The real guide to the
Italian Amalfi Coast
Everything you need to plan your trip — from someone who’s been going there for over 15 years and actually knows the place. No fluff, no recycled copy.
We live about two hours from the Amalfi Coast and have been visiting every single year for more than 15 years. We know every lane in Positano, every shortcut in Amalfi, and the exact spot on the path to Villa Cimbrone where the view makes you stop walking. We’ve also stayed overnight many times — because there’s a different version of this coast that only shows itself after the day-trippers leave and the church bells ring at dusk. That’s the version we write about.
The Amalfi Coast — Costiera Amalfitana in Italian — is a UNESCO World Heritage stretch of coastline in southern Italy, roughly 50 kilometers long, running from Positano in the west to Vietri sul Mare in the east. Thirteen towns cling to its cliffs, connected by a single dramatic road (the SS163), a handful of ferry routes, and a bus that tourists either love or dread. It draws millions of visitors a year and earns every one of them.
This site exists because most Amalfi Coast guides are written by people who spent four days there once. We’re not those people. Every photo and video here is ours, taken across different seasons and different years. Every recommendation is something we’ve actually done, seen, or stayed in. That’s the only version of a travel guide worth reading.
Explore the coast
The 13 Towns of the Amalfi Coast
Click any town to read our full guide — what to see, where to eat, how to get there, and where to stay.
01
Positano
The one that made the Amalfi Coast world-famous. Pastel houses stacked up the cliff, bougainvillea everywhere, handmade sandals, and a beach that gets crowded fast. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely — at least for one night.
02
Amalfi
The town that names the coast, and for good reason. Once one of Italy’s four Maritime Republics alongside Genoa, Pisa, and Venice. The Cathedral, the paper museum, the ferry connections, the lemon sorbet served inside an actual lemon.
03
Ravello
365 meters above the sea, no beach, and arguably the most beautiful views on the entire coast. The Terrace of Infinity at Villa Cimbrone has stopped us mid-step every single time. The Ravello Festival runs every summer. For romance and quiet, nothing on this coast compares.
04
Cetara
A working fishing village that never quite gave in to tourism — and better for it. Home of the colatura di alici, an ancient anchovy sauce made here for centuries. The tonnarella fishing tradition, the terraces above the harbor, the quieter beach. One of our personal favorites.
05
Atrani
Italy’s smallest municipality by surface area (just 0.12 km²), tucked into the mouth of the Valle del Dragone a short walk from Amalfi. Part of the Borghi più belli d’Italia list. Most visitors walk straight past it. Don’t be one of them.
06
Minori
Don’t let the low-key vibe fool you. Minori sits on top of a remarkably preserved 1st-century AD Roman imperial villa — mosaics, thermal baths, frescoes, the works. Great for families, excellent food, quieter beach, and significantly cheaper accommodation.
07
Maiori
The coast’s longest beach and one of its most lived-in towns. Maiori is where locals actually go on summer evenings — less polished than Positano, more authentic, much more affordable. Walking trails connecting it to nearby towns make it a great base for hikers.
08
Praiano
Wedged between Positano and Conca dei Marini, Praiano gets skipped by most tourists — which is exactly why we like it. The Marina di Praia is a tiny gem of a cove. Quieter pace, lower prices, and a great base for the western coast.
09
Furore
Il paese che non c’è — the town that doesn’t exist. Carved into a narrow fjord in the rock, so hidden you can drive past without realizing. The famous bridge over the gorge hosts a high-diving competition every year. One of the strangest, most beautiful places on this coast.
10
Conca dei Marini
Birthplace of the sfogliatella — that layered shell-shaped pastry you’ve probably had in Naples. The Monastero Santa Rosa, a former convent turned legendary hotel, overlooks the sea here. The Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto) is just below.
11
Vietri sul Mare
The eastern gateway to the coast, just outside Salerno, and one of the best places in Italy for hand-painted Majolica ceramics. Every family workshop has its own style and history. The yellow, green, and blue dome of San Giovanni Battista is visible from far out to sea.
12
Scala
Sitting above Ravello on a medieval ridge, Scala was once a major industrial center of the Amalfi Republic — its mills produced the famous Carta Amalfitana. Today: scattered hamlets, old towers, and almost no tourists. That’s the appeal.
13
Tramonti
Thirteen hamlets spread across a mountain valley, each gathered around its church. Tramonti grows some of the best wine on the coast and claims to have given the world the original Neapolitan pizza recipe. Almost no one goes. Almost no one knows what they’re missing.
Accommodation
Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast
The right base makes or breaks your trip. Here’s an honest breakdown — no sponsored placements.
Our honest take on bases
Positano and Amalfi are the most convenient and the most expensive. Ravello gives you the best views but no beach access. Maiori and Minori are where you stay if you want to actually afford dinner. Sorrento and Salerno work well as budget bases — both are well connected by bus and ferry.
We’ve slept in most of them. Our recommendation: split your stay. Two nights in Positano or Amalfi for the experience, then move to a quieter town.
Before you go
Things we wish someone had told us
Fifteen years of repeat visits produce strong opinions. Here are the most useful ones.
Skip the rental car in summer
The SS163 in July and August is one long traffic jam. The SITA bus and the ferries are genuinely faster, cheaper, and infinitely less stressful. Save the car for the shoulder season.
May and October are the sweet spots
Everything’s open, the light is extraordinary, the sea is warm enough to swim, and you can actually move around without fighting crowds. July and August are peak in every sense — including price.
Stay at least one night
The Amalfi Coast at 7am — before the day-trippers arrive — is a completely different experience. Church bells, fishermen, the smell of lemon groves, no queues. That’s the version worth coming for.
Take the ferry when possible
Between April and October, ferries connect all the main towns. They’re scenic, faster than the bus in most cases, and the view of the coast from the sea is something you’ll remember for years.
Wear proper shoes
Every single town involves hundreds of steps, often steep and uneven. Comfortable walking shoes are essential. Sandals look good in photos but you’ll regret them by noon.
Book restaurants ahead in summer
The best tables at the best restaurants — especially in Positano and Ravello — fill up days or weeks in advance in high season. Don’t leave it to chance if dinner matters to you.
Getting there & around
How to Reach the Amalfi Coast
The nearest airport is Naples (NAP). There’s no train running along the coast itself — plan your transport in advance.
By Plane
Naples Airport is your gateway. From there: private transfer, bus to Salerno, or train to Sorrento, then ferry or bus along the coast.
By Train
High-speed trains from Rome or Naples reach Salerno in under an hour. From Salerno, take the SITA bus or a summer ferry along the coast.
By Ferry
April through October, ferries link Salerno, Amalfi, Positano, Capri, and Naples. Scenic and often faster than road transport. Our favorite way to travel.
By Bus (SITA)
The SITA bus runs year-round along the SS163, connecting all towns. Cheap (around €2 per trip), frequent, and reliable — expect standing room in August.
By Car
Beautiful off-season. In summer — slow, stressful, and parking is nearly impossible. We don’t recommend it June through September.
Beyond the coast
Nearby Cities Worth Visiting
A few days on the Amalfi Coast pairs naturally with some of the most remarkable destinations in southern Italy.
Naples
The raw, magnificent, chaotic heart of southern Italy. UNESCO historic center, Castel dell’Ovo, Spaccanapoli, the best pizza on the planet. 50 minutes from Positano by car — closer by ferry in summer.
Capri
The Blue Grotto, Anacapri, the Faraglioni rocks. Ferries run from Amalfi, Positano, Salerno, and Naples. Worth at least a full day — ideally two.
Pompeii
One of the most visited archaeological sites in the world, and for good reason. A Roman city frozen in 79 AD, a half-day from anywhere on the coast. Book tickets in advance.
Paestum
Three extraordinary Greek temples south of Salerno, in better condition than almost anything in Greece. Almost no one from the Amalfi Coast visits. Almost no one knows what they’re missing.
Why trust us?
We’re not travel writers who spent a long weekend here and called it a guide. We live in southern Italy, about two hours from the Amalfi Coast, and we’ve been visiting every year for over 15 years — sometimes as day-trippers, sometimes staying for several nights to really soak it in.
We’ve walked the Path of the Gods in the rain, eaten in restaurants that never made it onto any list, and watched the Ravello Festival on a warm July night with a glass of local wine. Every photo and video on this site is ours. Every recommendation is something we’ve actually experienced.
This is the guide we wish had existed the first time we went.
