The Ultimate 4-Day Amalfi Coast Itinerary: Positano, Ravello & More
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Welcome to the Amalfi Coast where Lemons are a love language.
Daydreaming of a visit to the Amalfi Coast? Let’s turn that daydream into a checkmark on your bucket list. Stunning pebble beaches, lemon studded clothing, winding roads, towns built into costal hillsides, and every dish featuring hints of citrus zest. The Amalfi cost is filled with iconic charm that will leave you longing to come back.
Positano and Amalfi town steal the limelight lemonlight, but the Amalfi Coast is actually made up of 13 villages scattered on the hills of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Technically this area could be visited as a day trip from Rome, but we’re here to convince you not to. We believe the culture, food, and views live up to the hype and this area deserves its own time to shine.
When to visit The Amalfi Coast
Beaches = Summer, right? Of course, most people flock to these areas during the summer months. Small villages with summer tourists is not a great mix. We have visited twice during summer and the crowds were near unbearable.
We recommend going during the shoulder season in September while the water is still warm.
The coldest months of the year in Amalfi are January & February where the high temps are mid 50’s (Fahrenheit).
How to Get to Amalfi:
Most people get to The Amalfi Coast from Rome by flying into Roma Fiumicino Airport (FCO), but you can also fly into Naples via Naples International Airport (NAP). If you’re visiting The Amalfi Coast, be sure to check out our 2 week Italy itinerary.
From Rome
Take the Leonardo Express train from the airport into the main train station, Roma Termini. Once at Roma Termini you will need to purchase tickets for Napoli Centrale. Tickets should be purchased in advance here for the best possible price.
Exit the Napoli Centrale station and walk towards signs for Piazza Garibaldi. When you arrive, look for the look EVA S.R.L. trains (Ente Autonomo Volturno) bound for Sorrento and purchase tickets for Sorento or Meta.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counter. These are local trains with multiple stops so make sure to get off at Meta or Sorento.
In Sorrento or Meta use the SITA bus station to purchase tickets for SITA bus. When purchasing the tickets for Positano, they will let you know the bus number. These buses make multiple stops so make sure you get off at Pasitano.
👉🏼Pro tip: You can also confirm the bus number with google maps.
From Naples
From Naples International Airport, you need to make your way to Piazza Garibaldi. You have 2 options: take a direct bus ($6) or a private taxi transfer ($30). When you arrive, look for the look EVA S.R.L. trains (Ente Autonomo Volturno) bound for Sorrento and purchase tickets for Sorento or Meta.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counter. These are local trains with multiple stops so make sure to get off at Meta or Sorento stop.
In Sorrento or Meta use the SITA bus station to purchase tickets for SITA bus. When purchasing the tickets for Positano, they will let you know the bus number. These buses make multiple stops so make sure you get off at Positano.
Where to Stay in The Amalfi coast?
We have been to the Amalfi Coast twice. The first time we chose to say in Sorrento, which is technically outside of the Amalfi coast area.
The main reason for choosing to stay in Sorrento is: it’s much cheaper. While we can definitely recommend this option if you’re trying to save money, we felt we missed out on the true Amalfi coast experience and wasted a lot of time in transit. For those reasons, we do recommend staying in Positano.
TL;DR: Stay in Positano, it’s worth the price tag.
If you’re looking for the ultimate bucket-list luxury stay, we recommend this hotel.
For an excellent mid-range option, we recommend staying here.
For another wonderful mid-range option, we recommend this hotel.
Getting around the Amalfi Coast:
Getting between coastal towns is very easy using the ferry, we recommend using Positano Jet. Tickets can be booked in advance here.
Another option using the SITA bus. SITA bus tickets can be purchased prior to boarding at most Tabaccherias.
While we have used both, we definitely don’t prefer the SITA as it can be incredibly crowded aka standing room only- not super fun for the motion sick prone or claustrophobic peeps.
Due to the narrow and winding roads, we definitely do not recommend hiring a car in this area.
Day 1: Positano
Morning:
Positano is a relatively small town and a lot of day-trippers come over using the ferry, so if you’re visiting during peak season, we definitely recommend starting your day early.
With plenty of shops and stunning views everywhere you turn, you definitely won’t regret the seemingly endless steps this town has. Make sure to try a famous Amalfi lemon granita, but be warned, it’s sure to make you pucker.
Afternoon:
Time to cool off. If going to the beach is your thing, we recommend renting an umbrella and taking a dip in the Tyrrhenian Sea. We definitely recommend booking in advance during peak season!
You can book this luxury club in advance online, but it definitely comes with a luxury price tag.
This beach club offers both regular beach chairs and luxury chairs on a rock overlooking the sea.
For a much more affordable option, this beach club has ocean front chairs without the hefty price.
👉🏼Pro-tip: the pebbles will hurt your feet. Bring some flip-flops or water shoes to prevent injury.
If beaches aren’t your thing, we recommend taking one of the many class options in the area. We chose to do a ceramic painting class and absolutely loved it! Plus, they ship the piece to you once finished, so no need to worry about luggage space.
Evening:
Are romantic sunsets your vibe? Well, a sunset cruise along The Amalfi Coast is the epitome of romance. Take in the views as the sun sets and the twinkling town lights fill the coastline. Seeing the towns from this perspective is truly a unique experience.
Book your sunset cruise here:
Day 2: Amalfi town & Ravello
Morning:
Get your lemon garb ready. Today, you will start your day with a quick ferry ride over to Amalfi using the Positano Jet.
Lemon culture is so prevalent in The Amalfi Coast and the Amalfi lemon is unique to this area of the world. We visited a local lemon farm to learn about the Amalfi lemon, lemon farming, and of course, to try some fresh Amalfi Lemon limoncello. What better way to start your day than with a shot of limoncello?
We booked this lemon tour:
Afternoon:
Amalfi town itself is quite small, so we spent about an hour strolling around the area and felt that was plenty. We decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in Ravello. Ravello seems to get overlooked often, but in our opinion, it has the best views in the Amalfi Coast area.
Ravello is about a 16 minute drive from Amalfi. To get there, you can take a taxi (cost is 40-50 euros one way), use the SITA bus, or Amico shuttle. We highly recommend using the Amico shuttle, however, tickets need to be pre-booked at least a day in advance. Tickets can be booked here.
In Ravello, one of the best view points is located here in the Villa Cimbrone Gardens. The gardens are a beautifully kept area where you could truly wonder and get lost for hours. Cost to enter is $12 and well worth it for the views. Spend the rest of the afternoon wondering around Ravello.
We recommend ending the day with Baffone Gelateria Artigianale. It was seriously one of the best Gelatos we had in Italy. Gelato rankings are not something we take lightly.
Day 3: Pompeii & Mount Vesuvius
Getting to Pompeii
Purchase tickets for SITA bus to Sorrento or Meta or Sant’ Angelo.
Once there, make your way the EVA S.R.L. (Ente Autonomo Volturno) train station and purchase tickets for Pompeii Scavi Villa Dei Misteri from the ticket counter.
Look for trains bound for Napoli Porta Nolana and make sure to get off at Pompeii Scavi Villa Dei Misteri.
Pompeii
Today is a full day trip!
We booked a tour which included both Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius, so transportation between the two was also included. We started our tour at Mt. Vesuvius where we were allowed to climb up and view the inside the caldera.
It was a nice little climb to burn off all our gelatos. However, if treading volcanic sand isn’t your thing we definitely recommend skipping this part.
👉🏼Pro-tip: make sure to wear closed-toe shoes. The volcanic rock is very slippery and makes it hard to get traction on the way up.
Next, we made our way to Pompeii after a quick stop for lunch. Pompeii is best done using a tour guide. As with Rome, it truly helps the area come to life. We have done the Pompeii tour twice, our first time we had a less than enthusiastic guide and did not enjoy it, but the second time was a redemption for us! Pompeii was truly a humbling experience.
Pompeii was a surprisingly progressive society and it really helped having someone point out all of the little nuances to us (*cough* *cough* phalluses everywhere).
Making your way back to Positano, if you have time and an appetite, we definitely recommend having the Eat, Pray, Love pizza experience in Naples. This pizza was made famous by Julia Roberts and honestly, it’s worth the hype.
Day 4: Capri
Today is another full day trip to one of Italy’s most beautiful islands: Capri. You will need to take the Pasitano Jet Ferry over to Capri. For the best rates, be sure to book your tickets in advance .
Capri is divided into two main areas, Capri and Anacapri. Each area has its own unique vibes and both areas are equally worth visiting.
Probably the most famous attraction in Capri is the Blue Grotto. We have visited Capri twice, the first time we visited as a day trip. During that day trip, we booked the blue grotto excursion. Unfortunately that used up a large majority of our time on Capri island, so we don’t recommend that to day-trippers. If your heart is set on seeing it, here are some options to get you there:
Morning: Anacapri
We recommend starting the morning off in Anacapri. The ferry will drop you off in Marina Grande, from there, make your way over to the ticket station here. Make sure to purchase an all day ticket, this will allow you to use the bus and go anywhere in Capri all day. For bus schedules and prices, click here.
Once in Anacapri, we recommend taking the Monte Solaro chairlift. From the top you will have the best views of Capri and the iconic three rock formations known as Faraglioni. There are trails in the area for walking and you can even walk back down to Anacapri town rather than taking the chairlift. We recommend starting the day here because there is little shade, so starting early gives you the best protection from the intense Capri sun.
Anacapri town is full of little shops and places to grab a bite (or some gelato), so we recommend spending a little time exploring before heading to Capri.
Afternoon: Capri town
After exploring Anacapri, take the bus to Capri. Capri is the bougie area of the island- think high end shopping and celebrity spotting. Here you can leisurely stroll, shop, of grab a Aperol spritz in the piazza.
If shopping ins’t your thing, we recommend a quick hike to our second favorite viewpoint: Belvedere Tragara. From the piazza, it’s a quick 20 minute hike up to the viewpoint, located here. While most people come to Capri for shopping or the blue grotto, this little viewpoint is not as well known, making it the perfect place to sit and take it all in.
Final thoughts
Classic charm, crystal clear water, and lemon love- The Amalfi Coast is a pure dream. It’s the perfect place to get some sun while getting lost in the magical seaside villages. This iconic region needs to be on every bucket list. If you follow this itinerary, we are sure you will fall in love with the Amalfi Coast charm and be itching to come back.
