Amalfi Coast 5-Day Itinerary 2026: Leave Your Car in Sorrento and Never Drive the SS163, the SITA Bus Costs 1.60 Euros and Goes Everywhere the Taxi Boat Goes for 20 Euros, Ravello Is the Least Crowded Amalfi Town and Has the Best Views, and Cetara Makes the Best Bottarga in Italy

Autore: La Redazione di www.tourleaderpro.com

Last updated: May 2026 — verified by the editorial team of www.tourleaderpro.com

An Amalfi Coast itinerary 5 days (un itinerario di 5 giorni sulla Costiera Amalfitana) is most visitors' top Italy dream and most first-timers' biggest Italy logistics mistake. The Amalfi Coast 5-day itinerary done wrong involves renting a car in Naples, driving the SS163, spending 2 hours looking for parking in Positano, paying 35 euros for a hotel room the size of a bathroom in Amalfi, and leaving exhausted. The same 5 days done right involves arriving by train to Sorrento, leaving the car there (or not renting one at all), using the SITA bus and the ferry network to move between towns, and staying in a single base (either Praiano for central access or Sorrento for the easiest transport) while day-tripping to the coast towns. The difference is approximately 400 euros and 10 hours of recovered stress.

Amalfi Coast 5-Day Itinerary: Day by Day

Day 1: Arrival in Sorrento as the Base

Sorrento (GPS: 40.6264°N, 14.3757°E): the most specifically practical single Amalfi Coast base for the 5-day itinerary (the specific Sorrento advantages: the Circumvesuviana train from Naples Garibaldi station (35 minutes, 3.30 euros — the most specifically fast and most specifically affordable single Naples-Sorrento connection); the Sorrento ferry pier with direct boats to Positano, Amalfi, and Capri; and the Sorrento piazza (the Piazza Tasso) with the most specifically abundant single Amalfi Coast area restaurant selection at the most specifically affordable single Amalfi Coast area price (a piatto unico at the Ristorante Il Buco in Sorrento: approximately 18-25 euros versus the equivalent 35-50 euros in Positano)). Do NOT drive the SS163 to Sorrento — use the Circumvesuviana from Naples. The specific Sorrento Day 1 programme: the Marina Grande (GPS: 40.6258°N, 14.3669°E — the specific small original Sorrento fishing harbour: the most specifically authentic single Sorrento experience), the Piazza Tasso aperitivo, and the Museo Correale di Terranova (GPS: 40.6302°N, 14.3828°E — the most specifically comprehensive single Sorrento art and decorative arts collection: admission 8 euros).

Day 2: Positano — The Most Photographed Town in Italy

Take the Positano ferry from Sorrento (April-October, approximately 12-15 euros — 25-minute crossing, the most specifically panoramic single Amalfi Coast arrival (approaching Positano by sea gives the most specifically cinematic single view of the specific stack of pastel-coloured houses (the case colorate — the specific pink, orange, and terracotta facades that cascade down the specific Positano cliff face to the specific Spiaggia Grande)). The Positano programme: the Spiaggia Grande (GPS: 40.6280°N, 14.4847°E — the main beach: free sunbathing area (the private sunbed rental: 20-25 euros for the beach chair and umbrella set)); the specific Positano church (the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta — GPS: 40.6282°N, 14.4852°E — free entry: the specific majolica-tiled dome (the cupola maiolicata) is the most specifically Positano-identifiable single architectural element in any Positano photograph)); the Positano boutique shopping (the specific handmade sandal (il sandalo positanese — the specific leather sandal handmade to order at approximately 50-80 euros: the most specifically Positano single authentic artisan purchase)); and the Via Positanesi dell'America (the cliff-side street from the SITA bus stop down to the beach — the most specifically vertiginous single Positano street walk). Return to Sorrento by SITA bus (1.60 euros — the most cost-efficient single Positano return).

Day 3: Amalfi and Ravello

SITA bus from Sorrento to Amalfi (1h05m, 2.50 euros — the specific SITA coastal bus that uses the SS163 but the driver's expertise converts the terror of the road into specific theatrical performance). Amalfi (GPS: 40.6340°N, 14.6025°E): the Duomo di Amalfi (the Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea — GPS: 40.6342°N, 14.6024°E: the specific 9th-century Arab-Norman cathedral (the most architecturally complex single Amalfi Coast monument) whose specific bronze doors (the porte di bronzo — cast in Constantinople in 1065 and the first single Italian medieval bronze church doors) and the specific 62-step staircase (the scalinata) are the most specifically Amalfi single architectural landmark): admission 3 euros. The Amalfi Paper Museum (the Museo della Carta — GPS: 40.6358°N, 14.6041°E: the most specifically unusual single Amalfi Coast museum (the specific 13th-century paper mill (the cartiera) that has been producing the specific Amalfi hand-laid paper (la carta amalfitana) since the medieval period — the first single paper mill in Europe outside the Arab-controlled territories): admission 4 euros). Bus or taxi up to Ravello (GPS: 40.6490°N, 14.6139°E — 6km above Amalfi: the most specifically atmospheric single Amalfi Coast hill town and the one whose specific Villa Rufolo (GPS: 40.6490°N, 14.6130°E — Richard Wagner's inspiration for the Klingsor garden in Parsifal (1880): admission 7 euros) and Villa Cimbrone (GPS: 40.6486°N, 14.6142°E — the Terrazza dell'Infinito (the "Terrace of Infinity") with the most specifically panoramic single Amalfi Coast sea view: admission 7 euros) constitute the most specifically "elevated" single Amalfi Coast programme).

Day 4: Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods)

The Sentiero degli Dei (GPS start: Bomerano, 40.6583°N, 14.5261°E — GPS end: Positano, 40.6285°N, 14.4848°E): the most spectacular single Amalfi Coast hiking trail (the 7.8km route from Bomerano (the village above the coast at 600m altitude) to Positano (sea level) traverses the specific limestone cliff face 300-600m above the Amalfi Coast sea with the most specifically continuous single panoramic view in any Italian coastal hike): 3-4 hours walking time, difficulty: moderate (the most significant challenge is the specific Positano descent (900 steps of stone stairs at the trail end — the most specifically knee-demanding single Amalfi Coast hike finale)). Access: the SITA bus from Sorrento to Bomerano via Agerola (1h30m, 2.20 euros — the most frequently missed single Amalfi Coast transport connection). End the hike at Positano and return to Sorrento by ferry.

Day 5: Cetara and the Hidden Coast

Cetara (GPS: 40.6484°N, 14.7028°E — 10km east of Amalfi on the SITA bus): the most specifically authentic single Amalfi Coast fishing village (the Cetara colatura di alici — the specific fermented anchovy sauce (the liquid amber extract from the specific fermented anchovy process that the Cetara fishing community has produced since the medieval period (the colatura di alici di Cetara is the most specifically ancient single surviving Italian fermented fish sauce — the direct descendant of the specific Roman garum)): the most specifically Cetara single food purchase: available at the Delfino shop on the main piazza at approximately 8-12 euros per 100ml bottle). The Vietri sul Mare (GPS: 40.6718°N, 14.7166°E — 3km east of Cetara): the specific ceramics capital of the Amalfi Coast and the most specifically accessible single Amalfi Coast ceramics shopping stop (the Vietri ceramics tradition — see the Italy Ceramics Shopping Guide). Return to Naples or Sorrento for departure.

Q&A: Amalfi Coast 5-Day Itinerary

Where should I stay for the Amalfi Coast 5-day itinerary?

Praiano (GPS: 40.6124°N, 14.5321°E — midway between Positano and Amalfi): the most specifically practical single Amalfi Coast base for the budget-to-mid-range visitor. The specific Praiano advantages: accommodation at 30-50% below the Positano equivalent price for the same sea-view quality; the specific Praiano ferry pier (boats to Positano, Amalfi, and Capri); the SITA bus stop on the SS163 (2-minute walk from most Praiano accommodation); and the specific Praiano restaurant (the Ristorante da Armandino — the most specifically authentic single Amalfi Coast seafood restaurant at the Praiano harbour level: approximately 20-30 euros per person including wine — half the Positano equivalent). The Sorrento base (as described in Day 1) is the most specifically practical for the visitor who values transport efficiency over "being on the Amalfi Coast itself".

Link Interni

Here's the thing nobody tells you about the Amalfi Coast: the single biggest decision isn't which town to sleep in, it's whether you rent a car. Don't. The SS163 — the famous Amalfi Drive — is one of the most beautiful roads in the world and, in July and August, one of the most gridlocked, with no parking and hairpins where two buses can't pass. Move by ferry and bus instead, base yourself smart, and the coast opens up. This is the practical layer the day-by-day above leaves out.

Don't rent a car — move by ferry and bus

The local SITA buses run the coast road and the ferries connect the main towns from roughly Easter through October — Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Salerno, and over to Capri. In summer the ferry is almost always faster, cooler, and far less stressful than the bus, and the view of the coast from the water is the view people come for. A car, by contrast, gets you a day of crawling traffic and a parking garage that charges a fortune, if you can find a spot at all. After years of sending clients down here, my flat rule is: no rental car on the Amalfi Coast. If you want one scenic drive, hire a private driver for a half-day on the coast road and let someone else fight the hairpins. For the airport-to-coast logistics, see getting from Naples to the Amalfi Coast.

One base note that confuses people: Sorrento isn't technically on the Amalfi Coast — it's on the other side of the peninsula. But it's the best-connected base, with the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii and Naples and ferries to everywhere, and it's better value than Positano. Positano and Ravello are gorgeous places to sleep if budget is no object; Praiano and Sorrento are where the value is.

When to go — and when not to

May, late September, and October are the sweet spot: warm water, working ferries, and prices and crowds well off their August peak. July and August are hot, packed, and expensive, with ferry lines and beach clubs charging peak rates. Note that the ferry network is seasonal — outside roughly April to October many routes shrink or stop, so a winter trip means relying on the buses and the train. The lemons, by the way, are real and everywhere: the sfusato amalfitano is the local variety behind the limoncello and the delizia al limone you'll eat your way through.

The day trips that make the trip — Capri and Pompeii

Two excursions are worth building in. Capri is a ferry ride away and deserves a full day — take the chairlift up Monte Solaro from Anacapri for the best view in the bay, and treat the Blue Grotto as a maybe, not a plan: it only opens in calm seas, costs a separate fee (verify the current price), and the hype outruns the five minutes you actually spend inside. Pompeii is a straight shot on the Circumvesuviana from Sorrento; go early, bring water and a hat because there's no shade, and budget around €18–22 for the ticket (verify the current price on the official site). Both are classic guided-tour and skip-the-line bookings — exactly what the widget below is for. For the towns themselves, the Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello guides go deeper than a day-by-day can.

What to eat on the Amalfi Coast

The food here is Campanian and built on the sea and the lemon. Eat scialatielli (a thick fresh pasta) with seafood, mozzarella di bufala campana that was made that morning, and anything with the local lemons. The one dish to seek out is colatura di alici from the fishing village of Cetara — an amber anchovy sauce that's a direct descendant of the ancient Roman garum, drizzled over spaghetti with garlic and chili. It's the most historic thing you'll eat on the coast and almost nobody orders it. Finish with a delizia al limone and a cold limoncello, and skip the overpriced lemon granita stands on the main drags — the better one is always a block off the tourist path.

A few honest realities about Positano

Positano is the most photographed town in Italy for a reason, but go in knowing two things: it's vertical — essentially a staircase town, so factor in the climbs — and the beachfront restaurants and beach clubs charge accordingly. Come for the photos, a swim, and a long lunch, then consider sleeping somewhere with better value. The Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) above it is the best free thing on the whole coast; do it in the morning before the heat. For trail logistics, the Italy hiking guide has the wider context.

Amalfi Coast in 5 days: the honest FAQ

Should I rent a car? No. Traffic, parking, and the ZTL zones make a car a liability here. Ferries and SITA buses cover everything, and a private driver handles the one scenic drive if you want it.

Where's the best base? Sorrento for transport and value (and the easiest Pompeii and Capri day trips), Praiano for a quieter coast base, Positano or Ravello if you want the view and the budget allows. Pick one or two bases over five days — don't move every night.

How do I do Capri and Pompeii? Capri by ferry as a full day; Pompeii by the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento, ideally as a half-day before the afternoon heat. Both are easy to book as guided trips.

When should I go? May, late September, or October for the best balance of weather, working ferries, and manageable crowds. Avoid August if you can.

Is 5 days the right length? It's comfortable. For a shorter trip see the 3-day Amalfi Coast itinerary; for a deeper one the 7-day version; and if you're still deciding how long to give it, how many days on the Amalfi Coast lays out the trade-offs.

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