Salerno/Amalfi/Ravello - one day itinerary

We are basing in Salerno for 3 nights next April. We've been to the area twice before, both times in early March (2015 & 2017), and the SITA buses were not crowded at all because the Amalfi Coast except for Sorrento (on the other side) was pretty much deserted. It was cheap & fun, for sure.

However...I think it's a different ballgame now, with increased post-Covid tourism & the nationwide Jubilee 2025, so I'm assuming the buses will be a lot more crowded. Meaning...you may get high-season traffic on the A.C. even in early October.

Thus, for next April we hired a driver for 6 hours that will pick us up at our hotel in Salerno to take us to Vietri Sul Mare (shopping), Ravello (views & lunch), Minori (pastries). Not cheap, but reliable. Time is money, and an hour or two waiting for a SITA bus is not in the cards for me or my fellow travelers anymore.

I would check to see where the SITA bus leaves you off at the Ravello stop. Haven't been but there could be some steep walking involved there. Others would know better than I on this subject.

Finally, chances are you'll probably be OK with the ferry out of Salerno & back from Amalfi with the warmer weather continent-wise this fall, but note that in rough weather it just shuts down, so to me the ferry is not something you can count on. Bottom line is you're depending on public transportation an awful lot in this scenario, and you're only designating one day to do this. Who knows--maybe you'll get lucky!

Enjoy your planning!

I expect the buses will be crowded. As mentioned if the water is too rough the ferry will be cancelled. That happened to me in October 2021.

I’d want a bit more time in Ravello-enough to walk out to Villa Cimbrone for the view and gardens

The walk from bus stop is level

I’d want a bit more time in Ravello-enough to walk out to Villa
Cimbrone for the view and gardens

The walk from bus stop is level

Thanks, Christine, for the info on the bus stop. I looked at Villa Cimbrone Hotel and it indeed looks spectacular, although it looks like it's a dress-up kinda place. And we're just poor American tourists!

Are you familiar with Ravello? I've never been, not sure of the layout. Looks like we will do luncheon at Garden Ravello, but we will have a driver and can go anyplace that will have us in our jeans and won't throw us to the curb!

Any ideas?

Jay-

You don’t want the hotel- just the gardens which are public-small fee
There is a small part of the villa you can walk around in but the “hotel” is used for events-weddings etc

Just the gardens -about 10-15 min easy walk from edge of the town-a few steps and the gardens are mostly level
Casual attire is fine, no dress code-you’ll be among other tourists!

https://www.hotelvillacimbrone.com/it/villa-cimbrone/

(Note--I believe this is still on-topic from the OP's as to how to navigate the Amalfi Coast at various times of year!)

Thanks, Christine.

Since we've already booked the driver for that day, we will be subject to the weather, which hopefully in mid-April will be temperate, so we can see how beautiful those vistas are. In early March 2017, after a perfect week in Rome (50s/60s), we based in Sorrento for 5 days--and this is 250 km farther south, remember--it was like a monsoon and cold for 4 of those days. Still had a great time but had to cancel Capri. Ate really well--food in Sorrento is fabulous btw--because that's all there was to do! Point is...you never know about the weather!

I think if we have time after lunch at Garden Ravello, we'll have the driver take us to Villa Cimbrone for a look-see.