HOW TO GET AROUND THE AMALFI COAST

If you’re planning to take a trip to Italy this summer, you’re likely considering spending some time in the Amalfi Coast. Filled with beautiful beaches, charming Italian towns, and all the gelato you can possibly imagine, Amalfi is the perfect region to add to your European adventure. We had the chance to visit Capri last summer and fell in love with the rugged coastline and winding city corridors.

The Amalfi coast is a stretch of coastline in southern Italy. Though it’s named after the town of Amalfi, it stretches across 50 km and 13 towns. With the designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it boasts popular tourist destinations including Amalfi, Ravello, Positano, and the islands of Capri and Ischia.

Getting to Amalfi

First you’ll want to get to Amalfi. If coming by plane, your best option is to fly into either Rome or Naples. The Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is the largest airport in Italy and offers international flights to many destinations, meaning you’ll likely start your Amalfi Coast trip here. From there, you can take the train to Salerno ( 2 hrs) or Naples (1.5 hrs). 

If you want to skip this step, you can fly into Naples (NAP). Naples is the closest large city at about 1.5 hours from the region by car, and provides a great starting point, especially if you’re planning to visit any islands off the coast.

Italy’s public transit system is vast, like much of Europe, but can be confusing, especially as you move outside of major metro areas like Rome. Here are some ways to explore the area, based on your type of travel.

Ferry

Ferries provide the easiest, most beautiful, and often quickest way to get around Amalfi, allowing you to visit places not accessible by car. If you’d like to visit the islands of Capri, Ischia, or Procida, this will also be your best bet. Ferries are a mid-range budget options, with a one-way ticket from Naples to Capri averaging €25. You can buy your tickets in advance online or at the pier.

Car

If you want to travel at your own pace, renting a car will allow you to explore the region with the most freedom and convenience. It is not, however, the easiest coastline to traverse. Roads run along jagged coastline, narrow with switchback curves. Due to this, vehicles are also not the fastest mode of transport. The journey from Positano to Amalfi is 1 hr by car, compared to a 25 minute ferry ride.

Bus

Buses are the cheapest way to get around the area for sure, though what you save in money is sacrificed in time. The SITA bus connects all the towns along the Amalfi coast and it's easy to hop on and off at any time. A one way trip from Amalfi to Positano would take you 50 minutes and cost €5. We found the bus system easy to navigate and pretty reliable in Capri. You can search your route on Google Maps to find daily bus schedules.

Taxi

Taxis are available in most towns along the Amalfi coast, but they can be quite expensive. However, if you’re traveling in a group, a taxi might be a more affordable option. A 20 minute taxi ride from the town of Capri to Anacapri will run you about €20. If you don’t want to rent a car for the duration of your trip, but need to get somewhere buses won’t travel fairly quickly, taxis will be your best option. However, with taxis as well as buses, beware of strikes. When we got off the train in Naples and searched for a ride to the port, we found out the taxi drivers were on strike.  

Walking

If you’re up for a challenge, walking is a great way to explore the Amalfi coast. There are many hiking trails that connect the towns, offering stunning views of the coastline. Be prepared for LOTS of uphill walking and bring lots of water and sunscreen. The Mediterranean sun is no joke!

Make sure you do your research before booking accommodation and tours. The last thing you want is to arrive in Amalfi, cranky from jetlag and dragging suitcases through the streets to find the nearest cafe with internet.

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