Things to see & do on
the Amalfi Coast, Italy
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful place than the Amalfi Coast. It zigzags along the underside of the Sorrentine Peninsula just southwest of Naples. Here, some of the prettiest (and richest) maritime villages in the world stagger down cliffs towards fishing harbours and glassy seas.
Of course, it’s got all the problems that go with being one of the ‘in’ crowd. Positano and Amalfi put Venice to shame in the overcrowding stakes in high summer. But there are plenty of ways to make your escape – from timing your trip for spring or autumn to hopping on a boat to Ischia, where the little-explored hills secret away volcanic vineyards and chestnut forest trails.
To get the best out of your holiday to the Amalfi Coast, you’ll need an expert at the helm. Therein lies the perks of a small group or tailor made tour. They pair you up with a guide who not only knows the lingo – they’ll also reveal which cove is perfect for a peaceful sundowner or the aperitivo bar that the locals duck into after work. And those are the things that really make a trip to the Amalfi Coast go from bella to bellissimo.
Of course, it’s got all the problems that go with being one of the ‘in’ crowd. Positano and Amalfi put Venice to shame in the overcrowding stakes in high summer. But there are plenty of ways to make your escape – from timing your trip for spring or autumn to hopping on a boat to Ischia, where the little-explored hills secret away volcanic vineyards and chestnut forest trails.
To get the best out of your holiday to the Amalfi Coast, you’ll need an expert at the helm. Therein lies the perks of a small group or tailor made tour. They pair you up with a guide who not only knows the lingo – they’ll also reveal which cove is perfect for a peaceful sundowner or the aperitivo bar that the locals duck into after work. And those are the things that really make a trip to the Amalfi Coast go from bella to bellissimo.
Our Italy Holidays
Amalfi Coast walking holiday, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
From
£1149 to £1549
8 days
inc UK flights
Cilento and Amalfi Coast cycling holiday, Italy
Rocky ridges set between small picturesque inlets
From
£1649 to £1899
8 days
inc UK flights
Amalfi Coast and Bay of Naples holidays
One of Europe's most dramatic stretches of coastline
From
£1199 to £1599
8 days
inc UK flights
Amalfi Coast small group holiday, Italy
Discover the Amalfi coasts villages, trails & local customs
From
£1049 to £1159
8 days
ex flights
Amalfi to Sorrento walking holiday in Italy
Explore the peninsula between Ravello and Sorrento
From
£1729 to £2144
9 days
inc UK flights
Amalfi Coast hike, boat & kayak holiday
From Naples to Amalfi, explore Italy's spectacular coastline
From
£1405 to £1550
8 days
ex flights
Amalfi coast small group walking holiday
This walking holiday explores the spectacular Amalfi Coast.
From
£1165 to £1525
8 days
inc UK flights
Group tour in Italy, Rome to Amalfi Coast
Delve into history, culture and cuisine
From
£1225 to £1470
8 days
ex flights
Amalfi Coast budget walking holiday
The hidden trails of the Amalfi Coast
From
£585 to £710
8 days
ex flights
Amalfi Coast moderate walking holiday, Italy
Coastal walk following in the 'Footpath of the Gods'
From
£1125
11 days
ex flights
Short break sailing holiday in Italy
Cast adrift along Amalfi, Capri, and Procida
From
£680 to £730
4 days
ex flights
Italy island hopping holiday in the Bay of Naples
Explore Ischia, Capri and the Bay of Naples
From
£1349 to £1649
8 days
inc UK flights
Amalfi Coast sailing holiday, Italy
Gorgeous beaches, ancient ruins & sumptuous fresh seafood
From
£1319 to £1419
7 days
ex flights
Amalfi Coast bareboat sailing holiday
Sail around the breathtaking Amalfi Coast
From
£1538 to £6445
7 days
ex flights
Amalfi coast family holiday in Italy
Pompeii, Mt Vesuvius and the dramatic Amalfi Coast
From
£1529 to £1639
8 days
inc UK flights
Amalfi Coast food & wine Flotilla holiday
Sail around the breathtaking Amalfi Coast
From
£1538 to £6445
7 days
ex flights
Amalfi and Sorrento walking holiday, Italy
Explore the hidden gems of the Amalfi Coast and Alta Via.
From
£785 to £800
8 days
ex flights
Sorrento Peninsula walking tour in Italy
Combining history and walking along the Sorrento Peninsula
From
£1099 to £1299
8 days
inc UK flights
From Positano to Maiori
The villages are the jewels along this high-rise coastline – and everyone knows it. It’s a case of you’ve gotta catch ‘em all, with visitors counting off Positano, Ravello, Amalfi, Minori and Mairoi like they’re bases on a home run.But there’s a better way: the Italian way. Take things as an amalfitano would. Stay overnight in Positano, so you can escape the day trippers. And when the masses arrive and temperatures rise, hop in a kayak and take in the Amalfi Coast from a fisherman’s perspective.
There’s no getting around that seeing opera in Ravello is a must. But how about swapping the sell-out open-air concerts of the Ravello Festival for one of the Ravello Concert Society’s gigs? You could catch Haydn’s string quartets in the serene Chiesa Dell’Annunziata in springtime.
As for Amalfi, do admire the famous zebra-striped cathedral that marks the town as one of the rich maritime republics. But also climb the streets to the charm-packed paper and lemon museums that back away from the town’s most-wanted sites. That’s also where you’ll find the trailhead to the waterfalls of the Valle delle Ferriere.
Hit Maiori on market day (Thursday), meanwhile, and the pyramids of smoked mozzarella and football-sized lemons will make you feel like you’re still in old world Italia. Blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em bakeries still exist, where you can pop in for a slice of almond cake or a cheeky aperitivo.
As for Amalfi, do admire the famous zebra-striped cathedral that marks the town as one of the rich maritime republics. But also climb the streets to the charm-packed paper and lemon museums that back away from the town’s most-wanted sites. That’s also where you’ll find the trailhead to the waterfalls of the Valle delle Ferriere.
Hit Maiori on market day (Thursday), meanwhile, and the pyramids of smoked mozzarella and football-sized lemons will make you feel like you’re still in old world Italia. Blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em bakeries still exist, where you can pop in for a slice of almond cake or a cheeky aperitivo.
Our top Italy Holiday
Amalfi Coast walking holiday, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
From
£1149 to £1549
8 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2019: 21 Dec
2020: 15 Feb, 22 Feb, 29 Feb, 7 Mar, 14 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 4 Apr, 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 25 Apr, 2 May, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 30 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 20 Jun, 27 Jun, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct, 31 Oct, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec
2019: 21 Dec
2020: 15 Feb, 22 Feb, 29 Feb, 7 Mar, 14 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 4 Apr, 11 Apr, 18 Apr, 25 Apr, 2 May, 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 30 May, 6 Jun, 13 Jun, 20 Jun, 27 Jun, 4 Jul, 11 Jul, 18 Jul, 25 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 12 Sep, 19 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct, 31 Oct, 7 Nov, 14 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Italy or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
The Amalfi Drive
Who says you have to drive the Amalfi Drive? This death-defying clifftop road serves up some of the most spectacular vistas in the world, offering vertiginous views over the cliffside villages and yacht-flecked sea far below.
But you often get your best views on two wheels. One of the most scenic bike rides in Europe leads down to Minori via Cetara (stop by for fresh fried anchovies) and Capo d’Orso (for even more ridiculous views). Depending on how much tortellini you’ve been fuelling up with, your cycling holiday could continue to Furore, Praiano and Positano, and even onwards – up and up and up to Colli di San Pietro, a ridge far above the Bay of Naples and Gulf of Salerno.
Alternatively, ditch the wheels completely and tackle the Sentiero degli Dei (Pathway of the Gods) on guided walking holiday. You really are up in the heavens here; just expect the hills and step count that go with it. These old mule trails between Agerola and Nocelle peek into ye olde Amalfi Coast – a world of stone houses, working lemon terraces and shepherds’ huts.
But you often get your best views on two wheels. One of the most scenic bike rides in Europe leads down to Minori via Cetara (stop by for fresh fried anchovies) and Capo d’Orso (for even more ridiculous views). Depending on how much tortellini you’ve been fuelling up with, your cycling holiday could continue to Furore, Praiano and Positano, and even onwards – up and up and up to Colli di San Pietro, a ridge far above the Bay of Naples and Gulf of Salerno.
Alternatively, ditch the wheels completely and tackle the Sentiero degli Dei (Pathway of the Gods) on guided walking holiday. You really are up in the heavens here; just expect the hills and step count that go with it. These old mule trails between Agerola and Nocelle peek into ye olde Amalfi Coast – a world of stone houses, working lemon terraces and shepherds’ huts.
Day trip to Sorrento, Capri & Naples
Haven’t quite had your fill of picturesque towns and Byzantine churches? Sorrento is a short hop away, on the opposite edge of the peninsula. Sip your limoncello in a leafy square (along with what sometimes seems like half of Italy) or cool off in the leafy Franciscan cloisters.
Boats also push off into Bay of Naples from Sorrento. On Capri, you can shop for chic sailing whites with celebs or escape the crowds with a chair lift up Monte Solero in time for sunset. Ischia, meanwhile, has a secret cache of vineyards that visitors rarely get to. Follow the Bay of Naples around to the lights of the big city, and you’ll bump into two archaeological giants along the way – Pompeii and Herculaneum. Mount Vesuvius looms over everything ominously; march to the top for some of the best views in Italy.
Boats also push off into Bay of Naples from Sorrento. On Capri, you can shop for chic sailing whites with celebs or escape the crowds with a chair lift up Monte Solero in time for sunset. Ischia, meanwhile, has a secret cache of vineyards that visitors rarely get to. Follow the Bay of Naples around to the lights of the big city, and you’ll bump into two archaeological giants along the way – Pompeii and Herculaneum. Mount Vesuvius looms over everything ominously; march to the top for some of the best views in Italy.
More about Italy
The best time to visit Italy will no doubt depend on whether you’re a lover of snow-capped mountains and winter sports or sun-drenched beaches and alfresco dining however, for those in the know, our month by month guide unveils a whole host of alternatives as to when to visit Italy & when not to.
Explore our Italy travel guide like a wild boar snuffling for truffles in a sun dappled oak orchard deep within the eternally undulating Etruscan countryside.
If you’re searching for where to go in Italy and how to make the most of your time then why not check out our interactive highlights map that will take you all the way from the Dolomites and the Italian Alps in the north down to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, further south.
Our top activities in Italy tend to revolve around the cultural history, the cycling routes, the walking trails and the fabulous hillsides that surround some of Europe’s most iconic cities however, if you’re after things to do in Italy, look no further than the food as the locals truly live to eat and do so extremely well.
Sicily is a Russian doll of an island. The closer you look, the more you’ll realise that everything from the food to the architecture is a puzzle of Greek, Roman, North African and Anglo influences. Sky-high Mount Etna is just the smoking cherry on top. Read our Sicily travel guide to find out more.
Travel to Puglia, and you’re diving into Italy’s deep south. Here, rural ways rule the roost. You can stay in masseria agriturismo and conical trulli farmhouses, and spend your days driving (or walking or cycling) from farm to vineyard to whitewashed city in search of some the best food and wine Italy has to offer.
The sheer mountains of the Dolomites aren’t just for winter. Cross country skiing and snow shoeing are the themes when the snow falls, but come spring you’ve got a region creased with impossibly scenic alpine walking routes and WWI-era cycle paths – plus a good serving of vineyards. Read our Dolomites travel guide to find out more.
Most feel feel like they’ve got the measure of Tuscany before they’ve seen it. Florence, Chianti, medieval citadels and poppy fields, right? Well…yes. But there’s also everything in between, from the mountainous Apennines to hiking paths between vines that haven’t made it out of Italy yet. Read our Tuscany travel guide to find out more.
Find out what Responsible Travel recommends if you’re hell bent on travelling in Italy with kids.
Our Italy travel advice page is just perfect for those who love to learn from the local experts with Marta Marinelli, Marina Caldera and Andrea Monti all imparting their pearls of wisdom in addition to our thoroughly worthwhile health & safety in Italy section.
From slow food and sealife centres to preserving rural communities and ancient traditions read our responsible tourism in Italy page if you’ve got plans to find out what you can do to travel right in Italy.
Find all of our Italy guides in one place, for Italy holidays in particular places such as the Tuscany or Sicily, or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of Italy holidays such as walking or cycling.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Sander Crombach] [Intro: Glen MacLarty]
[From Positano to Maiori: Gregory Smirnov]
[The Amalfi Drive: James Burke]
[Day trip to Sorrento, Capri & Naples: kirkandmimi]
Back to the top
- Recently viewed
