The Ultimate 5 Day Amalfi Coast Itinerary

Visiting the Amalfi Coast was at the top of my travel bucket list for years but somehow it took me 10 trips to Italy to finally make it happen. But let me tell you, it was worth the wait!

One of the reasons why I put off visiting the Amalfi Coast for so long was because planning the trip seemed overwhelming. Getting around the towns, choosing the right place to stay, and putting together an itinerary that would cover all the highlights – it all seemed like a daunting task.

Lucky for you, I’m here to help you out! After my amazing experience, I’ve put together the ultimate Amalfi Coast itinerary for first timers. I will share all my top tips and recommendations with you so you can make the most out of your trip and have an unforgettable experience just like I did.

*Disclosure: This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link.*

Overview of Your Amalfi Coast Itinerary

This itinerary is designed for five full days, excluding travel time, so most probably you will need one or two more days to cover your arrival and departure.

Strictly speaking, Sorrento and Capri are not part of the Amalfi Coast, but since they are really close (and Sorrento is also a good base for this trip) I’ve included them as well.

I would recommend choosing two towns to base yourself in, Sorrento and Amalfi. Sorrento is easy to get to from Naples and offers great access to Capri, and it’s also relatively close to Positano. Amalfi, on the other hand, is a great base to explore the rest of the towns on the coast such as Atrani or Ravello.

Driving on the Amalfi Coast is a literal nightmare, so I would recommend using public transportation instead. It’s not without its own challenges, but I will give you some tips on how to navigate it smoothly in this Amalfi Coast itinerary.

Breakdown of your 5 days on the Amalfi Coast

• Day 1: Sorrento
• Day 2: Positano
• Day 3: Capri
• Day 4: Amalfi & Atrani
• Day 5: Ravello

Map for your Amalfi Coast trip

Below you can find a customized map that includes all the locations you’re going to visit on this Amalfi Coast itinerary.

I marked your 5 days on the Amalfi Coast with different colors and I also added all my hotel recommendations for the map so you can have everything in one place.

How to use this map: This map is fully interactive, so you can move around, zoom in/zoom out, and click on the icons. If you want to see a larger map, click on the bracket in the upper right corner. To see more details and the different layers, click on the tab in the upper left corner. If you want to save it for later, click on the star icon next to the name of the map. Then simply open Google Maps either on your desktop or phone, go to ‘Saved’/’Maps’, and open the map whenever you need it.

Arrival Day

How to get to Sorrento from Naples

The closest international airport to the Amalfi Coast is in Naples, so chances are you will start your trip there just like we did. Although we went with the car rental option, I would recommend using public transport or private transfers instead.

Luckily, Sorrento is easily accessible from Naples by train. There are two types of trains: the Circumvesuviana and Campania Express Trains.

Circumvesuviana is much cheaper (around €4) and departs more frequently but it’s also often delayed, crowded, and there is no AC. Campania Express is more comfortable as you can book your seat and it also has AC, but it’s also more expensive (around €15).

To be honest with you, I’ve read pretty bad reviews for both so there’s a chance that your experience won’t be the most pleasant one.

For a more comfortable experience, you can also book a private transfer directly from Naples Airport to your accommodation in Sorrento. Alternatively, there are also shared transfers that are a bit cheaper but they typically don’t include hotel dropoffs.

Where to stay in Sorrento

The Amalfi Coast is notorious for its expensive hotels so if you want to catch a break, Sorrento is a good alternative. It’s also a better choice for families and has a fair share of luxury hotels too so it’s not like you’re missing out on any comforts.

Sorrento provides great access to Capri and it’s also connected with most towns on the Amalfi Coast via bus or ferry.

There is a SITA bus line connecting Sorrento with Amalfi, so you can get to Positano in 45 minutes and to Amalfi in 1.5 hours (not considering traffic).

If you want to go further than Amalfi (for example to Ravello or Atrani), it will be more challenging as it will take forever and you will also need to change to another bus in Amalfi. That’s why I recommend staying in Amalfi for the second half of your Amalfi Coast itinerary!

But back to Sorrento, here are my top choices for accommodation in the city:

• Luxury: Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria | Grand Hotel Ambasciatori | Grand Hotel Royal
• Mid-range: Hotel Continental | Hotel Antiche Mura | Grand Hotel Aminta
• Budget: Hotel Il Faro | Hotel Crawford

Day 1: Sorrento

To be honest with you, when I planned our Amalfi Coast itinerary I wanted to skip Sorrento first because the other towns seemed more interesting. We had to book our trip pretty last minute and as we didn’t find any good hotels left in Positano, we ended up staying in Sorrento for two nights.

I’m so glad it turned out this way because I loved Sorrento so much! It’s such a charming town with amazing vibes, beautiful architecture, and lovely cafes and restaurants.

There are not a whole lot of things to do in Sorrento but just walking around and exploring the town is a delight in itself.

Start your day at Piazza Tasso which is the main square in Sorrento. It’s always bustling with life and surrounded by beautiful buildings, cafes, and restaurants.

Then take a walk along Corso Italia where you can find some lovely shops and boutiques. You can stop by the Cathedral of Saints Philip and James, a beautiful catholic church, or Parco di Villa Fiorentino, a peaceful park with a playground for children.

For lunch, make your way down to Marina Grande, a small fishing village just below Sorrento’s cliffs. There are a few seafood restaurants here and I would highly recommend having lunch at Bagni Delfino. It’s located on a pier and provides the best views of the marina and the coast.

Sorrento has some nice beaches so you can spend your afternoon relaxing on the beach or taking a dip in the sea. I would also recommend stopping by the Cloister of San Francesco, which is a stunning medieval cloister with beautiful gardens.

If you’re looking for the best sunset spots in the city, head over to Villa Comunale di Sorrento or Piazza della Vittoria. Both places are free to visit and offer stunning views of the sunset over the sea.

Day 2: Positano

Positano is hands down the most famous town on the Amalfi Coast and it’s not hard to see why. The colorful houses built on the cliffs, the beautiful beach, and the charming streets make it one of the most picturesque places in Italy.

How to get to Positano

To get to Positano from Sorrento, you can take a bus or ferry. Taking the ferry is more comfortable but it takes longer and it’s also a lot more expensive than the bus. The first ferry only leaves around 9 am so if you want to be there earlier, the bus is a better option.

You can check the bus schedule here. Tickets can be bought at the bus station, and practically from any tobacco shop and newspaper stand, or even from cafes and bars.

The first bus departs at 6:30 am but I thought that was too early so we wanted to take the next one at 7:40 am. We arrived 10 minutes before the departure time and there was already a long line. The bus got full right in front of us so we had to wait for the next one that only left at 8:30 so we ended up waiting more than an hour just to get on the bus.

Mind you, this was early in the morning at the end of May. During the day and in high season it’s even worse so I would definitely recommend taking an early bus and arriving at the bus stop 20-30 minutes before the departure time.

The bus takes around 45-60 minutes but be prepared for a bumpy ride as the roads are narrow and winding. I was glad I didn’t get any breakfast before!

There are two stops in Positano: Chiesa Nuova which is the first one and it’s higher up in the town, and Sponda which is the second and main stop (right by the beach). Depending on where you want to go first, you can get off at either stop.

After our troubles with the bus, I immediately knew that getting back to Sorrento would be a nightmare so I booked a ferry ticket on Ferryscanner for our return journey. Some options were already sold out so I would definitely recommend booking your tickets as soon as possible!

It was much more expensive than the bus (€21 vs. €2) but for me, it was worth not having to wait in line and possibly not getting on the bus at all. Plus the views from the ferry were amazing, it was practically like doing a boat tour along the coast!

If all this sounds like too much hassle, booking a full-day boat tour from Sorrento is the best option. It will take you to both Positano and Amalfi, and you can even swim in the beautiful crystal-clear waters of the coast without having to worry about transportation.

Best things to do in Positano

If you’re taking the bus to Positano, I recommend getting off at Sponda. In a few minutes, you will arrive at one of the most famous viewpoints in Positano on Cristoforo Colombo.

There is also a cute little cafe close to the viewpoint called Angelo Cafe where you can get coffee and pastries while enjoying the stunning view. We had breakfast here and the pastries were really good!

From there, you can head straight down to the beach but I would recommend taking a walk around the town first before it gets too hot. Positano is located on a steep hill so be prepared for lots of stairs and uphill walking!

We really enjoyed just getting lost in the streets and admiring the beautiful houses, flowers, and views. You can also do some shopping as there are lots of cute souvenir shops, boutiques, and ceramics stores.

After exploring, head down to Spiaggia Grande which is the main beach in Positano. There are plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas available for rent, or you can just lay your towel on the free part of the beach.

For lunch, I recommend heading to Rada Beach Bistrot which is located right by the beach. Alternatively, you can also just get some takeaway pizza and eat it on the beach!

You can either spend the whole afternoon at the beach, go on a boat tour, or head back to Sorrento earlier.

If you decide to stay, you can enjoy the sunset from one of the bars and restaurants in Positano. The most popular one is Franco’s Bar which is owned by Le Sirenuse (the most iconic hotel in Positano) and located in the heart of the town.

Villa Treville and Il San Pietro di Positano also have a stunning bar but these are located further away from the town center so it’s harder to get to if you don’t have a car.

Day 3: Capri

On the third day of your Amalfi Coast itinerary, I highly recommend taking a day trip to the beautiful island of Capri. I know, I know – it’s technically not part of the Amalfi Coast but it’s so close and easily accessible from Sorrento that I couldn’t leave it out. The whole island is absolutely stunning!

How to get to Capri

There are regular ferries departing from Sorrento to Capri throughout the day. The journey takes around 30 minutes and typically costs around €50 for a round trip.

I would recommend booking your tickets on Ferryscanner in advance, especially during the high season as they tend to sell out. The first ferry leaves around 8:30 am and comes back around 5:45 pm, so it’s best to plan your day accordingly.

If you don’t want to worry about transportation, you can also book a full-day boat tour to Capri from Sorrento. This includes round-trip transportation, a visit to the famous Blue Grotto, and enough free time to explore the island on your own.

Best things to do in Capri

Once you arrive at Marina Grande, the main port of Capri, you have a few options on how to start your day in Capri.

One of the most popular things to do in Capri is to take a boat tour around the island with a stop at the famous Blue Grotto. The best thing is that the booking is valid for a whole day so no matter when you arrive, you can join the next available tour.

The boat tour itself is only one hour but the queue to enter the Blue Grotto can take up to another hour so be prepared for some waiting time. Entrance to the Blue Grotto also costs extra, it’s €18 per person and you can only stay inside for a maximum of five minutes.

Honestly, this felt like too much hassle for us so we decided to skip it and explore the island on foot instead.

We started our day by taking a funicular up to Capri Town from Marina Grande. We picked up some focaccia from La Focacciera Capri and had a lovely breakfast with stunning views over the island.

Next, we walked to Giardini di Augusto which is a beautiful garden filled with flowers and overlooking the famous Faraglioni rocks. The view was out of this world! On the other side, you can also see Via Krupp, a winding path leading down to Marina Piccola.

On our way back we quickly stopped by Certosa San Giacomo Capri, an old monastery that is now a museum. From there we walked to Via Camerelle, the most famous shopping street in Capri where you can find all the luxury brands.

While Marina Grande and the towns of Capri and Anacapri are connected by buses, the rest of the island is only accessible by foot so be prepared for lots of walking! If you’re up for the challenge, there are some amazing spots you can check out on the eastern part of the island.

One of the most popular spots is the Natural Arch, a naturally formed archway overlooking the sea. It’s only a 20-minute walk from Capri town so it’s totally doable!

There are also two villas that you can visit on this side of the island: Villa Jovis and Villa Lysis. We picked Villa Lysis which was another 40-minute walk from the Natural Arch. I’m not going to lie, I was pretty tired by the time we got there but the views and the villa itself were so worth it!

If this sounds like too much walking for you (remember, you need to walk another 40 minutes back to Capri town!), you can take it easy and spend a few hours on the beach instead. The most popular one is La Fontelina, which is a stunning beach club right under the Faraglioni rocks.

Another place in Capri that you shouldn’t miss is the top of Monte Solaro, the highest point on the island. To get there, you have to take a bus from Capri town to Anacapri, and then hop on the chairlift which takes you to the top. The views from up there are absolutely breathtaking and the ride up is pretty fun too!

Although the buses work great for getting around Capri, they are really small and can only fit a limited number of people, so you might need to wait 3-4 buses until you can get on one, and they typically leave every 15-20 minutes or so.

This will eat up a lot of time so make sure to factor this in when planning your day! Alternatively, you can also hop in a private taxi but it will cost you significantly more.

Day 4: Amalfi & Atrani

Next stop on your Amalfi Coast itinerary – the charming towns of Amalfi and Atrani. These two towns are located right next to each other and can be easily explored in one day.

How to get to Amalfi

The SITA bus runs from Sorrento to Amalfi but the travel time is around 1.5 hours and it can be even more during high season. Not to mention the crowds!

That’s why I would recommend basing yourself in Amalfi for the rest of your Amalfi Coast trip and just taking day trips from there. This way you can save a lot of time on transportation and explore the area more efficiently.

If you happen to come with a rental car, leaving the car at Parcheggio Luna Rossa is the most convenient option. It’s quite expensive but it’s right next to Atrani and it also has a tunnel that leads you directly to Amalfi town.

Where to stay in Amalfi

I think Amalfi has the most convenient location for exploring the Amalfi Coast so it’s a great place to base yourself for a few days. Plus, it’s less touristy compared to Positano and has more budget-friendly accommodation options.

We stayed at Miramalfi and it was an absolute dream. The hotel is situated right on the cliffs overlooking the sea and Amalfi town, and their beach club is one of the most iconic spots on the Amalfi Coast. You can read my full review of Miramalfi here!

If you’re looking for something else, here are some other great options to consider:

• Luxury: Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel | Hotel Marina Riviera
• Mid-range: Terrazza Duomo | Hotel Residence
• Budget: Amalfi Resort | Hotel Amalfi

Best things to do in Amalfi

Amalfi town is quite small and can be easily explored on foot in a couple of hours. One of the main attractions here is the Duomo di Amalfi, an impressive cathedral with stunning architecture. The entrance fee is only €3 and the interior looks stunning too!

Make sure to check out Saint Andrew’s Fountain, a beautiful fountain located in the main square of Amalfi. The square itself is surrounded by cute little shops and cafes, perfect for a coffee break.

You also can’t miss trying the famous lemon sorbet in Amalfi. They are known for their lemons here, so you can find lemon-flavored everything from gelato to limoncello!

There are many shops around the town selling lemon sorbet, we bought ours from Mago del Gelo and it was really good! But a word of warning, it melts pretty quickly (especially if you want to take pictures first like I did) so be prepared for a sticky situation. The fountain came in handy for washing our hands afterward!

Amalfi also has a really nice beach where you can spend a few hours or you can rent some kayaks and explore the coastline from a different perspective.

Best things to do in Atrani

Just a short walk from Amalfi town is the picturesque village of Atrani. It’s much smaller and less touristy compared to its neighbor, but it’s definitely worth a visit. It was one of my favorite towns on the Amalfi Coast!

Honestly, there are not a lot of things to do in Atrani other than just wandering around and admiring the colorful houses and narrow streets. But that’s what makes it so charming!

Atrani also has a nice beach which is usually less crowded compared to Amalfi’s, so if you’re looking for a more peaceful spot to relax, this would be it.

If you’re looking for a great lunch spot, make sure to check out Le Arcate. It’s located right next to the beach with amazing views and the food was also really good and fairly priced.

Day 5: Ravello

It’s the last full day of your Amalfi Coast itinerary and we still have one more amazing town to explore – Ravello. Located high up in the mountains, this town offers some of the most breathtaking views on the Amalfi Coast.

How to get to Ravello

Ravello is located on top of a hill so it’s very different compared to the other towns on the coast. It has a direct bus connection to Amalfi but if you are coming from somewhere else, first you need to take a bus or ferry to Amalfi and then switch to the Ravello bus.

The bus departs roughly every 30 minutes during the day and it takes around 30 minutes to get there. Similar to the other bus routes on the Amalfi Coast, it can get quite crowded so it’s better to go early in the morning.

If you’re planning to drive up, the town has a pretty big parking lot (compared to other towns) right next to the Duomo but it can also get full during peak season.

Best things to do in Ravello

The main reason people come to Ravello is for the stunning views from its two famous villas – Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo. Both villas offer different perspectives of the coastline, with beautiful gardens and terraces to admire the views from.

Villa Rufolo is located right next to the town’s main square so it’s very easy to get to. It has a beautiful garden with colorful flowers and a terrace overlooking the sea. On a clear day, you can even see all the way to Salerno!

Make sure to go in the morning or early afternoon to avoid the crowds and also because the sun sets behind the mountains in the evening, making it difficult to capture good photos. We went late in the afternoon first and the garden was already in the shadows so we had to come back the next morning to see it in its full glory!

Villa Cimbrone is located further away from the town center but it’s definitely worth the short hike up.

The highlight here is the Terrace of Infinity, a panoramic terrace that offers one of the most stunning views on the Amalfi Coast. I couldn’t get enough of the views here and ended up taking way too many photos!

After visiting the villas, make sure to explore the rest of Ravello. You can visit the Duomo, take in the views from Giardini Principessa di Piemonte, or just wander around the charming streets filled with cute shops and restaurants.

Talking about restaurants, we really loved Osteria Ravello and Da Nonno Alfonso. Both offer delicious food and great views!

Departure day

All good things must come to an end and sadly, it’s time to leave the Amalfi Coast. Depending on your travel plans, you can either head back to Naples or continue exploring other parts of Italy.

If you have your flight from Naples, I would also recommend spending a day there, or at least half a day. The city has a lot to offer, from history and art to some of the best pizza in the world!

But if you’re not ready to leave just yet, you can always extend your trip and explore more towns on the Amalfi Coast, take a day trip to Pompeii, or even visit the nearby islands of Procida or Ischia.

Whatever you decide, I hope this Amalfi Coast itinerary helps you make the most out of your time in one of the most beautiful places in Italy!

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