The Amalfi Coast is one of the most famous places to visit in Italy and draws over 5 million visitors each year. The Amalfi Coast runs from Punta Campanella to the town of Vietri sul Mar, closer to Salerno. There are 13 towns on the Amalfi Coast including Positano, Amalfi Town and Praiano. This post covers how to spend 5 perfect days on the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento.
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Table of Contents
Notes on the Itinerary for 5 Days on the Amalfi Coast
- This itinerary is for those who like to see much as they can. If you are looking to relax on a beach, then you may need to tweak this itinerary.
- 5 days would be the minimum number of days needed to see the Amalfi Coast. I have listed out what you can do with more time!
- You can do this in any order that you like, but I think the way I have laid it out is the most efficient.
5 Days on the Amalfi Coast
Day 1 – Positano
Morning
Start your day by having breakfast at one of the hotels or restaurants with a good view of Positano. Some recommendations include:
- Il Tridente – Hotel Poseiden
- Hotel Marincato
- Buca di Bacco
- Caffe Positano
- Ristorante Bruno – I’m recommending them more for the views!
Day Time
Next, do a boat tour in and around Positano. I cannot recommend this activity more! Not only will you be able to see the Amalfi Coast from the water, you can also swim and snorkel. I did a tour with Valentine’s Boat Tours and had an amazing time! The tour went from 10 AM to 4 PM which was an ideal. We started the tour in Positano and then went all the way to Atrani and back, stopping multiple times for the views, for famous spots (i.e., Fiordo di Furore ) and of course to swim and snorkel. They had all the gear including towels. Honestly one of the best tours I have done in a while!
See HERE for more details about my experience and how to book.
Evening
Enjoy sunset cocktails and a good meal.
I have a post where I have included the restaurants and bars with the best views in Positano. You can check it out HERE.
Day 2 – Positano
Morning
If you love to hike, I highly recommend doing the Path of the Gods hike. However, my recommendation is to hike early in the morning when it’s not too hot. You will need a taxi to get to the Path of the Gods early in the morning, but it will be worth it.
See HERE for more detailed about this hike. I cover everything you will need to know about this hike.
Afternoon
You can spend the afternoon shopping and walking around Positano, exploring its many beautiful streets. I opted to do a 2 hour photo shoot in and around Positano and it was so much fun! I did it with Italy Vintage Tours and can highly recommend them. Another option is to walk around and enjoy Positano’s many view points.
See HERE for these view points or to learn more about my photo shoot.
Evening
Enjoy cocktails and dinner. If you are looking for place to enjoy the sunset free of charge, then go to GPS coordinates – 40.628102, 14.489243
Day 3 – Ravello & Amalfi Town
Morning
I spent half a day on day 3 of these 5 days in the Amalfi Coast, in Ravello. This town is actually a little high up in the mountains but you can get to it from Amalfi via bus. Ravello is a little quieter than the rest of the Amalfi Coast town which makes it an ideal place to get to if you want to beat the crowds. The two main attractions in Ravello are Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo, both must see places in my opinion.
If you like to hike, you can actually hike all the way from Ravello down to Atrani. It’s not a difficult hike but does have a lot of steps. There is a bus or shuttle for the non-hikers.
See HERE for the best things to do in Ravello including details about this hike.
Afternoon
Spend your afternoon exploring the towns of Atrani and Amalfi which are right next to each other and connected via a pedestrian only tunnel.
Evening
Another opportunity for a good meal in Positano. Alternatively, you could also have an early dinner in Amalfi Town and take the last ferry back to Positano.
Day 4 – Capri
Spend all of day 4 in Capri. To get to Capri, you will have to either take a ferry from Positano or Sorrento. I highly recommend getting one from Sorrento as the earliest and latest ferries to and from the mainland to Capri and back run from Sorrento.
While Capri is technically not on the Amalfi Coast, I don’t think you can go to the Amalfi Coast and not go to Capri!
Things to Do:
- Boat tour around the island – I recommend Capri Relax Boats.
- Anacapri – Monte Solaro Chain Lift, Villa San Michele
- Capri Town – Giardini di Augusto and via Krupp view, Buonocore Gelateria
- Hike to the Natural Arch
See a very detailed itinerary for one day in Capri HERE.
Day 5 – Sorrento
Spend all of day 5 of your 5 days on the Amalfi Coast in Sorrento. Sorrento is also not exactly considered the Amalfi Coast but may consider it to be the gateway of this area as it’s easy to get to from Naples. You can easily explore Sorrento in one day and the best part is that is it relatively flat.
Things to Do:
- Enjoy the many amazing view points
- Drink Limoncello
- Shop at Via San Cesareo and Corso
- Enjoy seafood at Marina Grande
- Visit a lemon grove
I cover what to do in Sorrento in detail in this post found HERE.
Beyond 5 Days on the Amalfi Coast
Here are things to do if you are planning on staying in this area for longer:
- Visit a beach or beach club and have a beach day (Positano, Amalfi Town, Sorrento are all good places to do this)
- Check out wineries up in the hills of Tramonti
- Spend at least a night or two in Capri (instead of a day trip)
- Explore other towns like Minori, Maiori, Salerno, Vietri sul Mare, Cetara
- Hike the Path of the Lemons
- Check out historical sites like Pompeii, Herculaneum, and/ or hike to Mount Vesuvius
- Spend time in Naples
Where to Stay During 5 Days on the Amalfi Coast
If you are following this itinerary, I recommend staying in Positano and Sorrento. Sorrento is a very popular place to stay because accommodation is usually cheaper than on the Amalfi side and Sorrento is very well connected by train, bus, ferry and car.
I stayed 2 nights in Positano and 3 in Sorrento. You could also spend 3 nights in Positano and 2 in Sorrento. On day 3, after dinner, I headed to Sorrento by private transfer so that I could catch the earliest ferry to Capri the next day.
If you prefer to stay in Positano for 3 nights instead of 2, you can get to Sorrento on day 4, explore Sorrento on day 4 and then go to Capri from Sorrento on day 5.
You could also go to Capri on day 4 from Positano (ferry leaves a little later than it does from Sorrento) with your luggage. Store your luggage in Capri for the day and then collect your luggage and catch a ferry to Sorrento from Capri.
Where I stayed
Positano
Hotel Poseidon
I really enjoyed my stay at Hotel Posiedon and see why they get excellent reviews. I absolutely loved their breakfast and they have a restaurant (Il Tridente) which gets raving reviews. But my favorite part about this hotel are the views from the room, pool area and restaurant.
Le Sirenuse
Le Sirenuse is considered to be one of the best hotels in the entire world and consistently makes such lists. The views from this hotel are truly incredible. Their service is absolutely top notch and I was treated so well. They have a Michelin Star restaurant, two bars and an outdoor restaurant. It’s also very close to the beach. I will definitely stay here again when I go back to Positano.
Sorrento
Grand Hotel de la Ville
I stayed at Grand Hotel de la Ville and had a wonderful stay! The views from the hotel’s 6th floor rooftop bar, lounge and pool area were amazing! They have two pool too! The staff are very friendly and helpful! I can definitely recommend this hotel! HERE Is the link!
How to Get Around the Amalfi Coast
Ferry
Ferries are the easiest way to get around the Amalfi Coast and most of the bigger towns are well connected. My recommendation is to check on Ferry Hopper but to book directly with the provider. One thing to note about ferries though is that they will not run if seas are rough.
Bus
Buses are a very economical way of getting around the Amalfi Coast but can be a bit of a nightmare during peak season as they tend to get very full. They also don’t stop if they are full. I would not recommend buses unless the ferries are not running.
Private Transfers
I took private transfers and while it was expensive, I felt like I never wasted time waiting for a bus. After some research I decided to book with Euro Limo. They were the most economical and their communication and service was remarkable!
When to Visit
The best time to visit the Amalfi Coast is anywhere from April to October. It’s not that you cannot visit during other times, but you may find that restaurants, shops and beach clubs are closed during off peak times. Plus it will also be chilly. The purely summer months from June to August is considered high peak season and is really crowded. This is when all of Europe is more or less on vacation which adds to the crowds.
The shoulder months of April/May and September/October see lesser crowds but there is a chance for rain and rougher seas. It is honestly a bit of a gamble. Also, I’ve been hearing that more and more people are coming during shoulder season now and the crowds really don’t lessen during these times either. I visited early September and had the best weather. Yes, it was a little crowded but I avoided the crowds by starting my day early.
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