The 28 best things to do on the Amalfi Coast
A visit to the Amalfi Coast needs to be taken slowly, with a only a few quintessential experiences on your to-do list: going on a boat trip, renting one of the colour-coded sunbeds at a lido, and visiting the glamorous island of Capri. Even if you want to fit in some culture, schedule visits to churches, museums and palazzos around lazy lunches, dips in the shimmering sea, sunset aperitivi or simply hanging out and basking in those extraordinary vistas.
For further Amalfi Coast inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants and nightlife.
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Positano and around
Explore impossibly picturesque Positano
Positano is a stage set of a town, its cluster of cubed, multi-hued buildings tumbling down the mountainside and closing around the grey shingle beach around which life revolves in the summer months. Once one of Italy’s most exclusive resorts, it has been thoroughly discovered by mass-tourism, but if you stay overnight, or come out of season, it’s still possible to get an elusive whiff of la dolce vita.
Insider tip: The only level street is the beachside walk. Anywhere else you need to go means negotiating lots of steep steps, so comfortable shoes are a must. Also, to get the best of the astonishing views, start in Positano and drive the cornice from west to east.
Take a boat ride along the coast
To get a feel for the topography of this coast, you need to get down to sea level, so think about renting a boat. On a gentle chug in either direction from Positano, you’ll discover fabulous villas with terraces suspended over the sea, grottoes tucked into folds in the cliffs, imposing Saracen defence towers, tiny scraps of pebble beach and waterside restaurants perfect for a fishy lunch. You can even nip over to Capri for the day.
Insider tip: The Lucibella booth on Positano beach will hire you a small rubber dinghy from about €90 an hour; a boat with skipper costs from €850 for a half day (max 12 people).
Join the bronzed bodies at Marina di Cantone
Lying just along the coast to the west of Positano, the pretty little resort of Marina di Cantone makes a good day trip either by car or by boat. Although do note that in July and August, every scrap of pebbly beach is occupied by bronzing bodies. Outside those months, it is a great spot for some serious sunbathing and swimming and has a laid-back, low-key vibe. Finish your day with a sundowner – a Campari Spritz maybe – at one of the beach bars.
Insider tip: Don’t miss a plate of spaghetti alle zucchini looking out to sea at Lo Scoglio; it’s one of the most famous restaurants on this stretch of coast.
Spend the day at the beach
In summer, life revolves around the beach; people come to eat, drink, sleep, swim, chat, play cards, shower and eat some more. Any stretch of sand is occupied by neat rows of colour-coded sunbeds and umbrellas all belonging to a particular lido where there will be a bar and restaurant (usually open for breakfast, lunch and dinner), showers and changing rooms. You pay for these services of course, but it’s all very Italian.
Insider tip: In Positano, the main beach is where people go to see and be seen, but the locals walk along the cliff path to smaller Fornillo where there are several good bars and restaurants. Other beaches in the area include Gavitella beach (rocks rather than sand) below Praiano; Marina Grande in Amalfi; and the beach at Maiore, the longest in the area.
Step inside a Roman villa
Excavations on the remains of a Roman villa in central Positano, buried by the AD 79 Vesuvius eruption, were only completed in 2018. Lying several metres under the church of Santa Maria Assunta, only one room of the villa – the triclinium, or dining room – has survived partially intact, but its wall paintings are a glorious riot of vivid blue, ochre, red and green, rich in detail and remarkably well-preserved.
Insider tip: You can only visit the Museo Archeologico Romano Santa Maria Assunta by signing up for one of the 30-minute guided tours, which are limited to 10 people at a time. Naturally, it’s advisable to book online in advance in high season. Wear something warm; even in summer, it gets chilly down there.
Contact: marpositano.it
Prices: ££
Take a walk with the Gods
The higher you climb in this part of the world, the more breathtaking the views, and this stretch of coastline is a paradise for walkers. The Sorrentine peninsula is criss-crossed by a network of tracks and old mule paths, the most famous of which is the Footpath of the Gods that follows a panoramic ridge between Bomerano and Nocelle, just above Positano. The whole walk will take from four to five hours, or you can shorten it to three by stopping in Nocelle.
Insider tip: The walking map of the Monte Lattari, published by the CAI (Club Alpino Italiano) and available in local bookshops, covers the whole peninsula.
Visit Capri for a slice of la dolce vita
The name Capri (that’s Cah-pri, not Ca-pree) conjures up heady images of jet-set glamour, mega-yachts slicing through shimmering blue seas and dazzling whitewashed villages splashed with magenta bougainvillea. Then there is Emperor Tiberius’s clifftop villa, Axel Munthe’s Villa San Michele, the Grotta Azzurra and charming, laid-back Anacapri. Round the day off with a Campari in the glamorous Piazzetta. Boats and hydrofoils depart regularly from Positano.
Insider tip: For a taste of Capri beyond the crowds, stay overnight. Once the last hydrofoil has left, the island breathes a collective sigh of relief.
Drive the road of 1,000 bends
One of the most magnificent coastal drives in the world is also one of the most frustrating, provoking trepidation, road rage, nausea and wonder at the sheer beauty of it all in equal doses. Be prepared for agonisingly slow progress: the road is only just wide enough for two lanes of traffic and inexperienced drivers often get stuck.
Insider tip: The key is to make sure that someone else is at the wheel for this nail-biting, cliff-hugger of a ride, so take the SITA bus or hire a car with an experienced local driver (contact the local tourist office for a reliable company).
Praiano to Amalfi
Wander around Praiano and Marina di Praia
A couple of bends in the road east of Positano lies the sleepy village of Praiano, a less glitzy alternative to its high-profile neighbour. Really just a sprawling cluster of pretty, whitewashed houses spilling down to the sea with a friendly bar and a huge church, it makes a good base for exploring the area. Its pretty seaside extension, Marina di Praia, is wedged between towering cliffs with a scrap of sand, a bar and a couple of restaurants.
Insider’s tip: Gavitella beach, accessed via steep steps from Praiano, is a great spot for sundowners and has a couple of bars and a good restaurant.
Visit an artists’ studio in a Saracen watchtower
If you spend any significant time in this part of the world, you will almost certainly come across the striking, whacky ceramics of Paolo Sandulli; female busts with bright lipstick, eye-catching earrings and shocks of bright hair made from dyed sea-sponge. Or maybe a woman in a bikini riding a dolphin, or diving into a glass jar. Avellino native Sandulli is a painter, sculptor and poet who has lived and worked in a crumbling, medieval tower looking out to sea in Praiano since 1993 and now exports his work all over the world.
Insider’s tip: Sandulli welcomes visitors to his round studio tower, an enchanting spot with far-reaching views over the coast and sea. He works on the lower level, but will take you up a teetering spiral staircase to his showroom above.
Contact: paolosandulli.com
Prices: £££
Descend into the cave of Grotta dello Smeraldo
Capri has its Blue Grotto; the costiera has an emerald green version. A sea cave named for the translucent green light that filters in through an underwater arch, it lies around five kilometres west of Amalfi; you’ll know when you’ve reached the entrance on the SS163 by all the coaches parked nearby. Access is via a lift that descends into the cave where visitors are loaded into little rowing boats.
Insider tip: A much more pleasant way to visit the grotto is via a boat trip from Positano or Amalfi, and you will get a different perspective on the coastline too.
Address: On the SS163, 1 km west of Conca dei Marini
Contact: Amalfi Tourist Office, amalfitouristoffice.it
Opening times: Daily, 9.30am-4pm
Prices: £
Learn about lemons
The Aceto family have been cultivating lemons on the steep terraces above Amalfi since 1825, and today Salvatore Aceto, the present owner of the farm, is keen to give visitors an insight into what lemons are all about. Tours of the organic farm meander through terraced lemon groves divided by ancient dry-stone walls, where the famous local sfusato amalfitana lemons are cultivated: rich in potassium, magnesium and vitamins, they are typically large and juicy with a thick, highly perfumed skin. You can combine your tour with lunch, a cooking class or a picnic.
Insider Tip: The farm is located among the steep slopes of the Valle dei Mulini which was once famous for its paper mills. There’s a famous circular walking trail – roughly two hours – through the area leading past abandoned water mills, through cool vegetation and past more lemon groves. Views en route are magnificent.
Contact: amalfilemonexperience.com
Visit the Costiera's busiest town
The busiest town on the Costiera, famous for paper-making and lemons, Amalfi was once a glorious Maritime Republic. Although unbearably crowded in high season it is a very pretty little resort wedged between the sea and the mountains and fringed by lemon terraces. At its heart is Piazza del Duomo, an open-air salon crowded with café tables and tourists and dominated by the striped façade of the Norman-Arab style cathedral atop a flight of steep steps.
Insider tip: As a general rule of thumb, if you want to buy a bottle of limoncello to take home, avoid anything too day-glow yellow coloured in a gimmicky bottle. Buy from Antichi Sapori d’Amalfi.
Climb the steps to Sant'Andrea
Standing proud atop a steep flight of steps, Amalfi’s Arabo-Norman Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea, complete with flamboyant façade, dates back to the ninth century; the magnificent bronze doors were made in Constantinople in 1066. The beautiful Chiostro del Paradiso (entered from the porch) was originally built in 1266 as a burial ground for the local aristocracy and has interlaced, Moorish arches enclosing a garden. The Cappella della Crocifisso houses glittering treasures from the diocese.
Insider tip: Visit the crypt, where the mortal remains of Saint Andrew himself lie. They were stolen from Constantinople in 1206; his sarcophagus regularly oozes a 'miracle' liquid.
Address: Piazza Duomo, Amalfi
Contact: 00 39 089 871324
Opening times: Mar-June 9am-6.45pm daily; Oct-Feb 10am-1pm, 2.30-4.30pm daily.
Prices: Duomo free, £ Chiostro del Paradiso
Learn about 18th-century paper-making
Since the 13th century, Amalfi has been known for its papermaking. It’s natural setting, wedged into a deep gorge rich with gushing streams that opens into the sea, provided the perfect conditions for the craft to flourish. In the late 18th century, there were 16 paper mills in the area; today there are just two. The small but fascinating Museo della Carta (housed in a 15th-century mill) documents the history of paper-making in Amalfi.
Insider tip: The Amalfitani learnt their craft from the Arabs, producing a heavy parchment made from linen and cotton rags called bambagina, which you can still buy today – either in the museum shop or at La Scuderia del Duca.
Contact: museodellacarta.it
Prices: £
Atrani to Vietri-sul-mare
Try out the Costiera’s latest beach club
Searching for a beach club near the eastern end of the Costiera? Look no further than new-entry Giardino del Fuenti, just outside Vietri sul Mare. The huge property tumbles down the sheer cliff face to a private beach laid out with sunbeds and umbrellas. Stacked on the terraces above is a pool, gourmet restaurant, cocktail bar, events space, vineyard and kitchen garden serving the two restaurants one of which has a Michelin star. There’s extensive free parking too, a major plus in these parts.
Insider Tip: There’s a jetty on the beach for boat access, so you can book a water taxi from Vietri or Cetara if you can’t face the traffic.
Contact: giardinidelfuenti.com
Escape the mayhem
Having been featured in the recent Netflix remake of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Atrani has hit the big time but it’s still a charming, low-key place for a coffee or lunch. With its maze of narrow lanes, pedestrian tunnels, stairways and higgledy-piggledy barrel vaulted houses, it is amazing to think that in the heyday of the Republic, it was a posh suburb of much larger Amalfi round the corner.
Insider tip: The tiny church of San Salvatore de’ Bireto (atop the steps in Piazza Umberto) was the site of the investiture of Amalfi’s doges. The square is a lovely spot for a quiet coffee.
Mooch around Maiori and Minori
Just east of Amalfi, the low-key resorts of Minori and Maiori are much less crowded that their more glamorous neighbours to the west. Pretty Minori has a small beach, a fantastic pastry shop and the once-grand Villa Romana, where you can see traces of first century AD frescoes and mosaics. Further on, Maiori was once the centre of ship building for the Amalfi Republic; today it is a fascinating contrast of old and new with a hot new restaurant, Casa Mandina.
Insider tip: If it’s a beach holiday you are after, Maiori has the longest stretch of sand on this coast, and is a lot cheaper than staying in Positano. Go for Hotel Botanico San Lazzaro, stacked into the cliff-side of Maoiri’s picturesque old quarter.
Visit a winery and taste the local wines
Coastal wines have been steadily improving in quality over the past fifteen years or so, and today there are some brilliant winemakers working the teetering volcanic-soiled terraces high above the coast road; not for nothing are these known as ‘extreme wines’. Gaetano Bove’s Tenuta di San Francesco in the sprawling town of Tramonti (comprising 13 hamlets) produces both red and white wines using traditional methods and native grape varieties including the outstanding white Per Eva (a blend of falanghina, ginestra and pepella grapes) and the red E’ Iss (100% tintore) .
Insider Tip: Visits include a tour of the vineyards and cellars followed by a generous rustic lunch (all washed down with copious quantities of the estate wines) under the loggia of the an old farmhouse prepared by a series of Italian mammas. You can also book a cooking class.
Contact: vinitenutasanfrancesco.com
Stock up on anchovy sauce
The fishing village of Cetara, just west of Vietri, offers a glimpse of what the whole of the costiera must have been like before the tourists descended. Authentic and un-prettified (at least for now), the cluster of peeling, pastel-hued houses encloses a small beach plus the only working fishing port left on the coast. There’s nothing much to do here except wander the quiet lanes or purchase a bottle of its most famous export, colatura di alici (anchovy sauce).
Insider tip: This fermented anchovy essence is thought to have Roman origins and is used to flavour food; you can sample it in any one of the excellent restaurants in town, such as Acqua Pazza or the San Pietro.
Go ceramic shopping in Vietri sul Mare
You can’t move in this part of the world without seeing the typically colourful ceramics produced in Vietri, the gritty little town at the eastern limit of the costiera. Ceramic production here started in the 15th century but reached its peak in the 1500s and 1600s when it became fashionable among the Neapolitan aristocracy. It’s worth popping into the Duomo with its blue and yellow majolica-tiled cupola, a carved and gilded ceiling and 11th-century crucifix. There is a good beach, too, about a kilometre below the town.
Insider tip: Ceramics shops vie for space on the main street, but the best place to buy is Ceramiche Artistiche Solimene.
Ravello
Saunter through quiet streets in Ravello
Dreamy, romantic Ravello is perched on a 350-metre buttress looking over the shimmering waters of the Gulf of Salerno far below. Removed both physically and in spirit from the hubbub on the coast road, its crumbling palazzi, glorious gardens and rather other-worldly atmosphere has attracted artists, musicians and writers for centuries.
Insider tip: The main visitor draws are the gardens at Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone and the magnificent 11th-century cathedral, but it is also a lovely place to just wander the quiet streets followed by a prosecco in the pretty main square.
Meander through the gardens at Villa Cimbrone
The main body of this grand villa dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, but it was re-built in 1904 by Lord Grimthorpe (who designed London’s Big Ben) and subsequently became a popular hangout for the Bloomsbury set. Today the villa is occupied by a luxury hotel, but the magnificent gardens, suspended high over the sea, are open to the public.
Insider tip: Greta Garbo and her lover, Leopold Stokowski, took refuge here in the 1937; you can imagine them wandering among the flower beds and pathways to the famous Belvedere of Infinity and admiring the dizzying views of the coast. You too can stay here.
Contact: villacimbrone.com
Prices: ££
Catch a concert at Villa Rufolo
The Rufolo family’s grand but crumbling 13th-century home was bought by Scotsman Sir Francis Neville Reid in the 1850s. The villa today is an eclectic mix of Moorish and classical architecture, but it is the dreamy gardens that attract the visitors. Indeed, Richard Wagner is said to have found inspiration for his ‘Parsifal’ among the Romantic ruins and geometrical flowerbeds.
Insider tip: The villa and its gardens are the setting for concerts during the prestigious Ravello Festival. Look out for the concerts at dawn, performed on a spectacular stage suspended from one of the terraces.
Contact: villarufolo.com
Price: ££
Learn how to cook like the Italians do
Chiara Lima and her 'mamma' Agata invite guests into their welcoming own home to teach the secrets of the sunny local cuisine. Agata (who once cooked for the likes of Bacall and Bogart) uses fresh, seasonal produce, much of which comes straight from the terraced garden, to make pasta and pizza, stuffed courgette flowers, melanzane alla parmigiana, rosemary chicken and her famous lemon cake, Bogie’s favourite.
Insider tip: Lessons at the Mamma Agata Cookery School are very hands on with all participants being given a task. When the meal is ready, everyone sits down to lunch on the terrace together accompanied by lots and lots of wine.
Contact: mammaagata.it
Prices: £££
Take a look around the Duomo di Ravello
Ravello’s refreshingly plain cathedral dates from the 11th century and is dedicated to San Pantaleon, the town’s patron saint. It is entered through a pair of magnificent 12th-century bronze doors divided into 54 bas-relief panels, and inside are two famous pulpits; the higher one (the ‘pergamo’) is supported by six lions and twirling columns decorated with mosaics while the other (the ‘ambone’) sports delightful mosaics illustrating Jonah being eaten by the whale and then regurgitated.
Insider tip: On the left of the main alter is a chapel dedicated to San Pantaleon with a phial of his blood, said to liquefy each 27 July.
Contact: chiesaravello.it
Prices: £
Beyond the coast
Salerno
With the opening of a brand new airport just south of Salerno, Campania’s under-the-radar second largest city is set to be discovered. Laid out around a wide, sweeping bay and with a huge port, it is a significantly cheaper base than Amalfi or Positano for visits to the Amalfi Coast and has a slew of attractions of its own: a muddle of medieval lanes, a long, sunny seafront promenade, the impressive 11th-century Duomo di San Matteo and the 12th-century botanical garden of the Minerva. There are some great local restaurants too: I recommend Osteria Canali for its peerless parmigiana di melanzane. Hydrofoil connections to Amalfi and Positano are frequent.
Insider Tip: A 40-minute train ride south of Salerno, Paestum is one of Europe’s greatest archeological sites, famous for its three superbly well-preserved Doric temples. The magnificent museum is stuffed with fascinating ancient artifacts including the iconic ‘Diver’ tomb fresco.
Contact: museopaestum.cultura.gov.it
Explore sunny Sorrento
Set on sheer cliffs with epic views across the Bay of Naples to Vesuvius, Sorrento is easily reached from Positano via public bus or hydrofoil. Explore the grid of narrow lanes in the historic centre and pop into the Duomo and the pretty cloister of San Francesco with its Moorish arches. Wander down to the old fishing village of Marina Grande and Da Emilia for a seafood lunch on the water. Back up in town walk over to the excellent Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea which documents the history of wood inlay for which Sorrento is famous. Treat yourself to a Campari Spritz on the iconic terrace of the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria before jumping on the last boat back to Positano.
How we choose
Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
