Complete Guide To The Amalfi Coast

From Positano to Ravello and every town in between, the Amalfi Coast is a captivating region known for its distinctive charm and captivating vistas. Situated right on the rugged coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Southern Italy, this stretch of land highlights dramatic landscapes, colorful towns, and breathtaking views, serving as a perfect destination for any traveler.

Famous for its rustic scenery, tucked-away coves, and turquoise waters, it’s no wonder why the Amalfi Coast has been deemed as one of the best coastal towns throughout all of the Mediterranean.

For me, the Amalfi Coast is one of my favorite European getaways during the summer season. Before heading to this impressive landscape yourself, make sure to read my complete guide on the Amalfi Coast below!

How To Get To The Amalfi Coast

It always seems that the better the place, the more difficult it is to get there. And Amalfi is no exception.

First, you have to fly or train into the Naples airport. That is the closest airport and it’s still about an hour and a half to get to Amalfi from there.

Once you make your way to Naples, you can either take a train to Sorrento and then a bus to your town or you can take a private taxi. If there are several of you in your group, the private taxi is the way to go. Yes, it is a lot more expensive than the other option, however, you will get to your destination so much faster and avoid the headache of transferring.

Pro tip: I highly suggest talking with your hotel or accommodation before booking your private taxi because they usually can recommend a company that’s more affordable than what you would find online.

Where To Stay On The Amalfi Coast

Previously when I came to the Amalfi Coast, I stayed in a little town outside of Amalfi called Atrani. Now Atrani was nice because it was quiet and filled with locals, however, it was very difficult to get to the town of Positano. The only way to get there is by boat or bus, and both options are unreliable and crowded.

Amalfi is another popular option but it’s far from Positano. If you don’t mind making the trek everytime you want to visit Positano, then staying on this side of the Amalfi Coast will allow you to explore the smaller towns that make up this area.

Most people when they visit this iconic piece of Italian coast prefer to spend as much time as possible in Positano. Positano is the most picturesque and largest out of all the towns within the Amalfi coast. But with that being said, it is also the most expensive and is not a feasible option for most travelers on a budget.

Instead, try staying in Praiano, which is right in the middle. The best part of staying here is you get cheaper prices than Positano but can still get to the other towns in a reasonable amount of time.

Just remember the Amalfi Coast really isn’t that big so if you had a car you can get from place to place quite easily. However, without a car, you would have to depend on public transportation (which most people do) either by bus, boat, or private taxi.

After visiting this stretch of coastline several times, I highly recommend staying right in the middle in the town of Praiano.

How To Travel Around the Amalfi Coast

I’ve said it before in my last article and I’ll say it again. Traveling through the Amalfi coast with their SITA bus transportation is without a doubt the worst part of the Amalfi Coast. It’s never on time, it’s always crowded, and there is zero organization to the entire system whatsoever.

Obviously it’s not a deal breaker for whether you come or not, however, you should just expect the transportation to be difficult, especially during the peak summer months. For those without a budget, you can always rent a car or hire a taxi and never have to deal with this problem.

For the rest of us peasants, the bus or boat is the only option. Luckily, the only good thing about the bus is that it’s cheap and if you’re aggressive enough you can usually squeeze on the bus without having to wait an extra hour for the next one.

Tips For Visiting The Amalfi Coast

Stay in Priaino

As said before, Praiano to me is the best place to stay along the Amalfi Coast. Not only is it much cheaper than Positano, but it also gives you the opportunity to stay in a much smaller town. Even though this area may be quieter compared to some of the other options, it still had plenty of restaurants to choose from and has easy(ish) access to public transportation.

Rent a private boat

Yes, it’s a bit expensive but hear me out. Renting a private boat was the best part of my trip both times I visited. If you want to see the coastline by water, a private boat service can take you from cove to cove, allowing you to stop and swim wherever and whenever you want. Even renting a boat for just a few hours gives you the opportunity to see the area from a different perspective.

All you have to do is walk down to the marina in Priaino or Positano and talk to one of the companies to schedule a tour. Both times I hired a private boat we stopped in the Emerald Grotto (the lesser-known version of the blue grotto) and took a break in a tucked away cove for a dip in the water. If you have a full day, you can even schedule a private boat to the island of Capri as well.

Do Path of the Gods (but do it the right way)

I’ve done the path of the gods hike twice, the short version and the long version. The first was very enjoyable and the other was a hike from hell. Now, you are probably thinking that the longer version was the harder one, but that was not the case.

So the first time I did this hike, we began at the starting point. We had to take a bus to a higher-up village and start the trail from there. This time around, my friend and I decided to do the cheater version and start at the halfway point from Praiano.

So much regret…

Since Priaiano is closer to the ocean, we had to hike straight up to the top of the mountain before we could even get on the actual trail. This meant we were climbing steep rocky stairs for a straight two hours before we got to any even-leveled ground. Although the hike was beautiful once we finally got to the upper section, we were SO worn out from the difficult climb.

If I could give one tidbit of advice on this,

Do the hike from the original starting point. You will enjoy it so much more. Trust me on this one 😉

Always try a different restaurant each night

This should go without saying, but still important to note. I know how tempting it can be to repeat places once you have found an exceptional one, but don’t do it. Maybe if you are there for a week and you revisit your favorite but only do it once! There are so many great restaurants in this area and it would be a real shame if you only went to one or two.

Here are a few of my favorite restaurants in Priaino:
–Kasai
–II Pirata

Visit Private Beaches

Last time I came to Amalfi Coast, I spent most of my days traveling from town to town and didn’t set aside any time for the private beaches.

On this trip, we decided to spend an afternoon lounging at one of the secluded coves near Priaino which was called One Fire Beach.

Unfortunately, you do have to pay to sit at one of the sunbeds and it is expensive but if you plan on staying there all day, it’s worth it. Even if you don’t have enough time to stay for an entire day, I suggest at least heading down there at sunset for a drink and some views.

So there you have it. When it’s time for you to plan your trip to the Amalfi Coast, make sure to keep these points in mind.

If you come to Italy and do not plan on coming to the south, you can also go to a similar destination called the Cinque Terre that’s located higher up north. I personally prefer the Cinque Terre to Amalfi because there are more hiking options and it’s more affordable.

However, as I said, both these destinations are some of Italy’s finest and each deserves a visit at some point in your lifetime.

Have you been to the Amalfi Coast before? If so, what was your favorite part of this coastline? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Travels,

XX Dani