Amalfi Coast Itinerary review request

As far as I know, unless things have changed recently, there is no way to get on a boat or ferry in Praiano. There are no piers (or jetties, if you are from Down Under) where boats can dock. You can catch boats only in Amalfi or Positano. Also consider that if there are high winds or rough seas, service comes to a halt, especially in Positano, which has a very small dock.

Other than that, your plan looks good. You might have to settle for the bus, or plan to take the bus to Positano or Amalfi to catch a boat.

Note that car transfers in this area are expensive, and a sedan with 4 guests has only a trunk for all your luggage. A van may cost more than a sedan, naturally. Are you going to Pompeii?

I read that Positano improved their dock last year, but it still takes smaller boats than does, say, Amalfi.

Hi rumanagar -
Echoing Roberto: Ferries don't serve Praiano...which, unless using the SITA buses, makes it sort of expensive place to stay if planning on almost daily day trips. Figure that, say, you want to go to Capri, you have to first get yourselves to a town with a ferry pier and then get on a boat; rinse and repeat the opposite direction. Ferry tickets are not particularly inexpensive to Capri, easily running over € 20 pp one way, so adding the land (unless by SITA bus) or water taxi fees will further kick up the price.

There used to be an Alicost boat (not a larger ferry) once daily between Praiano and Capri but the info I found digging around for it was that it may not have operated at all during last year or so or only during a couple of peak summer months. It doesn't currently show on any of the ferry-schedule/booking websites.

Oddly, the Travelmar website also lists Praiano as one of their destinations but it doesn't appear on their dropdown schedule menus. As with Alicost, it's possible that this line only provides service during peak summer months. I guess if having ferry services is important to you - and having been to the coast it definitely would be for me - I would contact your chosen accommodation in advance for the most accurate info.

https://www.travelmar.it/en/visit-amalfi-coast

A couple of the water taxi services I found that state that they service Praiano:
https://www.lucibello.it/en/water-taxi-positano
https://www.restartboat.it/water-taxi/

IMHO, for what it's worth? Praiano probably works best for visitors planning to hang out and relax versus take daily day trips. For the itinerary you have planned, I'd think about choosing a different location that provides frequent ferry and well as land services?

I agree. Having stayed in Praiano, I would not stay there again, unless, as said above, you wanted to hang around your hotel pool or beach down below.

Because of road conditions along the Amalfi Coast, it's considered very risky to sleep on the AC the night before a flight departure from Naples. I'd carefully consider the cost of 4 replacement flight tickets (transatlantic?) if the private transfer encounters a road-blocking accident.

You have so little time for this region--just two days, really. I'd be very, very tempted to travel from Naples to Capri either for one day or with an overnight on Capri and avoid the hassles of sleeping in Praiano.

Thank you everyone for your prompt and extremely helpful responses. We are reevaluating our options now.

May 21: Landing at Naples airport at 2 pm. Pre-book shuttle to Positano (looking to stay in/around there) or rent a car and drive (will have to find a place which has a free parking)
May 22: Take ferry from Positano to Capri and back. Spend evening walking and relaxing in Positano.
May 23: Drive or take bus/taxi to Amalfi. Park the car there. Take bus to Ravello, go around and then walk back down to Amalfi. Drive or bus/taxi back to Positano
May 24: Take pre-booked shuttle or drive back to Naples airport for 1:15 pm flight to Athens.

Thoughts?

Driving on AC not a good idea
Parking is almost impossible

Use the bus, ferry or taxi or hire a private driver

Stay in Naples night before departure

Noted. Thank you for the helpful response.

Are luggage storage places available easily and at reasonable cost? If we do not stay the last night in Positano, we would have to take our stuff (4 backpacks & 4 carryons) in the car/taxi to Amalfi that morning, store it somewhere, go around Amalfi & Ravello and pick it up in the evening when we are ready to head out from Amalfi to Naples.

Note that it is getting very late to book AC or Sorrento for May 2025. You need to make a list, because you will have to take your sixth or later choice. (My experience.) Positano apparently has cheaper housing, but I assume it goes fast, and could be hundreds (no exaggeration) of stair-steps from the nearest auto road. Positano is the most expensive town in a 25-mile circle. Just FYI, not telling you where to stay. Note that the last week of May is well into high season, and roads and busses will be very crowded already. Do not think of this as a trip to the lake or small town in the USA.

In the last week of May, every time we walked past the bus stop to Positano that is in front of the Sorrento commuter rail (Circumvesuviana) station, there were more people in line than would fit on the next, half-hourly, bus departure. Rick (our host here) reports that the return bus on that route, originating in Amalfi, often skips Positano in the afternoon because it is already standing-room full before it gets that far west.

While Positano is a good location from which to visit Amalfi and Ravello (remember every taxi is expensive, even a shorter distance), it can be argued that Sorrento has more and bigger ferries to Capri, and the time on the water is much less. Yes, it's longer to Amalfi. We hired a car and driver for 8 hours to see the AC from Sorrento, which is a less beautiful town, but has the best transit connections in the area.

I'm suggesting that you look at your itinerary, and your three nights, and planned full-day excursions, and perhaps, the EXACT location of your hotel, and ask yourself, "Just how much are we able to bask in the rustic Italian atmosphere of a palatial and quiet villa/room/B&B after a lovely day out?" I don't even mean to suggest that I know the answer, only you do.

Thank you for your detailed response, Tim Wyckoff. I agree with you and will discuss with family. Daughter has her heart set on staying around Positano...trying to convince her...all of your answers are helpful.

Last April we spent a week on the AC in Minori, and I’m so glad we did! Positano and Amalfi are crazy crowded. Day trips there are just fine. There’s a ferry dock in Minori. We had no issues traveling around the area. Ravello is beautiful. I highly recommend visiting there as well.

For such a short stay consider staying in Sorrento
The time it takes getting to/from the AC towns will severely cut into your time “being there”

Check Mondo guides for affordable tours
www.sharedtours.com

If you stay in Sorrento you can get to Naples airport on day of flight at much less risk and hassle