The Amalfi Coast road is one of the great drives in Europe, and in high season it is also a slow-moving queue of coaches reversing around blind corners. Almost everything you want to reach is served by boat.

Ferries do the heavy lifting

From roughly April to October, boats connect Salerno, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento and Capri, with additional services to Praiano and Minori. Journeys that take an hour by road take twenty minutes by sea, and the coastline is much better seen from the water.

Timetables change monthly and services are cancelled in rough weather, so check the day before rather than trusting a printed schedule from your hotel lobby.

Buses fill the gaps

The SITA bus runs the length of the coast and up to Ravello. Buy tickets in advance at a tabacchi or bar — buying on board is not always possible — and validate on boarding. Sit on the right heading east from Positano for the best views.

A small ferry approaching a cliffside village harbour on the Amalfi Coast
Twenty minutes by boat, an hour by road, in the same conditions.

The Path of the Gods

Take the bus up to Bomerano and walk down to Nocelle — about 7km along the ridge, mostly descending, with the coastline and Capri laid out below. From Nocelle you either take the local bus down to Positano or descend around 1,500 steps. Your knees will have an opinion.

Go early. There is very little shade and the middle section is exposed.

Timing

May, June and late September are the coast at its best: warm sea, full ferry schedules, manageable crowds. July and August are hot and extremely busy. Ferries stop for the winter, which changes the trip entirely.

For the full picture, see the Amalfi Coast destination guide.