Please sign in to post.

Day on Amalfi coast --hiking, swimming, eating?

Hello! My husband and I are visiting the Amalfi Coast for the first time this June and have one day slotted to explore the coast. (We'll be staying in Sorrento, spending the partial travel day in Sorrento, next day exploring exploring the coast, and last day in Capri. We plan to do Pompeii en route to Rome when we leave.)

I'm trying to plan the Amalfi coast day where we'd get to see Positano, Amalfi, Ravello and hopefully Salerno if it's not too far out of the way. I was looking at a private driver, but a bit too expensive so I think we'll be relying on the bus and ferries (maybe a taxi for part of the trip?)

we'd like to swim and do some hiking, but not sure where...from what I've read Positano has the best beaches and you want to hit the beach early before the sun is hidden by the cliffs, so I was thinking we'd bus to Positano and hit the beach first, then stop for a good lunch there. So does anyone know...which of the two public beaches in Positano is the best to swim in, and do they have showers to rinse off and change into dry clothes? Is there a good place to eat in Positano that allows people in who maybe have wet hair from the beach? (I don't know if they're relaxed about that sort of thing.) from there I was thinking we'd head to Amalfi after lunch and hike up to Ravello by foot, then back to Amalfi, and then on to Salerno via taxi or bus. Probably no more swimming after Positano. Anything I'm missing? Any must-do's, better hikes, better swimming, can't miss food stops, etc? Also, what's the best way to travel from place to place?. if we splurge for a taxi between 2 towns to ensure we can see the amazing views (I know you don't always get window seats on the bus), where should that be done? I know I have a million questions, but I so appreciate any help. Thank you so much!! I'm so excited, how will I ever wait until June?! :)

Posted by
381 posts

You have too much planned for one day. Positano is nice and you will have no problem swimming on the beach or finding a place to eat. It is not a bad place to start your journey. If you want to get more in I would take the bus to both Ravello and Amalfi and save the hiking for another time. I don't think you will have enough time to hike it. While there are a lot of buses just leave yourself enough time to wait for them. It starts to get crowded in June and the line for buses can start to get long. You can visit Positano, Amalfi and Ravello all in a day but don't spend too much time swimming and the hiking is a bit of a from Amalfi to Ravello to do everything you want. Ravello is one of my favorite places so I wouldn't miss it.

Posted by
795 posts

Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are enough for one day.....

if you wanted to go "beaching", Positano sounds good, and then a bus to Amalfi and Ravello.....my FAVORITE hike in the world is just an hour and 15 min there-and-back hike behind Amalfi into the mountains, but if you did that, it would be a very quick visit to Ravello....it might be too much....and a hike to Ravello would be WAY too much....

Posted by
75 posts

Katherine, where exactly is this hike in Amalfi? If I cut out Salerno and swimming in Positano, do you think there would be time to do the Amalfi hike and hike up to Ravello? I'm afraid swimming may be too difficult anyway, considering we'd need to bring a change of clothes and keep an eye on our things. May be better to do a couple really great hikes. :)

Posted by
2456 posts

Kristina, do you have the Rick Steves 2014 Italy book? On page 1006 there is a description of a new tour program that has been set up with the well-regarded Mondo Tours. This is a way for individual RS readers to sign up for small group tours at very reasonable prices. These have evidently just been initiated in April 2014. One of these tours is a 9-hour van tour from Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast for 45 euros per person. It includes photo stops along the way, and an hour or two on your own in each of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. This seems to be a middle ground between a private tour (too expensive) and do-it-yourself travel by bus (cheap, but a scheduling hassle with potential for little in the way of views along the way). I have signed up for this tour for mid-May, hope it works out well. The book indicates this tour would only go Mon-Fri, but by e-mail Mondo told me it would be daily. Pre-registration is required, and is considered a promise to be at the designated spot in Sorrento at 9 am, and pay in cash. One challenge is that they need 8 to 16 people to send the tour out on a given day. More at [email protected]. You can also go to their web site for more info and to sign up.
*** If anyone reading has already taken this new tour, please let us know what you found, OK?

Posted by
75 posts

Wow, thank you so much Larry!! That sounds perfect! I e-mailed Mondo and am awaiting a response. I don't have the 2014 guide, I'm still using the 2013 guide...so I never would have known. I really appreciate the tip. :)

Posted by
16899 posts

Sounds like you've received some good advice. I've never made it to swimming along that stretch, but certainly enjoyed the views from buses and boats. When I have a beach day, my own preference is to minimize other plans or deadlines.