AMALFI COAST TOWNS – which to visit & which to skip

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful places in Italy. The coast is flooded with the most adorable towns! A drive along the coast is absolutely breathtaking as dramatic cliffs overlook the sea. Max and I spent a few days exploring the Amalfi Coast Towns and our only regret was not having more time! The Amalfi Coast has it all; amazing food, views, and culture.

There is quite a lot to see along the coast so I’ve put together an article to help you plan your trip! While this article focuses on the best Amalfi Coast towns to visit I’ll also cover the best time to visit, transportation, and everything in between.

And don’t forget to pin this for later!

If you’re headed to the Amalfi Coast, I recommend setting aside at least 4-5 days to explore. Honestly, a week is ideal but you’ll be able to see a lot in 4-5 days. There are a few reasons for this. First, as I mentioned, the Amalfi Coast is made of a ton of quaint little towns. You’ll want enough time to explore at least a handful of these places. With that said, it takes time to travel between towns since they are pretty spread out. It’s hard to visit more than one village per day and you don’t want to be rushed!

The best time to visit Italy is during the shoulder seasons from April-June and September-October. Summers can be hot and busy especially in the bigger cities! My favorite time to visit is in October. The weather is cool and perfect for walking around and site seeing. The water is chilly by this time of the year but if the weather is warm you can still swim.

I was so overwhelmed when Max and I were planning our trip to the Amalfi Coast. We had a hard time deciding where to stay because we wanted to see it all! With only 4 days on the coast we didn’t want to spend too much of our time traveling from place to place.

Since transportation is fairly easy throughout the coast, you can honestly stay anywhere. We decided to base ourselves in Sorrento for a few reasons. As budget travelers, we found Sorrento to be less expensive. It also seemed to run the most frequent buses and ferries so we loved basing ourselves in Sorrento because of the convenience. Positano is another great spot due to its central location but it’s quite pricey.

Sorrento Hotels – We stayed at Caruso Suites in Sorrento and absolutely loved it! For more on our experience at Caruso Suites click here.

Naples is the closest airport to the Amalfi Coast. From Naples you can reach the Amalfi Coast towns by driving or taking the train, bus, or ferry. It’s approximately 1 hour to Sorrento and 1 hour and 15 minutes Positano.

I actually wrote an entire article about traveling the Amalfi Coast. In short, cities along the coast are well connected by ferries, the hop on hop off bus, and the local bus. Ferries tend to be the quickest but most expensive option. The local bus is only 2 euro a way whereas the hop on hop off bus is 10 euro. You can also rent a car or scooter and explore the coast on your own! I don’t recommend this if you’re a nervous driver. The roads are narrow along sheer cliffs – I wouldn’t be able to drive it myself.

Read more: Traveling around the Amalfi Coast – this article will be really helpful to figure out transportation and where to base yourself.

Top Travel Tips:

• When planning your trip prioritze the top Amalfi Coast towns you want to see. Keep a day open at the end of your trip in case there is a town you want to add on last minute.
• This is Italy, the food is incredible! With that said, avoid restaurants that try to lure you in. If a menu is in a ton of different languages, it’s likely a tourist trap!
• The beaches are made of small pebbles so pack sea shoes or flip-flops.
• If you’re relying on public transportation, limit it to one city a day.
• Try & buy the lemon products!

While not technically part of the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento is a popular base on a trip to this region. This is largely due to the fact it’s well connected to the Amalfi Coast as well as Pompeii and Capri. Located on the Sorrentine Peninsula, Sorrento faces the Bay of Naples. The rocky cliffs in Sorrento offer an excellent view of the Bay.

It’s hard not to fall in love with the vibrant streets in the Old Town of Sorrento. While wandering the charming streets of Sorrento, make sure you visit the main square, Piazza Tasso. Sorrento is known for lemons, as such, the streets are filled with shops selling lemon-infused goods. You can also go on olive oil and lemon walking tours from Sorrento. One of the main places to see is Sorrento’s Vallone Dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills) which is a short walk from the center of town.

We used Sorrento Italy as our base and I loved it! It’s a great place to come back to in the evening to grab a bite to eat and walk the streets.

The cliffside town of Positano is often the most photographed place along the Amalfi Coast. Most known for lively streets and colorful architecture it’s honestly a dream! The main activity in Positano is soaking in the views at the beach! You can rent chairs for 25 euro (depending on the season) from Spiaggia Grande. It doesn’t get much better than enjoying the beach with the vibrant cliffs and crystal blue waters of Positano. If you prefer a quieter more secluded beach, head to Fornillo Beach which is a quick walk from town.

Spend the rest of your day strolling through shops and enjoying town. You can also visit the Church of Santa Maria Assunta most recognized for its green tile dome. If you want an unbelievable view of Positano Italy, head to L’ancora for lunch. Le Sirenuse, a hotel and restaurant in town, also offers a great view of Positano.

If you enjoy hiking, you can also start (or end) the Path of the Gods Hike in Positano. It’s a long hike so I recommend setting aside an entire day for it. I generally don’t recommend a tour for a hike but I’ve linked a tour to the hike. Max and I found the hike to be extremely confusing. If you’re on limited time, you don’t want to waste it being lost.

While I had always heard Positano is really crowded, we were there in October and the town was fairly mellow!

Situated between Positano and Amalfi, Praiano is a lesser known town along the coast. While Praiano Italy offers excellent views, there isn’t much to do in town. It’s a great alternative to Positano since it’s quieter and less expensive. It’s the perfect place to relax and soak in the views. The main beach in Praiano is man-made with beach chairs available. Since Praiano is situated on a cliff, you’ll have to hike down to the beach. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to Praiano but I’ve heard phenomenal things. A few people have told me they prefer Praiano to Positano!

As one of the most popular Amalfi Coast towns, Amalfi is quite busy! However, the main street, Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi, is well worth the crowd! The focal point of town is the Amalfi Cathedral. You can visit the Cathedral for free but there’s an entry fee of 3 euro to see the Cloister of Paradise and the crypt. The area is bustling with tourists since a ton of restaurants and shops line the streets. Similar to the streets of Sorrento, shops in Amalfi Italy sell a variety of lemon-infused items. Try the lemon sorbet in town, you won’t regret it! As far as drinks go, order a lemon spritz which is Prosecco and limoncello served over ice.

To be honest, the coastline didn’t impress me as much as other towns along the coast. With that said, it’s stunning from above! To reach the best view of Amalfi, follow the stairs or take the public elevator to the Amalfi Cemetary.

Max and I stumbled upon Atrani while we were exploring Amalfi. We didn’t have time to fully explore town but it’s beautiful! Atrani is a 10 minute walk from Amalfi so you can visit both towns on the same day. The walk is quick but offers picturesque views of both Atrani and Amalfi along the way. I suggest heading to Amalfi early so you can explore town before continuing on to Atrani Italy. You can enjoy a little beach time in Atrani as chairs line the beach. The main square, Piazza Umberto, is a few steps from the Sea. It’s a small square with a handful of restaurants and shops. Atrani is less touristy than other towns along the coast so restaurants tend to be more affordable.

To reach the mountainous town of Ravello, you can take the hop on hop off bus from Amalfi. The town of Ravello Italy is small with a relaxed vibe. At 365 meters above sea level there are some spectacular views from town. On a quick day trip to Ravello visit Ravello Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone for top notch views. Another great spot to see is Duomo di Ravello near the main square.

As I mentioned, Capri is a quick ferry ride from most Amalfi Coast towns. There’s a lot to see on the island so I recommend heading to Capri with a plan. The best thing to do in Capri is boat around the island. You can rent a boat or go on a tour. Most tours make a stop at the famous Blue Grotto Capri Italy before continuing on to the White and Green Caves. You’ll also pass through the dramatic Faraglioni; the rock formations off the coast of Capri.

After boating around the island of Capri Italy, take the funicular from the port in Marina Grande to Capri Town. The majority of shops along the main streets of Capri Town are designer stores. With that said, there are also some budget friendly shops. From Capri town you can walk to Marina Piccalo for another view of the Faraglioni rock formations. I love this area because it feels more secluded and less touristy than Capri Town. It’s the perfect spot to layout and go for a swim. As you can tell, there is plenty to do and see in Capri!

And there you have it! The best tips and tricks to help you decide which Amalfi Coast Towns to visit on your trip to the coast. If I missed anything please leave your question in a comment below.

If you’re planning a trip to Italy, here are a few articles to help you plan.

• Amalfi Coast vs. Cinque Terre
• Hiking in the Cinque Terre
• Basic Guide to Florence Italy
• Can’t Miss Views in Venice

Safe Travels,

Sarah :)

I’ve linked my top travel essentials for a trip to Italy! Please reach out if you have any questions!