The Amalfi coast is renowned worldwide for its unrivalled beauty, dainty pastel-painted villages and sensational food and wine.
This serene stretch of Italian coast, located on the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea, is a sight to behold, enrapturing any visitor. If you’re planning to travel the Amalfi coast then there’s plenty of ways to see this wonderful part of Italy.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have done some incredible road trips, from the north-west of Slovenia to the west coast of the United States of America. I’m in no doubt the Amalfi coast offers one of the best road trips in Europe, if not the world.
Add it to your list, strap on your seatbelt and prepare to discover something special.
The Amalfi Coast, or Costiera Amalfitana in Italian, is in Campania; one of twenty regions that form Italy. South of Naples on the Sorrentine Peninsula, it encompasses a stretch of thirteen villages from Positano to Vietri sul Mare. With no traffic, it takes approximately 90 minutes to drive the beautiful 63km Strada Statale 163 (SS163) coastal road from end-to-end.
In short, any time. Of course, there is no doubt the summer offers the best time to experience the Amalfi coast in all of its sunshine glory. However, you’ll also be battling hordes of tourists in the towns and large coaches on the tight, winding coastal road that snakes its way along this rugged coastline. There’s no two ways about it – it gets very busy in the summer. That’s why if you still want the weather but a little quieter, less crowded time to enjoy it, then the start and end of season naturally offers the best opportunity. This tends to be from April into May or the end of October into November.
Of course, not everyone is able to travel outside of the summer season, especially if you have kids or work as a teacher. If you do need to visit at this time of year, there will be periods of time spent in traffic – whether you’re in a rented car, taxi or public bus. As I always say in my blogs, I recommend being an early bird and getting up early, avoiding peak hours where possible!
We went at the start of October for a week and it was ideal, eating outside every night and spending time on the beach in Praiano. Emily asked a local bar owner when the weather turns cold and, in his words, it tends to stay relatively warm into the winter, dipping slightly in January and February before warming up again from March.
On both occasions we visited the Amalfi Coast, we flew into Naples International Airport (NAP), also known as Naples Capodichino International Airport. From here, it’s an hour drive along the E45 and SS145 to Sorrento which, although on the Sorrentine Peninsula, is not part of the Amalfi Coast. However, Sorrento serves as a fantastic base to explore from.
There are two ways you can take the train to the Amalfi Coast, depending on which end you wish to start. You can take the train direct from Napoli Porta Nolana train station to Sorrento, where you can travel east along the Amalfi Coast, visiting Positano first as you make your way through the villages to Vietri sul Mare.
Alternatively, you can do the reverse by catching the train to Salerno, which then offers a direct connection to Vietri sul Mare – the only village on the Amalfi Coast with a train station. There are also direct trains to Vietri sul Mare from Naples.
Whichever side you go, you’ll then want to use one of the transport options I’ve detailed below to visit the rest of the Amalfi Coast.
Did I enjoy driving along the Amalfi Coast? Honest answer: not completely. Of course, it is no doubt one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit and as a driver, the roads themselves are actually quite fun as they wind and weave along the dramatic coastline.
While there is generally enough space, it can get a little close at times passing through the towns, especially squeezing past coaches or 4×4’s at the odd tight spot along the road.
For someone like me who gets a little stressed about keeping rental cars damage-free (blame a negative, costly experience in Slovenia), it just doesn’t really leave any time for the driver to relax and enjoy the ride. However, for Emily in the passenger seat, she loved every single second!
Ultimately though, it is about getting from A to B and renting a car is the most efficient way of doing so. Plus, you get the benefit of being able to stop at the various viewpoints along the road whenever you want, taking in the gorgeous turquoise and emerald waters lapping at the coastline.
During busy periods, space at these viewpoints is few and far between, so take advantage whenever you can! One thing I would also say is there are limited parking options in some of the villages.
We rented a car through B-Rent via Booking.com, picking up and dropping off our Citroen C1 car from Naples airport.
That said, we saw quite a few people driving round in the vintage Fiat 500’s, which looked wonderful with the wicker baskets attached to the back. If this classic Italian vibe is more your thing, take a look online as there will be places where you can hire them.
Think Italy, think Scooters. They are a popular form of transport, especially on the Amalfi coast where parking is limited and it’s easier for the locals to nip up and down the hilly streets.
Most towns along the Amalfi coast offer scooter hire – including helmets – so you shouldn’t be short of options.
Personally, I’ve always loved vintage Vespas and Lambretta scooters since I first saw Quadrophenia as a kid, so every time someone whizzed by it immediately caught my eye. I’d probably say it would be my dream way to do an Amalfi coast road trip!
Want to forget the hassle of driving and enjoy some beautiful Italian food with a delicious glass of wine (or two)? Catch the bus. Operated by Sita, a regular service operates between the towns along the Amalfi Coast.
Keep an eye out for local minibuses within the town you’re staying in too – one night in Praiano we caught the local service back to our apartment, saving us a lengthy uphill walk.
One thing to be aware of though – don’t expect an on-time service that runs like clockwork. Upon visiting Positano from Praiano, we were waiting circa 45 minutes for our bus to arrive. Due to traffic – and the challenging nature of negotiating the coastal roads with a large bus – they are often late.
We took the bus at the start of October and it was very busy, meaning we had to stand up for the entire duration of the journey, so we’d expect this to be the same during the summer months. However, the price was very reasonable!
My favourite. Wow, oh wow. Positano is a stunning coastal town – certainly one of the most famous on the Amalfi coast – with its pastel-painted homes lining the cliff’s edge. So what better way to really appreciate it in its entirety than from the sea?
We booked a sea taxi with Plaghia Charter, who have a stall down at Positano’s docks, paying a price of €40.00 for Emily and myself.
Aside from avoiding waiting ages for a bus, let alone the risk of not even getting on it if overcrowded, this was a super fun, private journey for the two of us that gave us an entirely different view of the Amalfi coast on our way back to Praiano. How amazing it was.
Our captain was brilliant and happy to see we were up for a bit of fun, taking us on a white-knuckle ride along the coast line, spurred on by the whoops and cheers from the back of the boat.
Of course, families can have a much slower, gentler ride but for us as a couple, we loved every second. I highly recommend it.
Now I’ve never done this so I can’t recommend any particular operator, but since we’ve covered land and sea – why not cover air for a bit of fun?
A number of operators including Helifly offer spectacular aerial helicopter tours along the Amalfi Coast, enabling you to witness the beauty of this spectacular coastline – complete with its pastel-hued, picturesque villages – from a lofty view few are lucky enough to experience.
A 30-minute tour starts from €280 per person.
There you go, five ways to travel the Amalfi coast. Whatever way you choose, you’ll appreciate the sheer beauty of this stunning coastline, showcasing the very best of Italy in its culture, cuisine and people. It’s a different way of life and a different world. It’s one I like a lot.
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