From Rain to Shine: A Quick Guide to the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is a breathtakingly stunning stretch of Mediterranean land along the southern coastline of Italy. The picturesque towns and villages along the coast are what makes this a popular tourist destination. I personally can vouch for its charm and undisputable natural beauty. I highly recommend a weekend trip!

When to Go?

As one might expect, these villages are bustling all summer long. I found the end of September to be the perfect time to go. I went the weekend of September 20th, and the weather was gorgeous. To be fair to London, the weather so far had been quite promising. There were only a few days of umbrella-worthy rain thus far (although this certainly has changed halfway through October). Anyways, nearing the end of September I found to be perfect because the weather was much warmer than where I was, but also tourist season was coming to a close. I would imagine July or August to have been MUCH more busy.

Where to Stay?

There are several towns along the coast, and most assume that Amalfi must be the best one to go to, considering it is the Amalfi Coast after all. However, I recommend doing your research on the towns to pinpoint exactly where it is you want to stay. Sorrento is beautiful as well. I personally chose the small town of Positano, which is famous for its colorful buildings and houses on the hillside. The cover photo for this post is of this town. I have no regrets in choosing Positano!

If you decide to stay in Positano, there are many highly-rated hostels in the area. I stayed at Hostel Brikette for 2 nights. This hostel was reasonably priced, offered great service, and there was a terrace overlooking the water. It is certainly a hike up (or a bus ride up) to get to this hostel, but the views are more than worth it! There is breakfast (not included) and filtered water to fill up water bottles in the hostel.

***The rest of this guide is tailored to a stay in Positano, Italy ONLY***

Transportation

This one is a bit tricky, only because there are so many options. I landed in Naples, so Positano is about a 75-minute drive. But who wants to pay that much for a taxi?

For the budget-friendly option, I recommend flying into Naples and taking a train to Sorrento, which is farther south than Positano. Take the shuttle from the Naples airport to the main train station, Napoli Centrale station. Then, take the Circumvesuviana train from the Garibaldi Station (this is located downstairs in the Napoli Centrale Station) to Sorento. Keep in mind that you need to purchase a ticket for the train before getting on. The train ride to Sorrento is supposedly just over an hour, but expect closer to two hours. From Sorrento, you can take a SITA bus to Positano.

Another option for transportation is the ferry. It is far more expensive, but a unique mode of transportation. Once my train landed in Sorrento, I took a ferry to the island of Capri for the first day. I then was able to take a ferry from Capri, directly to Positano. You can purchase ferry tickets locally, just before boarding the ferry.

Once in Positano, there is a bus that runs throughout the town. The bus stops and services are not as straightforward as it is in London (at least in my opinion), so I recommend just asking people around you where to catch the bus. But seriously keep in mind that there IS a bus unless you want to hike all the way to your hostel while carrying your luggage. I learned the hard way.

OPTIONAL Day Trip to Capri

I only recommend Capri if you are able to spend at least four or more hours there. It was much more congested with tourists than Positano was, making it difficult to get around quickly. Unfortunately, with the train and ferry travel time I was only able to spend two hours in Capri, which is not nearly enough.

If you allot enough time I recommend going on a boat tour around the island, especially one that includes the Blue Grotto.

After, you can walk around the outer side of the island where there are a series of lookout points. If you wander away from the center, restaurants and shops will be much cheaper as well.

The Chairlift is a fun and cheap way (about 12 euros) to see Capri.

There is a bus within Capri, but give yourself plenty of time to make it back for the ferry. On busier days you are not always able to catch the bus back down and will be forced to pay for an extremely overpriced taxi ride.

What to do in Positano?

• Go to the beach. If you want to go to the main beach with a great view of the colorful village, this is Spiaggia Grande. Keep in mind that because it is the main beach it is much pricier. I paid 25 euros for a beach chair for the day. Fornillo is another beach option that is much cheaper and quieter, with a more casual approach. Beach chairs are about 5 euros.
• Go shopping! Walk to the Positano Town Center and the options are endless. You can find anything from ceramics to souvenirs to sandal making shops.
• Africana or Music on the Rocks – these are both nightclubs famous for being literally inside a cave. I recommend even just walking by.

Where to Eat?

• C’era una Volta – this is directly across the street from Hostel Brikette. Regardless, I recommend going here for some delicious heart-shaped pizza with INCREDIBLE prices!

The rest I can leave up to you. It’s Italy! Fantastic food is everywhere you look.

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Now sit back, relax, and have fun planning your trip. Ciao!