Explore the Amalfi Coast by area
Three areas worth building an Amalfi Coast trip around, from the coastal villages between Positano and Vietri sul Mare, to the Naples area with Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius, and the Sorrento peninsula with Capri and Anacapri.
Must-visit areas
The area every first-time visitor should build a trip around — the coast road itself, from Positano through Amalfi to Ravello and Vietri sul Mare, with its cliffside villages, beaches and viewpoints.
Amalfi: The Town That Named the Coast
Amalfi is the historic hub town of the coast: no train, SITA buses and ferries only, plus the Duomo, paper museum, and ZTL rules.
Capri and Anacapri
Capri is an island reached only by ferry. Plan the funicular, Blue Grotto tides, and whether a day trip or overnight stay fits your visit.
Naples: Gateway to the Amalfi Coast
Naples is the airport, train and ferry gateway to the Amalfi Coast, not part of it — plus a UNESCO old town and the home of pizza.
Pompeii and Herculaneum: One Eruption, Two Very Different Ruins
Pompeii and Herculaneum are two separate sites near Naples, buried by the same 79 AD eruption but preserved in very different ways.
Positano
Positano has no train station and little parking. Here's how to reach the Amalfi Coast's most photographed village, and what to expect once you're there.
Ravello
Ravello has no beach of its own, yet its clifftop villas and gardens justify the climb above Amalfi. Here's how to visit properly.
Sorrento
Sorrento is the only town in the area reachable by train, making it the logistical base for Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Pompeii without driving.
More to explore
Areas for a second trip or a longer first one — Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius to the north, and Sorrento with Capri and Anacapri across the peninsula.
Minori and Maiori: The Amalfi Coast's Real Beaches
Minori and Maiori offer the longest sand and pebble beaches on the Amalfi Coast, with easier access than Positano and no train station.
Paestum and Salerno: The Amalfi Coast's Southern Extension
Greek temples at Paestum and a train-connected Salerno, both south of Vietri sul Mare and reachable without the SS163.
Praiano, Conca dei Marini and Scala: The Amalfi Coast Without the Crowds
Praiano, Conca dei Marini and Scala offer the Amalfi Coast's cliffs and sea views with fewer crowds and lower prices than Positano or Amalfi.
Off the beaten path
The Sorrentine Peninsula Beyond Sorrento
Beyond Sorrento: Massa Lubrense's viewpoints, Nerano's cove and pasta, Sant'Agata's twin-gulf ridge. Quiet, uncrowded, easy to reach.
Vietri sul Mare, Cetara and Atrani: The Amalfi Coast's Overlooked Trio
Ceramics in Vietri, anchovy sauce in Cetara, Italy's smallest village in Atrani: what each stop on the coast's eastern end actually offers.
Good to know about destinations across the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi anchors this hub, and everything else on the site fans out from it across three areas of the Amalfi Coast — Amalfi itself sits roughly midway along the coast, a small town of medieval origin that gives the whole stretch its name. The Amalfi Coast covers the coastal villages proper: Positano with its 1,700 steps down to a grey-pebble beach, Praiano and Furore, Conca dei Marini with the Grotta dello Smeraldo, Amalfi with its Duomo and 62-step staircase, Atrani, Ravello up at 350 m with the gardens of Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, then Minori, Maiori, Cetara and Vietri sul Mare closing the coast to the east.
The Naples area groups Naples itself with its historic centre and Spaccanapoli, the Roman sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, Mount Vesuvius, the Doric temples of Paestum further south, and Salerno at the coast's eastern end. The Sorrentine Peninsula and Capri covers Sorrento, on the other side of the peninsula facing the Bay of Naples, and the island of Capri with Anacapri, the Faraglioni and the Blue Grotto.
A rental car covers the villages directly, though the SS163 is narrow and slow in season; the SITA Sud buses and the seasonal ferries reach most points as well, and the elderly Circumvesuviana line connects Naples to Sorrento with stops at Ercolano and Pompei — each destination page below sets out what's actually there rather than a generic description of "Italy".
Frequently asked questions about destinations across the Amalfi Coast
What are the three areas on this hub?
The Amalfi Coast itself; the Naples area; and the Sorrentine Peninsula and Capri.
Is Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast?
No — Sorrento sits on the other side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, facing the Bay of Naples, not on the Amalfi Coast itself.
What's the difference between the Grotta dello Smeraldo and the Blue Grotto?
The Grotta dello Smeraldo sits at Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast itself, reached by road or boat; the Blue Grotto, on Capri, is reached only by small rowing boat, weather and tide permitting.
Do I need a car to reach Ravello?
No — Ravello is reached by bus from Amalfi, up a winding road to 350 m, so a rental car is not strictly required for this trip.
Why might the SS163 be slower than expected when I visit?
The Amalfitana is a narrow two-lane road cut into the cliff, with hairpin bends and stretches where two buses can't pass; the 40 km from Sorrento to Salerno can take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours depending on season and traffic.
Day Trips on the Amalfi Coast on GetYourGuide
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