How to spend 1 week on the Amalfi Coast | Best towns, itinerary and travel guide
The Amalfi Coast had been on my travel bucket list for years, and when I finally made it there it felt like a dream - breathtaking views, colourful cliffside villages, and a week of indulging in delicious Italian food. If you’re looking for a mix of relaxation, adventure, and stunning scenery, this one-week itinerary will help you make the most of your time on the Amalfi Coast.
View of Amalfi town from the pier in the early evening
In this guide, I’ll share the perfect balance of exploring postcard-perfect towns like Positano and Amalfi, hiking the beautiful Path of the Gods, lounging on beaches, indulging in mouthwatering pasta and gelato, and even taking a ferry to nearby islands. Plus I’ll give you tips on where to stay - including budget-friendly options - so you can enjoy this sun-soaked destination.
Whether you’re dreaming of sipping limoncello by the sea, getting lost in charming alleyways, or soaking in panoramic coastal views, this itinerary will help you experience the best of the Amalfi Coast in just one week.
One week Amalfi Coast itinerary summary
Breathtaking views of the Amalfi coastline with its picturesque pastel buildings dotted along the cliffside
A taste of Italian village life in budget friendly places to stay
Must-try local restaurants for amazing Italian food that will leave you wanting more
Top activities including: exploring different villages and islands like Positano and Ischia, Path of the Gods hike, taking a boat cruise
Why choose the Amalfi Coast for a 1 week trip?
The beautiful, UNESCO World Heritage Amalfi Coast is one of Italy (and Europe’s) favourite summer coastal destinations, known for its stunning cliffs, colourful villages and clear blue waters.
A week in this picturesque location gives you enough time to soak in the region’s charm and experience the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure and culture without feeling rushed.
Activities include:
Exploring different villages like Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, where every corner looks like a postcard
Hiking the Path of the Gods
Relaxing on the beach with panoramic sea views
Enjoying a drink by the ocean
Shopping at local clothing and art stores
Exploring the ruins of Pompeii
Taking a ferry along the coast, or to nearby islands Ischia or Capri
Views along the Path of the Gods hike
Best towns to visit on the Amalfi Coast
Before planning my trip to the Amalfi Coast, I had little idea of the towns in this coastal region, let alone which ones should make it into my itinerary!
Some of the best towns to visit include:
Amalfi:
The namesake of the coastal region, Amalfi has a rich history and is known for its large cathedral, alfresco dining and main street that goes up the mountain and splits off into lots of shops in little lanes, along with many dessert and gelato options.Atrani:
Located 15 minutes walk from Amalfi via a tunnel, this was my favourite town along the Amalfi Coast as it was the least touristy. It’s relatively undiscovered - it’s small and quaint with its own beach, and has an assortment of restaurants, cafes and bars in the single town square for a real local Italian village vibe.Positano:
Famous for its colourful buildings on the side of the mountain - also making it one of the most expensive towns to stay in.Ravello:
Famous for its stunning villages and panoramic views as it’s further up the mountainside, giving it a special feel.Sorrento:
While Sorrento is technically not part of the Amalfi Coast, it’s considered the Gateway to the Amalfi Coast as it’s connected to Naples and Rome by train and bus, and connects to nearby islands Capri and Ischia by ferry.
Sorrento also has a vibrant town centre with lots of shops and restaurants to explore including a year-round Christmas store!Ischia:
A more Italian, less touristy version of Capri that’s definitely worth a visit in a day trip or for a few days, with lots of beaches and island specialties to discover. We also went snorkelling here which was fun!Minori and Maiori:
A little further along the Amalfi Coast (and a lot less popular) are these two neighbouring towns where you can stay for much less and enjoy a quieter coastal holiday.
Views of postcard ready Positano
Most budget-friendly towns to stay in on the Amalfi Coast
For those on a budget, the Amalfi Coast is a place where you’ll have to be prepared to spend a little more on accommodation, especially if you’re going during summer peak season (June to August).
The cheapest towns to stay in near the main busy areas are Sorrento and Atrani (which is only 15 mins walk from Amalfi).
Minori and Maiori are also great options if you’re looking for a more peaceful and relaxing time further away from the busy areas, and you’re happy to spend a little more time taking a bus or ferry for your day trips to towns like Positano and Amalfi.
I’ve put together a list of my favourite, budget-friendly options for accommodation in Sorrento, Atrani, Minori and Maiori. You’ll find links and prices for a two person stay, along with an overview of average costs you can expect in each town.
7 days on beautiful Amalfi Coast Itinerary
This itinerary assumes that you spend 3 nights staying in either Maiori, Minori or Atrani, and then 3 nights in Sorrento. Note this itinerary can also be done in reverse.
Day 1: Arrive at the Amalfi Coast
Land in Rome or Naples and make your way to your starting point on the Amalfi Coast (Salerno or Sorrento).
If arriving in Salerno, take the local SITA bus to your accommodation in the towns Maiori, Minori or Atrani. If arriving in Sorrento, you can find out more about transport options from Naples or Rome here.
Settle in and enjoy the Italian hospitality by having a coffee or a drink in the local town square, and relax and soak in the sun with a dip in the ocean.
View of the ocean near Atrani from the main road along the Amalfi Coast
Day 2: Explore Amalfi & Atrani, beach day
For your second day, head to Amalfi and spend the morning getting lost in its alleyways, exploring local shops and admiring the iconic church from the town square.
For lunch, you can choose one of the many Italian restaurants in Amalfi, or take a short 15 minute walk through the tunnel to nearby Atrani for a more relaxed, village experience at one of the cafes or restaurants in the main town square.
We had a amazing value lunch at Ristorante Savò Quality Food which is a local family run restaurant that looks into the square in Atrani, and I remember ordering a Spaghetti con Vongole and was surprised at how many clams I got! Plus the prices here were much cheaper than Amalfi if you’re looking for a good deal.
You can then spend your afternoon relaxing at the beach at Spiaggia di Atrani which has a paid umbrellas and chairs section and a free public section, or head back to Maiori or Minori to soak in the sun there.
Day 3: Hike the Path of the Gods and explore Positano
Path of the Gods
Day 3 starts with an early coffee and breakfast, including a takeaway panini for lunch, and a bus ride or walk to Amalfi.
The best way to hike the Path of the Gods is to take a bus from Amalfi to Bomerano, walk through Bomerano to Via Sentiero Degli Dei to find the start of the track, and follow the signs and the path to Nocelle.
Left: the start of the Path of the Gods hike. Right: Signage along the route.
I would highly recommend trying the local lemonade and lemon granita at Lemon Point Positano - a great, refreshing drink after hours of walking.
From here you can continue to follow the path up and along the mountain to reach Positano, or descend using the staircase to get to the main coastal road. Once you reach it, you can either wait for the bus to Positano or walk 35 mins along the road to get to Positano.
To get from Amalfi to Bomerano, you can take the Amalfi - Agerola - Naples (Route 5080) to Bomerano which will cost you €2.4 and take 40 mins. Make sure you buy your ticket before getting on the bus - more info on where to buy bus tickets in my Comprehensive Guide on How to Get Around the Amalfi Coast.
Our bus was full of hikers and the bus driver kindly announced the Bomerano stop! We went at 10:30am which meant that by the time we started the walk it was 11:15am and very warm - I would recommend starting earlier if you can.
Positano
Once you reach Positano, you’ll start to see lots of local shops and street vendors along the sides of the road. Take your time looking at art, jewellery or pick up some new linen clothing for the summer heat!
I loved browsing the beautiful prints on the linen clothing at Boutique Blitz Moda Positano and ended up investing in a pair of shorts which I wore so much over the next 6 months of my trip - and this was the moment I fell in love with linen clothing for its sweat wicking properties and how comfortable and durable it was.
We also took a dip in the ocean once we got to the coast - however I wouldn’t recommend spending lots of time in the public section of the beach as it’s right next to the busy ferry port. There are a few pay per use showers here if you want to rinse off afterwards.
You can spend the rest of your afternoon enjoying a drink by the water or indulging in some gelato before heading back to your accommodation in the evening. For your trip back, take a ferry to soak in the views of the coastline from the water - and save yourself the climb up the many stairs to get to the main road. Ferry tickets can be bought at the wharf.
Day 4: Explore Sorrento
Make your way to Sorrento by bus or ferry after you check out in the morning - today we are moving accommodation.
There are direct ferry services from Maiori and Amalfi to Sorrento. For bus, take the bus to Amalfi (or walk if you’re coming from Atrani) before waiting for another bus to Sorrento. See my Comprehensive Guide on How to Get Around the Amalfi Coast for pricing and links to timetables.
For the afternoon, you can explore Sorrento’s old town area and explore the shops and the streets - one of my favourite finds in this area was the Christmas Shop in Sorrento! We bought a hand painted bauble to take home to remember our time here.
View of the public beach pier in Sorrento from above near the path’s entrance.
If you feel like a dip in the ocean but don’t want to pay for a spot at one of the beach clubs, we found a free public beach in the nearby Sorrento area called Spiaggia La Marinella. The Google listing is for the beach club, but there is an entrance which takes you to the free section where you access the water from the concrete pier via ladders. To get here, follow the path that takes you down a ramp in a cave-like path (rather than using the elevator that belongs to the beach club).
Day 5: Day trip to Pompeii
The last time I was in the Naples region we didn’t have enough time to visit the ruins of Pompeii, preserved from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, so it was a must on our list this time!
Getting from Sorrento to Pompeii is simple - head to Sorrento Train Station and get the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento to Naples which takes 20 mins. Once you get to Pompeii Station, the entrance to the Archaeological Park is across the road.
We only got tickets for Pompeii, but you can also get combined tickets for Herculaneum, and also pay a visit to the top of Mount Vesuvius. I would also recommend bringing an umbrella for shade as you walk around Pompeii as it gets very hot with minimal shade.
Day 6: Day trip to Ischia
While Capri is the better known island day trip from Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast, a friend of mine recommend going to Ischia instead as it’s less touristy. This beautiful island was such a nice change from Sorrento and felt very authentic, with lots of Italians coming here to holiday.
To get from Sorrento to Ischia, Alilauro Gruson runs daily ferries from April to October at 9:30 and 15:50. These take 1 hour 10 mins to 1 hour 30 mins and can be booked on their website for €24. They also run return ferries at 10:45 and 17:25.
We spent most of our time exploring the town area, having one of many pastries at Ristorante Pizzeria da Raffaele and taking a snorkelling tour of some underwater cave sites and local ruins with ANS Diving Ischia.
If you have more time and can stay overnight, you can also join one of many one-day boat tours which include lunch and an activity (swimming, kayaking, snorkelling).
Day 7: Depart the Amalfi Coast
There’s time today to get your final souvenirs before travelling to Naples or Rome for onward travel.
If your next stop is Naples, you can take the Circumvesuviana train all the way to Naples train station (Napoli Centrale) where you can connect to high speed rail.
Curreri Viaggi also runs a shuttle bus service from Sorrento Train Station to Naples Airport for €13, which is slightly more expensive than the getting a bus from Naples Airport to Napoli Centrale and then the Circumvesuviana to Sorrento (€8), but much less hassle if you’re travelling with luggage.
How to get to the Amalfi Coast
The closest airports to the Amalfi Coast are in Rome (FCO) and Naples (NAP).
To get to the Amalfi Coast, you will first have to take a train or bus to either Sorrento (west of Amalfi Coast) or Salerno (east of Amalfi Coast).
For detailed transport options from Rome or Naples airports to Sorrento or Salerno, see my Comprehensive Guide on How to Get Around the Amalfi Coast.
How to get around the Amalfi Coast
The best way to get around the Amalfi Coast is by public transport or private transfer / taxi.
For those on a budget, the local bus run by SITA is the most cost effective public transport option, costing €2.4 to €4. However, during busy times of the day buses may get very crowded or get stuck in traffic as there is only one windy road along the coast line.
For those who prefer a slightly faster and more relaxing route, you can take a ferry between the major towns (e.g. between Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi) which will cost between €10-€20.
For bus & ferry route details and where to buy tickets, see my Comprehensive Guide on How to Get Around the Amalfi Coast.
Best time to visit the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is known as a summer destination so you’ll find peak season is between June to August with warm temperatures typically above 30°C!
If you want to avoid the busiest times but still enjoy the good weather, I would recommend visiting during the shoulder seasons of April-May into September-October for more availability and cheaper accommodation options.
If you’re looking for a quieter experience away from the crowds, the best time to visit is during the off season between November and March. Some hotels, restaurants and attractions may have closed or reduced hours, but it’s a more peaceful time to visit with cooler weather.
While we still had an enjoyable time during our mid-June visit, if I were to return I would visit a bit earlier in May or in September after the summer holiday crowds dissipate.
Must try local restaurants
Atrani
Ristorante Savò Quality Food - amazing quality food at a family run joint. Enjoy their light lunch menu that has great value pastas and salads.
Nocelle (along Path of the Gods)
Lemon Point Positano - local lemonade stand in Nocelle that served the freshest lemonade and lemon granita, made from local produce!
Sorrento
La Cantinaccia del Popolo - authentic, delicious Italian restaurant which never failed to have a line every day we walked past, and worth every minute of the wait. Open for lunch and dinner, they provide free wine and cheese to those waiting in line.
SpizzichiAMO - the most delicious foccacia and sandwiches made with local ingredients. One of our most unexpected finds.
Planning your trip to the Amalfi Coast? Read these next:
Most Affordable Towns to Stay in on the Amalfi Coast | Budget Friendly Travel Guide
Comprehensive Guide on How to Get Around the Amalfi Coast, Italy
This post contains affiliate and referral links where I may earn affiliate income or referral bonuses at no extra cost to readers. Your support helps me continue providing valuable content.
Planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast on a budget? I share which towns are the most affordable places to stay, plus my favourite accommodation listings and other money saving tips for trip.