. On the second day, we took the bus from Amalfi to Nocelle and hiked the Path of the Gods. We finished the day in Positano for some beach time and gelato before heading back to Pontone for dinner. The next morning, we stopped for breakfast in Ravello and spent the day explore Pompeii before heading to the airport for our evening flight. Pros of our Amalfi Itinerary: We loved staying in Pontone and the Island of Ischia. The Path of the Gods is amazing and not nearly as much hastle as I thought it would be to get there. Cons of our Amalfi Itinerary: Getting in and out of Naples to get the rental car was a bit of a pain. If we did the trip again we would take the ferry directly from Ischia to Amalfi and Amalfi back to Naples and not rent a car.
Things to Know About Visiting the Amalfi Coast
Best Time of Year to Visit the Amalfi Coast
Like many places, the best time to visit the Amalfi Coast is the shoulder seasons, when the weather is comfortable but crowds are lower. On the Amalfi Coast, this is in April/May and September/October. Summer can be hot with temperatures in the 80s F, but more importantly, the small towns and limited roads will be packed with tourists.
During the winter months (November-March) temperatures are usually in the 50’s and you will find fewer crowds. If you visit in the winter, be prepared for some of the shops and restaurants in the smaller towns to be closed and expect a more limited ferry system.
How to Get Around During Your Time on the Amalfi Coast
Getting around the Amalfi car can feel like one of the biggest obstacles when you are visiting the area. The best way to get around is to use public transportation including buses and ferries. There is really one main road that runs along the coastline connecting the towns. This road is windy, busy, and has steep drop-offs down to the water.
Renting a car and driving along this area is for the brave. We had a car when we visited the area, but just used the car to drive to our apartment and then used buses and ferries to get around when we were actually on the coast. In addition to the hazard of driving, parking in these towns is difficult and you will find cars lined up along the road making driving that much more difficult.
There are regional SITA buses that run along the coast. This is an easy way to travel around the area but is best for day trips when you don’t have luggage. We found the buses mostly reliable in terms of their schedule although we’ve seen posts from other places that they sometimes get off schedule. They can also get full and crowded and may not have enough room. We stayed near the town of Amalfi which is at the start of the bus line and it was much easier to find a seat early in the morning.
You can see the bus schedule online and can buy tickets near the bus stops – just look at the nearby stores for a sign about the tickets.
Another easy way to get around the Amalfi Coast is by boat. There is a ferry service that connects the towns. Make sure to book your ferry ticket in advance as some do sell out. You can also book water taxis or private drivers to get you between your locations. You can find a ferry schedule online or book your tickets near the dock in each town.
Travel Tip: Note that the towns are not luggage friendly, and no matter what transportation you take, you will likely find yourself dragging yourself an you luggage up and down the narrow streets and steps. Keep this in mind when booking lodging and transportation.
How to Get to the Amalfi Coast
There is no major airport in the Amalfi Coast, but the closest airport in Naples is just over an hour away. You can also fly to the airport in Rome. From the airport, you have several options for getting to the Amalfi Coast.
You can rent a car and drive yourself (just note that driving on the actual Amalfi Coast can be challenging as mentioned above). We rented a car so we could stop at Pompeii on the way back, but we didn’t use the car to actually drive around on the coast. You can also book an Amalfi Coast driver or transfer. This can often be arranged with your lodging.
It’s also possible to start in Rome and drive or take the train down to Naples.
Another option is to take the train. The train stops in the Amalfi Coast towns of Salerno and Vietri Sul Mare. From here you can connect to your final destination by bus or by ferry.
Finally, another excellent choice is to book a ferry from Naples. Depending on the time of year, ferries run between Naples and most of the towns on the coast as well as the islands of Capri and Ischia. We used the ferry service to get out to Ischia and found it easy and efficient.
