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Amalfi Coast in March

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Hello everyone! This is our first trip to Italy and we are so excited! My husband and I are meeting my daughter over her Spring Break, middle of March. She will be studying architecture in Orvietto for 16 weeks. We would like to see the Amalfi coast, but I heard the ferry is closed and most of the restaurants won’t be open yet by March 19th. We were thinking about spending a night or two in Sorrento, possibly visiting Capri, but will the Blue grotto at Capri be open? Then renting an Airbnb in Positano, San Michele or Ravello. We are not planning on renting a car, so my concern is that in San Michele or Ravello there won’t be as many restaurants open or frequent bus routes to make it worth a three night stay. Would Positano be a safer home base in the off season? Thoughts?

After the Amalfi coast, we are headed to Orvieto for a night and then up to Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, and Venice to finish out our 2 week trip. I would love any recommendations or advice!

Posted by
1837 posts

The Amalfi Coast may be too cold for swimming in March. However, it’s a great time for photography of the coastline in March.

Posted by
260 posts

I leave for southern Italy in 3 weeks for about 5 weeks. I usually plan a trip a year out so I get travel/train/bus/market/ferry/events info for the same time of year I am traveling. (November is my birthday month and as I like to say one day just doesn't cut it anymore. It requires a month in Europe)

Am doing 5 days on the AC and originally had booked an apt (99% of the time I stay in apts). But in researching found that Sorrento to be a town rebuilt after WWII. And why do all that extra travel from Sorrento every day to the AC. I switched to Hotel Fontana, Amalfi right across from the bus depot so I can catch buses going west to Positano and east to Ravello, etc. I also am staying there as the AC is steep/hilly and wanted to be at sea level for my accommodation to save energy for the hilly towns. That is also why I'm not staying in Positano.

I will be 10 days in Naples and what about the ferries? Directferries.com has all the ferry schedules. Most appear to change around November 1 and pick up again May. Blue Grotto tours end at the end of Oct and although I have not checked probably do not get back up until April/May/June, Tours also depend on the weather during the season. Ferries do go Capri from various spots and directferries can tell you.

Not a big foodie and usually rent apts so never worry about restaurants being open and italians especially eat late and healthwise I am unable to eat that late.

I loved Orvieto, spent a month in Florence, visited CT and have been to Venice many times. Without putting pencil to paper I don't quite know how you are going to see/visit all those places in the time you have left without it being rushed and mainly getting from one place to the other taking time. You could maybe see the highlights each each place but still feel it might be rushed. Florence to me in particular has crazy visiting hours so be careful about places you might want to see there.

My suggestion: really review where you want to go, check the visiting hours, especially in Florence, rome3rio.com for transpo options and in country travel time. All of this is my 2euros!

Posted by
27701 posts

I wouldn't depend on anything Rome2Rio says. It is often wildly off-base.

Posted by
260 posts

Our experiences are apparently very different with rome2rio.com. i use it as a starting point and then delve into their transpo options. Has been working very successfully for me for years as an initial resource.

Posted by
2061 posts

First of all, like Janet I too start out with Rome2Rio to get basic logistics, then delve deeper on other sites from there.

I've been to the Amalfi Coast twice in early March, and weather-wise it's a crapshoot. One year it was sunny and 60, the next time it was 40's and blowing rain. That year our trip to Capri was cancelled. For that trip, we also based in Sorrento, which truly is the only town on the peninsula that is fully operational in March. Otherwise, base in Salerno. Both have great restaurants open all year, and I would give the culinary edge to Sorrento. Just fabulous food. Like stated upthread, it's a post-WWII town that's more touristy than cool, but when we were stuck there in the rain for 4 days it was plenty good for us.

If you are not renting a car, you are subject to public trans, which means the quasi-dependable SITA bus because the ferry won't be operating that time of year. From Sorrento we bussed across the peninsula to Positano, which was deserted (this was about March 10) except one restaurant. We had a great time view-wise with the whole town to ourselves, but there wasn't much open.

I would not do an AirBnB for any of those three A.C. towns for that reason, and the suspect transportation options. From Sorrento, it's a hub and you can also go the other way for daytrips to Naples or Pompeii.

Florence, Tuscany, CT & Venice after Orvieto? Wow--even with 2 weeks by itself that's way too much traveling I think. If possible you should fly in Naples, go to Sorrento for 2-3 days, train to Orvieto for only one night? It's beautiful, we made it a daytrip from Rome. Then train to Florence for 3-4 nights, then Venice the same amount and fly out of there. That's still a lot of moving around--you're going to be on trains, busses or planes a lot!

Any reason you're skipping Rome? It's my favorite city on the planet, just asking.

Finally, it's good you're addressing this now because with Jubilee 2025 country-wise, folks are definitely making reservations earlier. We're fully booked on a Florence--Rome--Salerno--Sicily trip for early next April.

Enjoy your planning!

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