The Amalfi Coast is one of our favourite places in the world! If you only have 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast, here’s a guide to help you make the most of your time! From the breathtaking views of Positano to the culinary delights, this itinerary is the exact one we did to explore, stay, and dine in this coastal paradise.
Where is the Amalfi Coast?
The Amalfi Coast is a 30-mile stretch of coastline located towards the south of Italy. This peninsula is south of the Bay of Naples, adjacent to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
There is often confusion with the Amalfi Coast and the Sorrentine (or Sorrento) Peninsula. The Amalfi Coast is technically the southern part of the peninsula, and the Sorrentine Peninsula refers to the northern part of the coast. Others consider Sorrento part of the Amalfi Coast. To make things more confusing, there’s also a town on the Amalfi Coast that is just called Amalfi.
For our purposes, we call the entire peninsula of pastel-coloured homes, rugged coastline, and breathtaking views the Amalfi Coast!
Where to Go on the Amalfi Coast? The Must-Visit Towns
The Amalfi Coast is full of adorable coastal towns, separated by narrow and winding cliffside roads. We rented a car, which made exploring these towns super easy!
Sorrento
Sorrento is on the north side of the Amalfi Coast. Spend some time in Sorrento, taking in the breathtaking views and Piazza Tasso, a café-lined square.
Positano
Positano is a picturesque coastal town on the south side of the Amalfi Coast. It’s a popular destination known for its colourful cliffside homes, pebble beachfront, and steep, narrow streets lined with unique boutiques and delicious restaurants.
Amalfi
Amalfi is another cliffside, coastal town for which the Amalfi Coast received its name. Known for being one of the most historic Italian towns, Amalfi is famous for its stunning white buildings, level waterfront promenade, and the Duomo di Amalfi.
Ravello
Located almost 1,200 feet above the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Amalfi Coast, Ravello is known for its cliffside gardens, winding roads, and some of the most breathtaking views on the Amalfi Coast. Ravello is also a popular destination for hosting indoor and outdoor concerts during the summer as part of the Ravello Festival.
Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast
Since we only had 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast, we decided to spend one night on the north side of the peninsula and two nights on the south in Positano.
Gocce di Capri, Massa Lubrense
Our first night was spent at Gocce di Capri, just outside of Sorrento. Located towards the end of the peninsula, this quaint location was the perfect spot for a relaxing one-night stay in the middle of an action-packed trip. The view from our balcony was like something out of a movie!
Hotel Villa delle Palme, Positano
The following two nights we spent at Hotel Villa delle Palme in Positano. As you can likely tell, we’re a sucker for a great deal, convenient location, and breathtaking view. Hotel Villa delle Palme did not disappoint there, but what stood out most was the service. This family-run villa truly made our experience on the Amalfi Coast.
What to Do on the Amalfi Coast?
If you only have 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast, we’ve put together a list of what we were able to do in that time! These are the staples of a visit to the Amalfi Coast!
Day Trip to Capri
One of Italy’s most stunning islands, Capri, is perfect for a quick day trip or a few night’s stay. If you only have 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast, we recommend dedicating a day to going to Capri. We came up with 25 ideas of what to do on the Island of Capri, Italy. A few of our favorites – riding the chairlift to the top of Mount Solaro, exploring Villa San Michele, and dining in Marina Grande.
Drive Around
We highly recommend renting a car and driving the Amalfi Coast. Not only is this an easy way to get around, giving you the freedom to explore on your schedule, it was also a lot of fun! There are several spots where you can pull over and snap some great shots of the coast!
Limoncello Tasting
The Amalfi Coast is known for its lemons and, of course, limoncello. Limoncello is a natural liqueur distilled from the skin of lemons (along with grain alcohol, sugar, and water). You will find limoncello in every town on the Amalfi Coast. Anywhere you go, there’ll be limoncello.
Eat & Drink
Relax and enjoy the delicious cuisine and tasty beverages! In Positano, we recommend having dinner at Ristorante il Capitano on your way to the beach. After dinner, stop by La Pergola for a cocktail-to-go and take a stroll along the beach.
Shop
Regardless of where you’re staying, shopping on the Amalfi Coast is an absolute must! We enjoyed strolling the streets of Positano, window shopping (for the most part). We did find Nana’s Sandals, and Madison bought a pair of custom sandals. This was a highlight of our trip! We stayed for a while just chatting with Nana and her husband while they started making the sandals. They usually take a day to make, but we popped in the night before leaving, and they were able to get them made in time for me!
Visit Pompeii
Pompeii is an ancient city, located just south of Naples. The city was once buried deep in ash and volcanic rock after Mount Vesuvius erupted. Today, Pompeii has been preserved so you can explore what remains of this fascinating city. You can easily spend an entire day at Pompeii; however, if you only have 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast like us, we recommend only spending a couple of hours. We stopped on our way to Sorrento from Naples, but you could also make a day trip from the Amalfi Coast.
Relax on a Beach
The Amalfi Coast isn’t known for having endless landmarks and tourist attractions, like Rome, for example. This is why it is an excellent place for a relaxing trip! There are so many beaches along the coast that it is worth saving some time to simply relax. Many beaches have a reserved area where you can pay for your own chair and umbrella. Others are first-come, first-served.
Can You Swim on the Amalfi Coast?
Yes, you can swim on the Amalfi Coast! There are many beaches along the coast. They do get busy, but if you speak to locals where you’re staying, many can direct you to some private swimming areas!
Getting Around the Amalfi Coast
There are buses to get you around the Amalfi Coast; however, we opted to rent a car! When we told people our plans to drive, they were very skeptical, but it was one of the best decisions that we made! We spent the majority of our days just driving along the cliffs. While it was a bit nerve-racking, we had a blast!
If you’re not up for the drive, you’ll be taking a bus as there are no trains on the Amalfi Coast. The SITA Sud bus runs between Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, and everywhere in between. If staying in Positano, they have a dedicated bus that runs throughout the town; since the streets are quite steep, we recommend at least taking the bus uphill.
You can also explore the option of bikes and scooters, depending on where you are. However, it is quite hilly, with narrow roads, so we wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as the safest option! You can also explore the towns by foot, but you’d need to take a motorized form of transportation to go between the towns.
Are 3 Days Enough for the Amalfi Coast?
Yes and no! With 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast, we were able to do a lot, but we’d recommend spending at least 5-7 days if you can!
Best Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast
May or September (the shoulder months of summer) are the best times to visit the Amalfi Coast. During this time, the weather will still be pleasant; there’ll be fewer tourists and cheaper hotels!
Is the Amalfi Coast Worth Visiting?
1000% – this was the highlight of our trip to Italy. There is something so special about the Amalfi Coast. Not only because we had been dreaming about this trip for years, but we still reflect on the memories we made during our 72 hours on the Amalfi Coast!
Is the Amalfi Coast Expensive?
It can be; however, it is up to you how you spend your money, and it also depends on when you visit. If you visit in the shoulder months, you’ll be able to get a much better price for your accommodations. If you limit the amount of shopping you do, that will also save you money. Window shopping is just as fun on the Amalfi Coast! We found the food to be priced reasonably, similar to the rest of Italy.
Is Amalfi or Positano Better?
We are slightly biased since we stayed in Positano, but we absolutely loved Positano! Either way, you can easily explore the two towns from one or the other.
How to Get from Rome to the Amalfi Coast
We took the train from Rome to Naples. From there, we took a shuttle to the airport, picked up our rental car and drove to the Amalfi Coast. We opted to rent a car from the airport since we would be returning it there when we flew to Malta at the end of our time on the Amalfi Coast.
Our Amalfi Coast Itinerary – How We Spent 72 Hours on the Amalfi Coast
Day 1: Naples – Sorrento
- Visit Pompeii en route to Sorrento
- Explore Sorrento
- Arrive to Gocce di Capri
Day 2: Sorrento – Positano
- Drive the Amalfi Coast
- Visit Ravello & Amalfi
- Arrive in Positano
Day 3: Capri
- Day trip to Capri
- Positano – Shopping & Eating
