Your Amalfi Coast Questions Answered: 13 Things Every First-Timer Asks
The Amalfi Coast looks effortless in photos. The reality involves a learning curve of ferries, buses, stairs, and budget adjustments. Here are the 13 questions I get asked most, with honest answers.
Transport
Q: Should I rent a car?
No. The SS163 coastal road is single-lane in places with blind hairpin turns and aggressive bus drivers. Parking in Positano costs 5-8 EUR per hour (if you can find a spot). Use SITA buses (2.40 EUR per ride), ferries (8-15 EUR per hop), or hire a private boat.
The one exception: if you're exploring inland Campania (Pompeii, Vesuvius, Naples) before or after the coast, a car is useful for that portion. Just don't drive it on the coast.
Q: How do ferries work?
Travelmar and NLG ferries connect Positano, Amalfi, Minori, and Salerno from April through October. Buy tickets at the dock — no advance booking needed. Positano to Amalfi: ~8 EUR, 20 minutes. The boats are small enough to feel the waves on windy days. Services cancel in bad weather.
Q: How do I get there from Naples?
Cheapest: Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento (3.60 EUR, 70 minutes) + SITA bus to the coast (~2.40 EUR, 60-90 minutes). Total ~8 EUR, 2+ hours.
Fastest: Pre-booked private transfer from Naples airport (120-150 EUR for a car, 60-90 minutes direct to your hotel). Split among a group, it's reasonable.
Middle ground: Alibus from Naples airport to the port (5 EUR) + ferry to Amalfi or Positano (seasonal, check timetables).
Where to Stay
Q: Positano or Amalfi?
Positano is the photogenic headliner — cascading pastel buildings, designer boutiques, better beach. But it's the most expensive town on the coast (hotels from 200 EUR/night) and involves 1,500+ stairs for daily life.
Amalfi town is more practical — flatter, more affordable (hotels from 120 EUR/night), better restaurant variety, and the cathedral is stunning. The ferry dock is central.
For budget: stay in Minori or Maiori (30-50% cheaper, good local restaurants, beach access) and ferry to Positano for day visits.
Q: Is it worth staying overnight or can I day-trip?
Stay overnight. Day-tripping from Naples or Sorrento is possible but you spend 3-4 hours in transit and miss the coast at its best — early morning light and evening when the day-trippers leave.
Two nights minimum. Four to five if you want to hike, explore Ravello, and genuinely relax.
Budget
Q: How expensive is it really?
More than the rest of Italy. Budget 150-250 EUR/person/day for mid-range travel. A seafood lunch at a beach restaurant: 30-50 EUR/person. A sunbed rental: 15-25 EUR. Water at restaurants: 3-5 EUR. The coast is not the place for backpacker budgets.
Money-saving strategies: stay inland, eat at local trattorias rather than beach restaurants, take SITA buses instead of taxis, and carry water bottles (refill at public fountains in each town).
Q: When is the cheapest time?
May and September-October. Hotels drop 30-50% from peak July-August prices. Everything is open, the weather is excellent, and the crowds are manageable.
Activities
Q: Is the Path of the Gods hard?
Moderate. The 7.8km trail from Agerola to Nocelle takes 3-4 hours downhill. No technical climbing. But the path is narrow with steep, unprotected drops — not for anyone with vertigo. Bring water, sunscreen, and good shoes.
Start from Agerola (bus from Amalfi) for the easier downhill route. From Nocelle, take the bus or stairs down to Positano.
Q: Is Positano worth the hype?
Yes and no. The view from the water (arriving by ferry) is genuinely one of the most beautiful urban landscapes in the world. The beach is Nice. The boutiques sell handmade leather sandals made while you wait (from 40 EUR).
But it's expensive, tourist-heavy, and the 1,500+ stairs make it physically demanding. Visit for half a day by ferry. Don't stay unless you have the budget and the knees.
Q: Should I visit Capri?
If you have time, yes. Ferries run from Positano and Amalfi to Capri (from 22 EUR). The Blue Grotto, Anacapri village, and the views from Monte Solaro are world-class. But Capri is even more expensive than the Amalfi Coast — budget 80-100 EUR for a day trip including ferry, lunch, and Blue Grotto. For more, check out our Amalfi Coast tips and tricks.
Practical
Q: What should I eat?
Scialatielli ai frutti di mare (local pasta with mixed seafood), totani e patate (squid and potatoes), delizia al limone (lemon cream pastry), and anything involving the coast's enormous sfusato amalfitano lemons. Pair with local Falanghina or Fiano white wine.
At Pasticceria Pansa in Amalfi (since 1830), get the sfogliatella. It's 3 EUR of flaky, ricotta-filled perfection.
Q: Is the water safe to swim in?
Yes — the Mediterranean off the Amalfi Coast is clean and swimmable from May through October. Water temperatures range from 20°C (May) to 25°C (August-September). Some beaches have rocky entries — water shoes help.
Q: What's the dress code?
The coast is casual by day — swimwear and cover-ups for beaches, casual clothing for town. Evening dining is smart-casual at nicer restaurants. Church visits (Amalfi Cathedral, Ravello churches) require covered shoulders and knees.
The Amalfi Coast isn't easy. But the difficulty is part of what keeps it from becoming a generic resort destination. The stairs, the ferries, the winding buses — they're the price of admission to a coastline that hasn't been smoothed into blandness.
Plan ahead, stay overnight, take the ferry, and let the Mediterranean do the rest.
