Things To Do on the Amalfi Coast: Our Four Days in Italy

After our Soul Sisters Italy trip through Milan, Lake Como, and Venice in June 2024, eight of us flew south for four nights on the Amalfi Coast. Steep cliffs, pastel villages stacked up the mountainside, lemon trees everywhere, and water so blue it looks edited. This place was really the whole reason Cynthia and I came to Italy, to finally experience the Amalfi coast in all its glory.

This guide covers what we did over our four days, the things worth doing, what to eat, where we ate, and how to get around. I’ve also included a few well-known places we didn’t get to but we heard they are definitely worth stopping at if you’re in the area, and I’ll tell you which ones those are.

Where Is the Amalfi Coast and Why Do People Go?

The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of cliffside coastline in southern Italy, on the south side of the Sorrento Peninsula, about an hour and a half from Naples. It isn’t one town. It’s a string of small towns along a single winding road, with the island of Capri just off the tip.

People come for the views: villages stacked up the cliffs, lemon groves on terraces, and bright blue water below. The towns are close together, so you can base yourself in one and reach the others by ferry, boat, or car.

Want to zoom in and explore? Open the Amalfi Coast in Google Maps.

These are the towns you’ll hear about, numbered to match the map above. We stayed near Minori and visited Amalfi, Positano, and Capri. The notes on the others come from our trip research, not from walking them. Tap any town name to see photos of it on Google Maps.

1. Sorrento: A lively clifftop town on the Bay of Naples side, with trains and ferries in every direction. A practical base, though it isn’t on the Amalfi Coast itself. We didn’t go.
2. Positano: The icon, with pastel houses stacked up the cliff above the beach. Yes, visit. We spent our last day here at a beach club.
3. Praiano: A quieter village just past Positano, known for sunsets. Good if you want the views without the crowds. We didn’t stop.
4. Furore: Known for its fjord, a narrow cove with a tiny beach under a high road bridge. A quick photo stop. We didn’t stop.
5. Conca dei Marini: A small village that’s home to the Emerald Grotto. Worth it if sea caves are your thing. We didn’t stop.
6. Amalfi: The town the coast is named for, with the striped cathedral on the main square and the main ferry pier. Yes, visit. We spent a morning here.
7. Atrani: A tiny village a few minutes’ walk from Amalfi, with a small beach and a local feel. Easy to add to an Amalfi day. We didn’t get there.
8. Ravello: High above the sea, known for its gardens and views. On our list for next time.
9. Minori: A small, relaxed town with great food. We stayed just outside it and ate here twice. Go for the pastries and the pizza.
10. Maiori: Next door to Minori, with the longest beach on the coast. A good pick if you want an easy beach day. We didn’t stop.
11. Cetara: A working fishing village known for anchovies and tuna. One for food lovers. We didn’t get there.
12. Vietri sul Mare: The ceramics town, at the eastern end of the coast. Go if you want to shop for hand-painted pottery. We didn’t get there.
13. Salerno: A real city with a fast train station and ferries along the coast. More of a gateway than a stop. We didn’t go.
14. Capri: The famous island off the tip of the peninsula. Yes, go, and go by boat. We circled the island and didn’t go ashore. This was everyone’s favorite day.

With four days, we stayed in one place and did day trips. Here’s how that went.

Our Four Days on the Amalfi Coast

Lake Como was peaceful and refined, and Venice was all history and canals. The Amalfi Coast was the bold, sun-soaked finish to the trip. Here’s how our days went.

We also fit in a yellow flying dress photoshoot, because… lemons.

Where We Stayed: Hotel Marmorata

We stayed four nights at Hotel Marmorata, on the water between Amalfi and Minori, and I loved it.

We almost didn’t book it. The apartment that was big enough for all of us to share is a short walk up the hill from the hotel itself, and we weren’t sure if that was going to be a big deal. It wasn’t at all. It was so nice for all of us to be in our own apartment together, with a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea.

The hotel has a pool and its own restaurant, L’Antica Cartiera, where we had dinner the night we arrived. Minori is close by for pastries and pizza, and Amalfi and its ferry pier are a short drive away. We paid for this stay ourselves. It was not hosted or sponsored.

Things To Do on the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast isn’t about racing through landmarks. It’s about scenery, villages, and giving yourself permission to slow down. These are the things I’d put at the top of the list.

1. Take a Boat to Capri

If you do one splurge, make it a boat day. We spent about seven hours on a private boat with PDG Boat Tours, cruising past hidden beaches and sea caves, swimming in clear water, and stopping for lunch at Il Cantuccio, a restaurant right on the water in Nerano. Seeing the coast from the water gives you a completely different view, and it was everyone’s favorite day.

We didn’t step onto Capri itself. It would have taken too long, and it wasn’t a big deal to any of us. Seeing the island from the water was the highlight anyway. If you want a longer day, going inside the Blue Grotto and riding the chairlift up Monte Solaro are the popular things to do on the island.

2. Spend a Day in Positano

Positano is the Amalfi Coast icon. Its colorful buildings spill down the cliff to the beach, and it’s one of the most photographed views in Italy. We took the morning ferry over and spent the day at Arienzo Beach Club, with lunch at the club and striped umbrellas over the water. There’s more on the club, including what it costs, in the Where To Eat section below. Leave time to wander the steep staircases lined with boutiques, and stop for lemon sorbet served in a real lemon.

3. Explore Amalfi Town

Amalfi Town is lively, compact, and easy to explore in a few hours. The cathedral dominates the main square with its dramatic staircase and striped front. Wander the narrow streets full of lemon everything, and grab a spritz in the piazza while the world goes by.

4. Do the Amalfi Lemon Experience

Amalfi lemons are huge, fragrant, and in everything here. We spent a morning at the Amalfi Lemon Experience, a tour of a family lemon grove with a hands-on cooking class, learning all about what makes these lemons so iconic. Then we spent some time learning how to make homemade pasta from scratch, lemon desserts, lemon pasta, pizza and more! It was my most favorite thing we did on the Amalfi Coast.

What To Eat on the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is part of the Campania region, and the food is bright, fresh, and tied to the sea.

• Scialatielli ai frutti di mare: Thick fresh pasta tossed with mixed seafood.
• Delizia al limone: A lemon sponge cake filled with lemon cream. Light, sweet, and iconic to the region.
• Fresh mozzarella di bufala: Creamy and delicate, often served simply with tomatoes and olive oil.
• Limoncello: Made from local Amalfi lemons. Best served ice cold after dinner.
• Seafood crudo: Simple preparations that let the freshness shine.
• Aperitivo by the sea: Order a local Campania wine or a spritz and watch the boats drift by.

For more on eating your way through the country, see our foodie guide to Italy.

Where To Eat and Drink

L’Antica Cartiera, Hotel Marmorata

The restaurant at our hotel, where we had dinner the night we arrived. L’Antica Cartiera has wide views over the water and a menu of classic Amalfi dishes with house-made pasta and fresh seafood.

Sal De Riso, Minori

Sal De Riso is a beloved pastry shop and restaurant from pastry chef Sal De Riso, known for elegant desserts and handmade pastries. It’s in Minori, close to where we stayed, and we had dinner there on our second night. We loved it enough to leave the staff a thank-you note.

Arienzo Beach Club, Positano

Arienzo Beach Club is where we spent our last day, and it was a great way to end the trip. We ate lunch right there at the club and spent the day relaxing, talking, drinking wine, and cosplaying fancy people, as I call it. I can see why it’s one of the most famous beach clubs on the coast. You can’t help but feel like a princess.

What it costs: You book a day package, not just a chair. Ours was in the range of €250 per person, which covered the sunbed, umbrella, and lunch. That’s still about where packages start, and the front-row and premium options cost a lot more. Check the club’s booking page for current rates. A free shuttle boat runs from the main pier in Positano and takes about ten minutes. The club is open from early May to early October, and it sells out, so reserve well ahead.

Getting to the Amalfi Coast and Getting Around

The Amalfi Coast is stunning, but it takes a bit of planning.

We flew from Venice to Naples and took a private driver from there, which let us stop for lunch at Cantina del Vesuvio, a winery on Mount Vesuvius, on the way. A private driver is the easiest way to handle the winding coast road, especially in peak season. If you’re coming by train, you can ride from Naples to Sorrento or Salerno and transfer by ferry or car.

Once you’re there, ferries connect the main towns and skip the traffic. We took one to Positano. Check the time of the last ferry back. I missed ours because I was shopping for a gift for my son, so I took a cab back to the hotel. It wasn’t a big deal. The drive isn’t long, just winding.

Comfortable shoes are essential. Like Lake Como, the towns are built vertically, with steep staircases and cobblestone streets.

Apps to download before you go:

• Google Maps: For narrow streets and finding scenic viewpoints.
• Trenitalia: Helpful if you’re combining the Amalfi Coast with Naples or Rome by train.
• Omio: For comparing trains, buses, and ferries across Italy.
• WhatsApp: Many hotels, drivers, and boat captains communicate through it.

If you’re planning the whole route, our Italy itinerary covers how we fit Milan, Venice, Lake Como, and the Amalfi Coast into one trip.

Amalfi Coast FAQs

Final Thoughts

The Amalfi Coast isn’t subtle. It’s bold and dramatic and sun-drenched. It’s lemon trees heavy with fruit, cliffs glowing at sunset, and long lunches that turn into golden-hour dinners over the sea.

For us, it wasn’t about rushing through Positano or checking off every viewpoint. It was about the feeling. Floating in the Mediterranean. Laughing over seafood pasta. Watching the sky change colors with friends beside us.

If Lake Como feels peaceful and refined, the Amalfi Coast feels vibrant and alive. Once you experience it, you’ll understand why people start planning their return before they even leave.

We’re planning the next Soul Sisters trip now. Tell us where you want to go.