The Amalfi Coast is 50km of cliff-hugging coastline with a dozen towns that look similar from photos but feel very different in person. The key decision: glamour or authenticity? Beach access or mountain views? Tourist infrastructure or local atmosphere? And the detail nobody mentions enough: STAIRS. The Amalfi Coast is VERTICAL. Every town involves hundreds of steps between your hotel and the beach/restaurant/bus stop. If mobility is a concern, choose your base carefully. A car is helpful but NOT essential — the SITA bus connects all towns, ferries run in summer, and the best Amalfi Coast experiences (the boat, the paths, the restaurants) don't need a car.
Choose my Amalfi base →Character: The postcard town — pastel buildings cascading to the sea, the most photographed village on the coast. Boutiques, beach clubs, aperitivo terraces. Price: €120-400/night (the most expensive). Beach: Spiaggia Grande (busy, pebble, beach clubs €20-40/day). Stairs: SEVERE. The town is a cliff face. Walking from the top (where the bus stops) to the beach involves 400+ steps. Returning uphill in the heat is a workout. Best for: Couples, luxury travelers, Instagram. Drawback: Expensive, crowded June-August, the stairs are no joke.
Character: The historical capital — the Duomo, the paper mills, the maritime republic history. More practical than Positano: the center is relatively FLAT (the main street from the port to the piazza), with buses, ferries, and services. Price: €80-250/night. Beach: Small but accessible from the center. Larger beaches at nearby Maiori/Minori. Stairs: Moderate (the center is flat; climb to reach some hotels). Best for: First-timers wanting a central base, practical travelers, those who want to day-trip by ferry. Good balance of beauty + practicality.
Character: 350m above the sea — NOT on the coast but ABOVE it. The Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone gardens, the Ravello Festival (classical music, summer), and the most spectacular views on the coast. Price: €80-300/night. Beach: NONE directly — you must descend to Minori/Amalfi (bus or 1,500+ steps). Best for: Couples, culture lovers, those who prioritize views over beaches. Drawback: Isolated without a car. The bus to/from Amalfi (20min) is the lifeline. Full Ravello guide →
Character: Between Positano and Amalfi — quieter, more authentic, stunning sunsets (it faces west, unlike most Amalfi towns). Price: €60-180/night (30-40% cheaper than Positano). Beach: Marina di Praia (small, beautiful cove). One Beach (beach club at Praiano). Stairs: Moderate-severe (the town is still vertical). Best for: Budget-conscious travelers wanting the Amalfi experience without the Positano price. Couples who prefer quiet. The local feel: Praiano still feels like a fishing village with a tourism sideline, not a tourism enterprise with a fishing memory.
Character: The "other" Amalfi towns — less famous, less photogenic, but: the LONGEST beach on the coast (Maiori — 250m of sand, not pebble), the most affordable accommodation, and the most local atmosphere. Price: €50-130/night. Beach: Excellent (Maiori's beach is wider and sandier than anywhere else on the coast). Best for: Families, beach lovers, budget travelers. Trade-off: Less "wow" factor than Positano/Amalfi. But: The food is as good, the sea is the same blue, and your hotel costs half as much. Best time →