A popular destination for couples on honeymoon, for those who enjoy beautiful beaches with crystal clear water or for those who want to know more of Italy than Rome, the Amalfi Coast is one of those places that promise and deliver. If the photos are wonderful and the reports are inspiring, believe me, when you get there it’s even better.

In this article I’ll tell you more about this little piece of Italy. There are tips for first time visitors, what to do there, when is the best time to travel and much more.

What is the Amalfi Coast?

The Amalfi Coast is the name given to a piece of coastline located in Italy, more precisely in the Campania region, about 270 km from Rome. This stretch of coastline is 50 km long, encompasses several small towns and is bathed by the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Amalfi Coast has been classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997 and is one of Italy’s main destinations, especially during the summer, which brings me to my first big question.

How to prepare for the Amalfi Coast?

What is the best time?

When should I book my trip? Or even

What should I know before visiting the Amalfi Coast?

Well, this is a very personal answer and it depends a lot on what you want for your trip. Many people think of the Amalfi Coast simply as a place to go to the beach, to enjoy the sea, to sunbathe, and in this case, perhaps the warmer months are a good choice.

But it is important to know that July and August are very high season there, and if on the one hand this is good, on the other hand it can be a little complicated. The Amalfi Coast towns are small, some do not have a super structure, the road that connects the towns is very narrow, in some places it is difficult to pass two cars. So in this season it is usually a bit chaotic, with many traffic jams, with crowded buses, lack of parking for cars and of course, very high prices.

What is the best time to visit the Amalfi Coast?

To avoid this and still get good days to enjoy the beach, the ideal is to visit in late spring or early autumn. If the beach is not your priority and yes, it is worth visiting the Amalfi Coast even if the beach is not your priority, then you can take advantage of early spring, i.e. the beginning of April or mid-autumn, until October.

And in the other months of the year, between November and March, is it possible to visit?

Yes it’s possible, but it’s not ideal. The region has a summery footprint, which means that during the winter a lot of things are not working, including some tours, restaurants and even hotels.

For example, visiting the Amalfi Coast at the end of March you will have the impression that the city is starting to wake up, there are still closed hotels, some tours that go to Capri are still not going very well. So analyse properly what is the purpose of your trip, what you expect to find and then you will be able to decide what is the best time for you.

How do I get to the Amalfi Coast from Rome?

The journey between Rome and the Amalfi Coast is quite easy. The two most common ways to make this journey are by train or by car.

Going by Train

By train, you will need to make a trip between Rome and Naples, and then between Naples and Sorrento. Sorrento is not officially a town on the Amalfi Coast, but it is in my opinion, the best base for you to get to know the region.

Going by Car

By car it is 270 km that should take you about 3:30 to 4:00 hours, the roads are good and well signposted. I don’t recommend you to do a round trip, either by yourself or by tour because I think the Amalfi Coast deserves more time to get to know it more calmly and enjoy it better.

The good thing about driving to the Amalfi Coast is that, as with any road trip, you will be free to do the trip in your own time, your own way, stopping where you want, when you want, but if this is also your option, you will also need to take a few extra precautions.

The first reason is to choose a small car, the roads and streets on the Amalfi Coast are quite narrow, so the big car can make your trip quite complicated.

The second reason is about the driving, in some places it is very complicated to drive, it is tight, if you don’t have much experience, if you are not sure about driving, it can be very stressful.

Attention Car Hire Companies

Another very important thing that you will need to pay attention to when renting a car is the insurance, you will see that some rental companies have a clause in the contract that says that even if you have contracted the Total Insurance, it is not valid in some regions of Italy, and Campania, which is the region that is the Amalfi Coast almost always appears on this list. The tip is to look for rental companies that do not have this clause and that guarantee the insurance throughout the Italian territory.

Another important thing is to research in advance the car parks in the town you want to visit. Before you leave your hotel, make a note of the car parks in Amalfi and Positano. If you leave it to search on the spot you can end up getting stuck and car parks are paid.

If you are travelling during the high season, you might want to consider renting a motorbike or a scooter so that you can avoid traffic jams and get around more easily.

How many days to stay on the Amalfi Coast?

Two days is enough to do some very nice tours and get to know one of the cities of the Amalfi Coast. Probably, if the goal is also to enjoy the beaches, it is interesting to extend this time to be able to enjoy, go on boat trips and have all these more summer experiences.

Getting to know Capri

Another thing you have to take into consideration is if you want to take the opportunity to visit Capri as well. Capri is an island, it is super close, the boat trip takes an hour and it is a beautiful destination. So it can be a nice combination. In this case, you might consider adding a couple more days to your trip.

Where is the best place to stay on the Amalfi Coast?

As I said in the beginning the Amalfi Coast is formed by very small towns, most don’t have much structure, Sorrento is bigger, super charming, nice to walk, to walk longer, with more infrastructure and everything you might need. Several options of hotels, restaurants, pharmacy, bureau de change, hospital, there is everything you need and you will never be without help. And because there are more options the prices are also better. So you will have a very good cost benefit. For this reason we chose the city of Sorrento to stay.

How is the transport between Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast?

Travelling between Sorrento and the main towns on the Amalfi Coast is super easy, you can do it by car, by bus or by boat, and these last two options (bus and boat) have departures all the time during the day.

What to see when on the Amalfi Coast?

The two main cities on the Amalfi Coast are Positano and Amalfi. These two I would put right away in my itinerary regardless of the intention of the trip. They are two cities that are really worth a visit, they are beautiful, very good to walk around, have wonderful beaches, those that you can not believe when you see the colour of the water (crystal clear), good restaurants.

Positano

Positano is the postcard of the region, that picture that always appears when we look for the Amalfi Coast. It is very small, you will see that the town seems to have grown in a canyon and everything is squeezed between the mountain and the sea. Besides the beach that is the highlight of the city, another thing that draws a lot of attention in Positano is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, it is super different and beautiful, it has a Byzantine style dome.

If you arrive in Positano by car, you’ll need to park up there and walk all the way down. It seems boring, but it’s just a little tiring, there’s nothing boring about it. The way is sensational, with many nice spots for photos and that wonderful sea on the horizon.

If you arrive by boat, then you will already be getting off at the beach, but it is worth going up a little to have this general panorama of the city from above.

Amalfi

In Amalfi, besides the beach, the highlight is Piazza Duomo, where the Cathedral of Amalfi is, beautiful and super imposing. There are also several restaurants with tables on the pavement, there is a lot of commerce, several souvenir shops, typical products of the region, ice cream parlours.

Ravello

Ravello is very different from the other towns on the Amalfi Coast because it is high up, it does not have direct access to the sea, and if on the one hand this may seem bad, on the other hand it guarantees a wonderful view of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ravello is famous for the music festival that takes place every year, it has even won the title of city of music. A very popular attraction there is the Villa Rufolo and its Gardens, in fact, the view is beautiful and compensated the price of the ticket.

Which Other Towns Can I Visit on the Amalfi Coast?

Other towns that you can put on your tour of the Amalfi Coast are: Maiori, Minori, Atrani, Praiano, Cetara and the Island of Capri minori atrani Taiana you stop and the Island of Capri.

You can also take boat trips, go diving or visit farms of the Sicilian olive or lemon producers, to taste olive oils and limoncello, the typical drink of the Amalfi Coast.

Some Extra Tips

I will give you a few extra tips to make the most of your trip. The first is to wear comfortable shoes and clothes, the region has a very hilly terrain, some towns like Positano for example, has many stairs, so the more comfortable the better.

Another tip is to take advantage of your time there and go to Pompeii. It is one of the most incredible places for those who like history. It is located between Sorrento and Naples and is very easy to get to.

We hope you have been inspired by this article and we have helped you decide your best holiday. See you next time!