I’ve spent a fair amount of time along the Amalfi Coast, and the thing that struck me most wasn’t the colour of the water — it was the sheer number of stone steps. The Path of the Gods alone drops 1,700 of them from Bomerano down into Positano, a descent of roughly 900 metres that turns your legs into jelly long before you reach the sea. For the 13 towns of the coastline, the wider Campania region’s tourism agency recorded 564,981 visitors in 2023, up 9% from 2019, according to Forbes. That number explains a lot about what you’ll actually encounter on the ground — and why a five-day itinerary needs to be built around timing, not just sights.
This guide covers a practical five-day loop starting in Sorrento, with day trips to Capri, Pompeii, and the quieter hill town of Ravello, plus a full day on the water. I’ll walk through the logistics that matter — how to avoid the worst of the crowds, where the agriturismo option actually saves you time, and which sections of the coast reward an early start. If you’re travelling with a partner or kids, I’ve got specific notes on that too.
The Path of the Gods drops 1,700 stone steps and 900 metres from Bomerano to Positano.
Five days is enough to see the Amalfi Coast’s highlights without feeling like you’re on a conveyor belt — but only if you base yourself in Sorrento and Positano, skip the rental car, and accept that Capri’s main square will be packed by 11 a.m. The tradeoff is worth it: you get the Path of the Gods, a boat cruise past the Faraglioni, and a quiet afternoon in Ravello’s Villa Cimbrone garden, all without the stress of driving the coastal road.
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast: Your Five-Day Base
First-time visitors who want a mix of hiking and coastal towns
Families with older kids who can handle moderate walks
Solo travellers who prefer a central base with day-trip options
Sorrento sits on the northern edge of the Sorrentine Peninsula, roughly an hour from Naples by train and about the same distance from the new Salerno Costa d’Amalfi airport, which now has direct flights from Milan, Brussels, London Stansted, and Vienna. That airport access changes the game — you can fly directly into the region rather than routing through Naples or Rome. But the coastal road itself remains narrow, winding, and prone to traffic jams in summer, so basing yourself in Sorrento for the first three days lets you use ferries and trains instead of a car.
The honest limitation: Sorrento’s historic centre, especially Piazza Tasso and Corso Italia, gets thick with day-trippers by late morning. The solution is to treat Sorrento as a launchpad — use it for breakfast at Gentile Cafè Sorrento (it opens at 7 a.m., a two-minute walk from the main tour meeting points), then head out before the crowds settle in.
Where to Go and What to Do on the Amalfi Coast
The five-day itinerary splits naturally into three zones: Sorrento and its farm tours, the island of Capri, and the coastal towns of Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello.
Day 1: Sorrento’s Historic Centre and a Farm-to-Table Tour
Start your first morning with a half-day farm-to-table tour that departs from downtown Sorrento at 9:30 a.m. The tour visits a fourth-generation family-run farm in the hills outside town, and you’ll be back by 1:30 p.m. — early enough to spend the afternoon exploring Sorrento’s historic centre on foot. Key stops include Marina Grande, the Villa Comunale park with its views over the Bay of Naples, the Basilica Sant’Antonino, and Piazza Tasso, the main square where locals and visitors mix for an evening aperitivo. For dinner, Accènto Restaurant Sorrento is a five-minute walk from Piazza Tasso and consistently ranks among the town’s top dinner spots.
Day 2: Capri and the Pizzolungo Walk
Take the ferry from Sorrento to Capri — it runs regularly and takes about 30 minutes. Once on the island, skip the main shopping streets and head for the six-kilometre Pizzolungo walk, which loops around the eastern side of the island and gives you a view from above of the boats circling the Faraglioni, the three dramatic rock formations at the southeastern tip. The walk also passes Villa Lysis, once the property of a French count, now an empty house with a garden and a view back toward Sorrento. If you want to see the Blue Grotto, book a small-boat tour that enters the cave early — by mid-morning the queue can stretch to an hour or more.
On Capri, the Pizzolungo walk starts near the town centre and takes about two hours at a steady pace. Bring a water bottle and wear sturdy shoes — the path is paved but uneven in sections, and there’s no shade for the first half.
Day 3: Path of the Gods or Pompeii
This is the day you choose your adventure. Option one: hike the Path of the Gods from Bomerano to Positano. The trail climbs 330 metres at the start, then descends 1,700 stone steps into Positano — allow four to five hours total, and stop for lunch at Rifugio dei Mele, a mountain hut along the route. Option two: take a day trip to Pompeii, entering at the third and quietest gate to avoid the main entrance queues. The site covers 66 hectares, about two-thirds of which has been excavated, including villas, an arena, and a theatre with original mosaics and frescoes. A section opened in 2024 lets visitors use a catwalk to observe excavations of the House of the Chaste Lovers. If you have time, add Herculaneum — it’s smaller (a few city blocks) but better preserved, with second-storey shops and houses intact from the 79 A.D. eruption.
Day 4: Positano and an Amalfi Coast Boat Trip
Spend the morning exploring Positano — the pastel-coloured buildings that tumble down the cliffside, the small beach at Spiaggia Grande, and the narrow lanes lined with linen shops and ceramic studios. In the afternoon, take a full-day Amalfi Coast boat trip that cruises past the coastal towns, stops for swimming in coves accessible only from the water, and passes the Faraglioni from sea level. Dinner at Ristorante Da Costantino, perched above Positano, gives you a view of the town lit up at dusk.
Day 5: Amalfi and Ravello
Take the local bus or a ferry from Positano to Amalfi town — about 20 minutes by boat. Spend the morning in Amalfi’s Piazza del Duomo, then head up to Ravello, a quieter hill town about 10 minutes by bus. In Ravello, walk to Villa Cimbrone, once a haunt of the Bloomsbury Group artists, now a luxury hotel with a garden open to the public for €10. The Avenue of Immensity leads to the Terrace of Infinity, a balcony with a view of nothing but blue water to the horizon. Lunch at il Panino food in Amalfi is a solid, no-fuss option before heading back to Sorrento or onward to Naples.
Practical Planning for Your Amalfi Coast Trip
Timing, transport, and accommodation choices make or break a five-day itinerary on this coast. Here’s what the research says about getting it right.
| Factor | Spring (April–May) | Summer (June–August) | Fall (September–October) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crowds | Moderate; manageable on weekdays | Peak; Positano and Capri packed by 10 a.m. | Light to moderate; best for hiking |
| Weather | 15–22°C; occasional rain | 25–32°C; high humidity | 18–25°C; stable and pleasant |
| Ferry schedules | Regular service from Sorrento to Capri and Positano | Frequent but crowded; book ahead | Reduced frequency after mid-October |
| Accommodation cost | Moderate; book 2–3 months ahead | High; book 4–6 months ahead | Lower; good last-minute availability |
Getting There and Getting Around
Fly into Naples International Airport or the new Salerno Costa d’Amalfi airport. From Naples, take the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento — it runs roughly every 30 minutes and takes about 70 minutes. From Salerno airport, buses and taxis connect to Salerno’s train station, where you can catch a train to Sorrento or a ferry along the coast. Once you’re on the coast, ferries are the most reliable way to move between towns — they bypass the traffic on the SS163 coastal road, which can turn a 30-minute drive into a two-hour crawl in July and August.
The SS163 coastal road between Positano and Amalfi is narrow, winding, and subject to ZTL (limited traffic zone) restrictions in summer. Rental cars are more trouble than they’re worth — parking in Positano costs €30–€50 per day, and the traffic jams are notorious. Stick to ferries and buses.
Where to Stay
Consider an agriturismo outside the main centres. The concept dates to the 20th century and was launched to halt rural depopulation, but today it spreads tourists and their money around the hillsides. In San Lazzaro, a small town perched above Amalfi, the Luna d’Agerola Agriturismo offers cheerful rooms with private bathrooms, home-cooked meals eaten communally at long tables, and a pasta and mozzarella-making demonstration. Bomerano, the starting point for the Path of the Gods, is a more relaxed hiking centre rather than a tourist town — a good option if you want to be close to the trailhead without the noise of Positano.
On the Ground: What to Know Before You Go
A few practical realities of travelling the Amalfi Coast that don’t always make it into the glossy photos.
Packing for the Coast
The Amalfi Coast demands two types of footwear: something sturdy for the stone steps and uneven paths, and something comfortable for evenings in town. A pair of lightweight hiking sandals with good grip covers both — they handle the Path of the Gods descent and transition to dinner without a shoe change. For the boat day, a reef-safe sunscreen is worth the extra cost; the coves where boats stop for swimming are protected marine areas, and standard sunscreens are banned in some spots. A crossbody bag keeps your phone, cash, and ferry tickets secure and accessible — pickpocketing is a known issue on crowded ferries and in Piazza Tasso.
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Dining and Local Customs
Lunch is typically served from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., and dinner rarely starts before 7:30 p.m. — many restaurants don’t open until 8 p.m. If you’re hiking the Path of the Gods, pack a picnic or plan to eat at Rifugio dei Mele, which serves simple pasta and cold drinks. In Sorrento, the farm-to-table tour includes a meal, so you won’t need to find lunch that day. For an authentic evening, join the locals for an aperitivo at a bar on Piazza Tasso around 6 p.m. — a drink usually comes with a small buffet of olives, chips, and sometimes arancini.
Church Etiquette and Dress Codes
Churches along the coast, including the Duomo in Amalfi and the Basilica Sant’Antonino in Sorrento, enforce a strict dress code: shoulders and knees must be covered. A lightweight scarf or shawl works as a cover-up and doubles as sun protection on the boat. The rule is enforced year-round, not just in summer.
- Base yourself in Sorrento for the first three days and Positano for the last two — it cuts down on travel time between activities.
- Book ferry tickets and the Capri boat tour at least a day ahead in summer; same-day availability is unreliable.
- Pack a scarf for church visits and reef-safe sunscreen for boat stops — both are easy to forget and hard to find locally at a reasonable price.
Your Amalfi Coast Questions, Answered
Is five days enough for the Amalfi Coast?
Yes, if you stick to a focused itinerary. Five days gives you time for Sorrento, Capri, the Path of the Gods or Pompeii, a boat cruise, and a day in Amalfi and Ravello. You won’t see every beach or hike every trail, but you’ll hit the highlights without rushing.
What’s the biggest downside of visiting in summer?
The crowds. Positano’s main beach is shoulder-to-shoulder by 10 a.m., and the ferry queues at Capri can take 45 minutes. The heat also makes the Path of the Gods hike genuinely unpleasant after 11 a.m. — start before 8 a.m. or skip it until fall.
Can you do the Amalfi Coast without a car?
Absolutely. Ferries connect all the main towns, and buses run between Amalfi, Positano, and Ravello. The Circumvesuviana train links Sorrento to Naples. A car is more of a liability than an asset on this coast.
Is Ravello worth the detour?
Yes, especially if you want a break from the crowds. Ravello is quieter than Positano or Amalfi, and the Villa Cimbrone garden with its Terrace of Infinity is one of the most striking viewpoints on the coast. The €10 entry fee is reasonable for the experience.
What should I pack for a five-day trip?
Sturdy walking shoes, a swimsuit, a light jacket for evenings, reef-safe sunscreen, a crossbody bag, and a scarf for church visits. Leave the high heels and formal wear at home — the coast is casual, and the stone steps punish impractical footwear.
What stayed with me after five days wasn’t the famous view from the Terrace of Infinity or the first glimpse of the Faraglioni from the Pizzolungo walk — it was the quiet half-hour in the Villa Cimbrone garden before the tour groups arrived, when the only sound was the wind moving through the lemon trees. That kind of moment is still possible on the Amalfi Coast, but you have to build your itinerary around the margins of the day. For more on quieter alternatives along the same coastline, read about Salerno as your quieter Amalfi Coast escape.
Sources and further reading
Hiking Italy’s Amalfi Coast: Path of the Gods, Capri and the quiet hill town of Ravello. The Globe and Mail, 2025.
Swap the Amalfi Coast For This Low-Cost Ligurian Seaside Town. Forbes, 2026.
Five Days on the Amalfi Coast: The Perfect Itinerary. Destinationless Travel, 2025.