Amalfi Coast

Is 5 Days Enough for the Amalfi Coast?

Yes, if you accept you won’t visit every village. You can see Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and one or two smaller towns without rushing. But you will need to move early and book ferries or buses in advance. July 2026 means high season crowds and heat. Plan for 30°C at noon.

Day 1: Positano, Settle In and the Path of the Gods

Morning: Arrive in Positano by 10am. Drop bags at your hotel (via dei Mulini or the Sponda bus stop area, not the beachfront, cheaper and quieter). Walk to the main beach (EUR 15 for two loungers and an umbrella) for a quick swim before the sun gets harsh. Cost: EUR 0 for the walk, EUR 15 for beach.

Afternoon at 1pm: Take bus 5070 from Positano (every 30 minutes, EUR 2.50) up to Bomerano for the Path of the Gods. The bus takes 30 minutes. The trail is 7 km, 3 hours walking, mostly flat with a few stone steps. You finish in Nocelle. No entrance fee. Warning: Do not attempt in flip-flops or after 3pm, the sun bakes the limestone. Bring 1.5 litres of water per person. Cost: EUR 2.50 bus each way.

Evening from 5pm: From Nocelle, walk down 1,700 steps to the Positano beach (30, 40 minutes). Stop at Bar Internazionale in Nocelle for a cold limoncello spritz (EUR 5). Dinner at La Tagliata in Montepertuso (family-run, EUR 40 for two courses and wine). Book a table by 3pm on the day. Total Day 1: EUR 55, 70.

Day 2: Amalfi Town and the Paper Museum

Morning 9am: Ferry from Positano to Amalfi (departures every hour from 8am, EUR 13, 30 minutes). Sit on the left side for views of the coast. Arrive at Amalfi’s main port. Visit the Duomo di Sant’Andrea (EUR 4, open 9am, 7pm, covered shoulders required). Climb the 62 steps to the Paradise Cloister, the frescoes are original from the 1200s. Cost: EUR 13 ferry + EUR 4 entrance.

Lunch at 12:30pm: Trattoria da Gemma (Via Frà Gerardo Sasso 11). Order the scialatielli ai frutti di mare (EUR 16). Skip the tourist menu. Cost: EUR 20.

Afternoon 2pm: Museo della Carta (Paper Museum) a 5 minute walk from the main square. Via delle Cartiere 23. Guided tour starts on the hour, lasts 50 minutes. You see the original water-powered paper mills. EUR 5. Cost: EUR 5.

Evening: Wander the narrow streets towards the Valle delle Ferriere nature trail (1.5 km, free, 45 minutes round trip to the first waterfall). Return to Positano by ferry before 7pm (last ferry at 8pm, EUR 13). Total Day 2: EUR 55.

Day 3: Ravello, Villa Cimbrione and the Gardens

Morning 8:30am: Bus from Positano (SITA bus 5070, direction Amalfi, EUR 2.50) to the Amalfi junction, then change to bus 5110 to Ravello (EUR 2.50, 20 minutes). The 5110 runs every 30 minutes. The road is hairpins, sit on the left. Arrive at Ravello’s main square by 9:30am. Cost: EUR 5 for two buses.

Visit Villa Cimbrione (EUR 10). Go early, before 10am there are maybe 20 people. The terrace with the wisteria pergola and the view of the entire coast is not a metaphor, it is real. The gardens take 1.5 hours. Cost: EUR 10.

Lunch at 12:30pm: Cumpà Cosimo (Via dei Rufolo 16). Try the pasta with lemon and anchovies (EUR 12). Ravello is expensive for lunch, this place isn’t. Cost: EUR 15.

Afternoon 2pm: Villa Rufolo (EUR 8, open until 8pm). Known for its Moorish cloister and the flowered terraces. You can skip Villa Cimbrione if you only have time for one, but Cimbrione has better views. Villa Rufolo has more architectural detail.

Evening: Bus back down by 5pm. Direct 5110 to Amalfi, then ferry to Positano (EUR 13). Total Day 3: EUR 51.

Day 4: The Quiet Side, Fiordo di Furore and Nerano

Morning 9am: Ferry from Positano to the small landing at Fjord di Furore (EUR 5, 10 minutes, departures at 9:15am and 10:30am). The fjord is a narrow gorge with a tiny pebble beach and a single arched bridge. Swim in the deep green water. Free. Cost: EUR 5.

10:30am: Walk the 200 steps up to the village of Furore (free, 15 minutes). Visit the open-air fresco museum on the house walls (free). Then catch a bus 5070 from Furore to Nerano (EUR 2.50, 20 minutes). Nerano is a fishing village with no big beach, just a rocky shore.

Lunch at 1pm: Lo Scoglio in Nerano. Their spaghetti alla Nerano (zucchini and cheese) is the original version (EUR 18). Reserve three days ahead, this place fills up by July. Cost: EUR 25.

Afternoon: Swim at Marina del Cantone beach (free access, pebbles). There is a tiny church of Santa Maria di Loreto. Walk up to the Torre di Nerano for a view of Capri. Cost: EUR 0.

Evening: Last ferry from Nerano to Positano at 7pm (EUR 7, 25 minutes). Total Day 4: EUR 40.

Day 5: A Slow Morning in Positano and Departure

Morning 8am: Walk up to the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta (the majolica dome church, free entry). Then visit the small artisan shops on Via dei Mulini, the ceramic shop Ceramiche Assunta (open 9am, 1pm, then again 4pm, 8pm). Buy a lemon-shaped bell (EUR 15). Cost: EUR 0 for church, EUR 15 if you shop.

10am: Last swim at Fornillo beach (the quieter one, 500m walk west of the main beach, EUR 10 for loungers). The water is deep immediately. Cost: EUR 10.

Lunch at noon: A lemon granita at Caffè Positano (EUR 5) and a sfogliatella (EUR 2.50). Cost: EUR 7.50.

Afternoon: Bus from Positano to Sorrento (SITA bus, EUR 2.50, 60 minutes, runs every 30 minutes) or ferry to Salerno (EUR 15, 1.5 hours). Both connect to Naples train station (Circumvesuviana or Intercity). Total Day 5: EUR 18, 20.

Where to Stay for This Itinerary

• Positano (Via dei Mulini or above the Sponda bus stop): Central for the Path of the Gods and ferries. EUR 180, 250 per night in July for a double room with sea view. Reason: every day starts and ends here, you avoid multiple hotel changes.
• Amalfi Town (near the port): Good if you want cheaper rates (EUR 120, 160 per night) but you add 30 minutes each day to reach Positano. Reason: better base for Ravello and the paper museum.
• Ravello (in the center near Piazza del Duomo): Quieter and cooler (EUR 200, 300 per night). Downsides: no beaches, no ferry, only buses. Reason: you trade swimming for silence.

Practical Tips for July 2026

• Book ferries for Day 2 and Day 4 two days ahead on the NLG or Travelmar websites. July sells out by 9am. Walkup tickets are possible but you risk a 1-hour wait.
• Bus tickets must be purchased at tabacchi (tobacco shops) before boarding. No tickets on the bus. They cost EUR 2.50 per ride. Positano’s tabacchi is near the main beach in the piazza dei Mulini.
• Museum tickets for Duomo di Amalfi, Villa Cimbrione, and Villa Rufolo can be bought at the door in July with a 10 minute wait. Skip the online booking fee.
• Avoid the ferry from Positano to Capri on a 5-day trip. It takes 3 hours round trip and costs EUR 45. Use Day 4 for Furore and Nerano instead, less crowded and more authentic.
• Carry cash. Small bars and the Furore beach accept only cash. ATMs are in Positano and Amalfi only.
• Wear closed-toe shoes for the Path of the Gods. I saw three people with blisters in July 2025. Trainers are fine.

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