The Best Amalfi Coast Itinerary

Note: this is an older post. For the most up to date information on what to do in Positano, click here.

If you are searching for the perfect Amalfi Coast itinerary, look no further! I have visited multiple times and created this thorough Amalfi Coast travel guide with the help of a handful of local friends who have lived there their entire life.

Below is an Amalfi Coast itinerary 3 days to 4 days. If you have more time than that, the last day has a list of things you can pick and choose from, allowing you to add any number of additional days to your itinerary. It includes all of the best of Amalfi Coast — the things you shouldn’t miss! (Pssst... you can also click here for my list of 8 things you absolutely cannot miss in Positano)

It also covers the best places to visit on the Amalfi Coast, including how I recommend you see them all, and the best Amalfi Coast things to do!

Have plans to visit other parts of Italy during your trip? Click here for the best Italy itinerary 3 weeks.

 
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Amalfi Coast Itinerary:

Amalfi Coast Itinerary Day One

Arrive in Positano via ferry from Salerno. How to get to Amalfi Coast and to Positano specifically can be a bit confusing which is why I have an entire post dedicated to it! Click here for how to get to Positano.

Check into your Positano hotel. Is Positano the best town to stay in Amalfi Coast? Yes. You must stay in Positano. Trust me on this.

Assuming you read everything you need to know about visiting Positano prior to arriving (click here to read it), including where to stay in Amalfi Coast, you should hopefully be checking into one of two hotels: Dimora del Podesta or Hotel Poseidon.

Interested in other accommodation options or want more info on those? Click here for where to stay in Amalfi Coast.

Booking.com
 
Dimora del Podesta is an absolutely wonderful b&b ran by the sweetest local family. It is incredibly reasonably priced and the location is absolutely perfect. From the main beach/center of town it’s about a 15 minute walk (uphill but very doable) or you can take a bus or cab there if need be. Staying here will make you feel like a resident of Positano, not a tourist surrounded by huge crowds of people. Click here to see the latest prices.

Hotel Poseidon is a stunning, family-run, 4-star hotel in the heart of Positano. They have the most beautiful view, the most beautiful space, and the kindest, sweetest employees you could ever imagine. Click here to see the latest prices.

For more information on both of those hotels as well as other hotel recommendations, click here to read everything you need to know about visiting Positano.

 

Above photos via Le Sirenuse

Once you are done checking in and freshening up, it’s time for a celebratory drink! Head to Le Sirenuse’s Champagne Bar and Grill. It has one of the best views in town and is the perfect way to kick off your Amalfi Coast holiday. The cocktails are a bit pricey but it is worth it.

 

Above photos via Le Sirenuse

After happy hour it is time to grab dinner. For night one I have two recommendations: Da Vincenzo or La Sponda.

Da Vincenzo (Via Pasitea 172/178) is one of the oldest restaurants in Positano. It has local cuisine and is very good. Click here for more info on Da Vincenzo.

On an Amalfi Coast honeymoon or just you prefer something fancier? La Sponda (Via San Sebastiano 2) is Mediterranean cuisine Amalfi Coast restaurant at the iconic Le Sirenuse. They use fresh, local ingredients in the most beautiful venue. It’s hard to get into so you should book a reservation on their site prior to your arrival. Click here for more info on La Sponda.

 

Day Two

If you have decided to stay at Dimora del Podesta then on day two, just as every other day, you will wake up and eat breakfast on your balcony overlooking town. If you’ve chosen to stay somewhere else, grab breakfast there.

 

Next up: the beach! Many people don’t know this, but the main beach in Positano is not the only beach. The beach you see in everyone’s photos and the one you arrive at if you come by ferry, Marina Grande, can become a bit of a tourist nightmare depending on time of year. And we don’t like tourist nightmares, so we’re definitely not going there.

We’re going to Fornillo Beach, a much lesser known beach where locals and wanna-be locals like myself hang out instead. It’s a bit smaller but still easy to get a spot at even in July during peak tourist season.

To get here you’ll walk down the stairs at Via Fornillo. See the included map for more info.

Once at Fornillo Beach, relax! As with all Italy beaches, you’ll need to pay a small fee to rent a bed. Don’t forget a towel! Click here for the travel beach towel I bring with me. It’s quick drying and compact!

The Amalfi Coast beaches are not nice sand, but are covered in rocks, so don’t forget your sandals. Click here for the ones I bring (I have numerous pairs).

We also usually bring a floatie or two with us since it can be painful to stand on the rocky sand. As much fun as those ginormous floats are, traveling with them is a major pain (I know from experience). Click here for floaties that are good for travel.

And last but not least, don’t forget SPF. Click here for the best face SPF.

Once you get hungry for lunch, head to Da Ferdinando. It is located on the beach also and is very good.

 

Whenever you tire of beach lounging, it is time to explore Positano! Don’t worry - you don’t have to walk up that huge hill (yet). Instead, take Via Fornillo over to Marina Grande.

If you stand facing away from the sea towards Positano and walk straight, you’ll see a walkway. Turn right and walk along that road until you arrive at Marina Grande. See the included map for more info.

 

From here I would recommend spending the rest of the afternoon walking around Positano. There are so many beautiful things to see and photograph so do not forget your camera!

You should also do some shopping. One thing in particular that you must buy is local, handmade, custom sandals which the Amalfi Coast is known for. Positano is filled with dozens of stores that will make you sandals by hand while you wait, fit perfectly to your foot! You simply pick the style, the color, the size, and within around 15 minutes you have your own pair of fully custom sandals. I had mine made during a power outage (very impressive!) and still love them four years later.

As you explore, wind your way slowly back up Via Pasitea. It’s much easier than taking random stairways and this way you won’t miss anything! Make sure to stop by Saracena d'Oro and make reservations for dinner. You should specifically request to sit outside. Depending on the time of year you might want to do this on your way to the beach in the morning or even the night before.

 

Above photos via Music on the Rocks

Arrive for dinner at Saracena d’Oro at the time of your reservation. You must order pizza!

After dinner head to Franco’s Bar for some drinks. Franco’s Bar is a beautiful bar with an old-fashioned, quality-first drinks menu and one of the best views in town! It’s a popular spot even for locals — it’s many of my local friend’s favorite places.

Once it gets late enough I very highly recommend checking out Music on the Rocks. It is a club in a cave that you get to by walking across the beach and it is so. much. fun. I don’t know what it is exactly that makes me love this place despite not being a club person, but you’ll catch me here until it closes down at 4am most nights I am in town. Don’t miss it and make sure not to show up before 1am or you’ll be the only one there, literally!

 

Day Three

Grab a quick breakfast at your hotel.

First up, my all time favorite Amalfi Coast itinerary item: touring the Amalfi Coast towns. An Amalfi Coast roadtrip! There are a few different Amalfi Coast tours you can choose between.

My favorite way to do so is via scooter. It is magic; there is nothing like zipping around the world’s most beautiful coastline without windows, a car frame, or anything else blocking your view. If you want Amalfi Coast photos this is your best bet.

The day I spent zipping around the coast on the back of a scooter was truly one of the best days of my life and one that I will remember forever! Click here to see the latest prices and reserve your spot!

I spent years (literally) looking for a good scooter tour option to recommend for you guys. When I came across the company that offers that one on Get Your Guide and read their unanimous amazing reviews, I reached out to them directly, asking them to add a scooter tour option that specifically starts in Positano. They were kind enough to do so, so now there’s a scooter tour that goes to all of my recommended places! Click here to see the latest prices and reserve your spot.

After your tour, please come back and comment, DM me on Instagram @ckanani, or tag me in your Instagram stories or posts @ckanani to let me know how it goes! I’m dying to hear about it.

 

If scooters aren’t your thing, you can also do this via vintage ’50s Ape Calessino. Click here to see the latest prices. Note that although the tour says it starts in Ravello, you are able to start it in Positano instead (I confirmed). Just book it and then let them know you need to be picked up in Positano. Also note that it sells out extremely early — book it ASAP.


If you want to give yourself a tour instead, there are many towns I recommend visiting. Click here for the Amalfi Coast towns you should visit. There’s also a map of Amalfi Coast towns there (the ones I specifically recommend you go to).

 

Depending on which tour you take and how early you get back, you may have time to spend the afternoon at Hotel Poseidon’s pool! If you aren’t staying there you can still go, you just have to pay a small fee to use it.

After the pool head home to freshen up, but be sure to be ready before sunset.

Thirty minutes or so before sunset, go to Il Tridente at Hotel Poseidon for sunset drinks. The view, as you’ll know if you went to the pool, are magnificent at all times — especially as the sun goes down!

For dinner you might choose to also dine at Il Tridente. If you want to try something else, head to Ristorante Mediterraneo for some good seafood, a very friendly staff, and often live music.

 

Day Four

Day four we will spend on the water, en route to famous Capri Amalfi Coast where you will spend the day!

The tour will last all day and will include many things. First you will head to Capri, stopping to swim or snorkel in various coves. You’ll have the option as a group to visit the Blue Lagoon. We skipped this because the wait was long and we were told it wasn’t worth it, but definitely do it if you are interested!

Once you arrive at Capri you will disembark and explore Capri for about 4 hours. I’d recommend you head to Anacapri, my favorite area. Or if you want something extra glam, go lounge at La Fontelina beach club. It is jaw-droppingly beautiful. If you’re a fan of Gray Malin, you will recognize this spot from his La Dolce Vita series.

When the four hours are up you will return to Positano, stopping again to swim and snorkel.

You should arrive back in Positano roughly around 5pm.

 

If you aren’t too tired, get dinner at Da Alolfo. It is a fresh seafood restaurant literally on the beach. It’s only reachable by boat; the journey is free for restaurant guests. You must make reservations by phone at +39 089875022. A very cool experience!

If you can’t get in there or want something more mellow, click here to check my where to eat + drink list for other options.

 

Day Five

Wake up and start crying because it is your last day. Just kidding, kind of :)

By now you’ve likely come up with your own list of things you would like to see and do so I will leave this day fairly flexible. What you have time for will also depend on what time you need to head out.

Some recommended things to do:

 

Other Helpful Amalfi Coast Information

Assuming you are reading this because you are planning on visiting the Amalfi Coast, I have a ton of other helpful content to ease your planning woes!

FOR WHAT TO PACK… click here.

FOR WHERE TO STAY… click here for the best hotels, villas, and Airbnbs.

FOR THE 8 THINGS YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT MISS WHILE VISITING… click here!

FOR WHERE TO EAT, DRINK, AND WHAT TO DO… click here for everything you need to know about visiting Positano.

FOR THE PERFECT ITALY ITINERARY… click here.

FOR HOW TO ACTUALLY GET TO POSITANO… click here.

FOR AN OVERVIEW OF THE AMALFI COAST TOWNS… click here.

FOR SOME PHOTO INSPIRATION… click here!

Also, subscribe below to get our free downloadable guide and we’ll also send you some step-by-step help to plan the Amalfi Coast trip of your dreams!

 

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Europe, Italy, Itinerary, TravelChristie SultemeierAmalfi Coast, Positano9 Comments