Are you thinking about planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast?

Awesome!

The Amalfi Coast is unbelievably beautiful!  I highly recommend spending a few days in this area of Italy.

As you start your Amalfi Coast tour you want to be as prepared as possible.  There are a few tips and tricks that we will explore in this post!

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Let’s plan a trip to the Almafi Coast!  First, we need to ask some basic  questions! Where is the Amalfi Coast?  Why is the Amalfi Coast famous?  Is it worth it to go to the Amalfi Coast?

Second, we need to get informed! That is why you are here.  Take in all this information so you can plan a trip to the Amalfi Coast.

Last, we need to take action and set everything up. This is the fun part. Deciding which tours you want to go on and setting them up before hand.

Where is the Amalfi Coast?

Image Courtesy of italiaRail

The Amalfi Coast is located in Southern Italy. It is on the northern coast of the Salerno Gulf.

What is the Best Time of Year to Visit the Amalfi Coast?

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The best time to visit the Amalfi Coast is Spring and Fall.  The crowd levels are low and temperatures are in the 70’s and 80’s.  May and September are the best months to explore the Amalfi Coast.

How Do I Get To The Amalfi Coast?

This depends on where you are coming from.  If you are flying, the Naples Airport is the closest airport.

If you planning a Amalfi Coast road trip then you can rent a car at the Naples Airport. 

Keep in mind that the driving the Amalfi Coast is not for the faint of heart.  It will cause knuckle clenching and anxiety attacks! It is dangerous for the inexperienced!  However, if you do decide to drive yourself my best advise is to rent a small car! 

How Many Days Do You Need On The Amalfi Coast?

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Ultimately, it depends on your interest but I would recommend 3-5 days.  When I went I stayed 2.5 days and wished I had a little longer to explore more town’s along the coast.

Why is The Amalfi Coast so Famous?

The main reason millions of tourist come to this area of Italy is because of how beautiful it is.  Positano has a dramatic landscape between the hills and the ocean.

Is the Amalfi Coast Expensive?

We went in May and I did not feel like it was unreasonable.  The prices for bus, ferry, and train fare was all reasonable.  Our hotel room in Sorrento was not expensive.

I didn’t feel like the food was over priced.  In contrast to my opinion, Google suggest that the prices become very high during the summer season.

If you are planning a road trip in Italy, the Amalfi Coast needs to be included in your Itinerary.

It is worth it to plan a trip to the Amalfi Cost.  Not only is it beautiful, but there are lots of things to see and do.  

Sorrento is a great place to use as your starting point on your trip along the Amalfi Coast.  The most distinguishing part of Sorrento was the giant wall that separates the sea from the city.  It was really impressive to get off the ferry from Capri and enter the city.

Hotels in Sorrento

We actually stayed in Sorrento at the Palazzo Tasso. This hotel was very nice, we met a lot of people at breakfast which we loved. Talking with real Italians was a treat!

Things to Do in Sorrento

• Eat gelato
• Go to the beach
• Walk down the narrow alleyways
• Eat at delicious restaurants
• Take in the view
• Shop for lemon themed items or go tour a lemon grove

Transportation

The Amalfi Coast is a treacherous drive.  Even if you have a car it may be best to hire a driver or take the buses.  Getting down the Amalfi Coast using a SITA bus is not a problem, getting back is very difficult.  SITA is the city bus that usually is the cheapest option. The SITA buses are so crowded that they do not stop at the bus stops and we found that they drive right by.  Private buses will stop, although you may have to pay more.  It is worth paying more if the city bus is too full.

One great option is to take the bus down and take a ferry ride back.  Ferries run less often in the spring and fall.

There is no real sight seeing in Positano, but what a beautiful site it is.  The layout of the city is gorgeous.

Things to Do in Positano

• Hike
• Boat tour
• Go to the beach
• Take a cooking class
• Stroll the city at night

There is a beach in Positano but it is private and cost money to enter.  It is a pebble stone beach.  If you are looking for sandy beaches Gaeta is a better option.

Where to Stay in Positano?

Positano is another great place for your home base along the Amalfi Coast.  An amazing thing about staying in Postiano are the views from the hotel.

A few hotels I would recommend are Hotel Poseidon, Hotel Villa Gabrisa, and the Capri Wine Hotel.

Rick Steve’s Italy Book was such a lifesaver.  By this point in our trip we had learned to trust his suggestions, therefore choosing where to eat was a lot easier.

Amalfi Town

Amalfi is a town located below steep cliffs along the Amalfi Coast.  

Places to stay in Amalfi

I probably would not make my home base in Amalfi Town, however if you would like to I would recommend staying at the NH Grand Hotel convento di Amalfi.  It is very nice and the view is amazing! 

Things to Do in Amalfi 

•  Cathedral
• Arsenal Museum
• Paper Museum
• Hikes 
• Eat seafood

In Rick Steve’s book he suggest a couple of really lovely hikes in Amalfi.

Ravello

Ravello is a resort town with some amazing views.  It is known for its beautiful roof top gardens.  Many people get married here.

Things to Do in Ravello

• Beautiful gardens
• Cathedral
• Palace
• Musical festivals

Villa Rufolo is a palace that you can visit, it does cost a small fee.  Villa Cimbrone is a romantic garden built upon the ruins of an old convent.

Paestum

Things to Do in Paestum

• Greek temples
• Wildflowers
• Ancient Ruins

This is where you will find the best collection of Greek temples anywhere.  It is surrounded by wildflowers.  Sadly, we did not get to stop here.  I guess we will have to go back!

The Amalfi Coast is so beautiful!  I highly recommend taking a boat ride, hiking, and exploring in this area! Enjoying nature, take lots of pictures, and take in all the colors around you!

There are a few tours that I would highly recommend.  I am excited to share them with you.

Villages of the Amalfi Coast

You should really book a Tour of the Amalfi Coast before you go to Italy.  The road is curvy and dangerous to drive on.  We used the bus but if I would have known about this tour I would have booked it.

Our experience on the bus was not great!  The lines to get on the bus were so long we were not sure if we would be able to get back to Sorrento.  There were 5 buses that just went right past us because they were full.  I like the idea of a guided tour that will get me back to my hotel!

A Day on Capri

The day trip to the to Capri is a great addition to the Amalfi Coast tour.  If you do not want to take the ferry from Sorrento you could do a Island of Capri Tour with a special guide.

Pompeii Tour From Sorrento

Looking back I would have preferred a Tour of Pompeii from Sorrento.  We took the train and it was really run down.  I didn’t feel super safe on the train or outside of Pompeii.

Check out my video of How Rick Steve’s Saved My Italy Trip!