The Amalfi Coast is Italy as cliff and lemon: Positano stacked above turquoise water, a bus road that is also one of the world’s great drives, and boat days to Capri. Three nights is the comfortable minimum after Venice. Stay in Positano or Amalfi town; Ravello is the quieter terrace. The SS163 is narrow — if you dislike hairpins, take the boat. Pompeii is a Naples add-on, not a Positano morning.
Things to Do on the Amalfi Coast
A cliff town, one boat or hike, and lemon-scented evenings.
Best Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast
May and September versus Ferragosto heat on the cliff road.
Places to Visit on the Amalfi Coast
Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Capri, and Pompeii from Naples.
Amalfi Coast Itineraries
3-night cliff routes, plus how to pair the coast with Venice and Pompeii.
Amalfi Coast Travel Tips
Buses, boats, swimwear fines, and why not to drive the SS163 on a first trip.
Positano, Amalfi and Ravello
Positano is the postcard. Amalfi town is the practical harbour. Ravello sits higher with villa gardens and the views that earned Belmond Hotel Caruso its reputation. Swim, walk, and eat seafood. Beach clubs cost; public patches of pebble exist if you look. Ferragosto (15 August) is peak Italian holiday — book months ahead or come in May or September.
Boats, Capri and the Path of the Gods
A full-day boat (€30–50) covers coves, the Emerald Grotto, and Capri. The Blue Grotto is weather-dependent and queued. The Sentiero degli Dei is a 7 km clifftop hike — extraordinary and hot; start early with water. Do not stack the hike and a Capri boat on the same legs.
Getting in from Naples
High-speed from Venice to Naples is about 4.5 hours. Then bus, private driver, or ferry toward Positano (around 2 hours by road). Pompeii is 30 minutes from Naples — do it on arrival or departure day, not from a Positano hotel at 8am.
See Italy itineraries that include the Amalfi Coast →
Amalfi Coast Travel FAQs
Three nights covers Positano, one boat or hike, and slack for the Naples transfer. Two nights is a postcard sprint. A week is for people who want the coast, not a checklist.
May, June, and September. July–August is hot, packed, and expensive. Some hotels close in winter. Ferries thin out outside summer.
Positano for the view. Amalfi for boats and slightly easier logistics. Ravello if you want height and gardens.
Better from Naples. A Positano–Pompeii round trip steals the cliff day you came for.
No. Parking is painful. Buses, ferries, and a driver for the SS163 are the usual plan. Hire a car only if you already like Italian cliff roads.