Amalfi Coast Travel Guide: Sorrento, Amalfi and Positano

We spent two days of our roughly twelve-day Southern Italy trip exploring the Amalfi Coast. After several days in Naples , we took the Circumvesuviana train to the home we had rented through Airbnb. Accommodation grew more expensive towards Sorrento, so we booked in Sant’Agnello, only about three kilometres away. Like so many Italian towns, it felt lively, colourful and welcoming. That morning, we had taken the same train to Pompeii and been caught in terrible rain. We barely made it back aboard, continued in the same direction and reached Sant’Agnello about half an hour later. Our host kindly drove the girls, telling the rest of us the house was only twenty metres away. It turned out to be closer to six hundred metres, and another downpour forced us into a pizzeria while we searched. Run by Franco and his family, it did more than shelter us: over the next two days, they made memorable pizzas, including one topped with Nutella.

The Circumvesuviana station and our group

The park opposite the station

THINGS TO SEE AND DO ON THE AMALFI COAST

POMPEII ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK

Pompeii lies beneath Mount Vesuvius, between Naples and Sorrento. Trains make both directions convenient, although journey times vary by service. A focused visit can fill most of a day; seeing the enormous archaeological site properly can take much longer. We had only half a day, and much of it was rainy. Check the official Pompeii website for current opening hours, ticket rules and any restricted areas before visiting.

SANT’AGNELLO

Sant’Agnello is a classic Southern Italian town, often chosen for accommodation that can be better value than the coast’s most famous resorts. Its compact centre includes a small square and the Church of Santi Prisco e Agnello, commonly referred to by visitors as Sant’Agnello’s main church.

View from Sant’Agnello

Sant’Agnello’s main church

SORRENTO

One traditional way to explore the Amalfi Coast is to travel from Sorrento by SITA bus. Because Sorrento was only three kilometres away, we decided to walk there. Whenever we choose to walk between places, we are usually glad we did: walking is one of the best ways to understand a town. One of the loveliest views along this short route appeared from the terrace of Grand Hotel Europa Palace.

We entered simply because we were curious, then realised the terrace was already well known; tourists taking photographs seemed to outnumber hotel guests. The route led through several parks and eventually into Piazza Tasso, Sorrento’s main square, named after the Sorrento-born poet Torquato Tasso. Since we have mentioned him, we cannot resist sharing these lines attributed to him about the Turks:

‘I speak of the Turks. When attacking an enemy, the Turk resembles a relentless storm, a terrifying sea and merciless lightning; beside a friend, or facing an unarmed enemy, he is a morning breeze and a clear lake. To frighten that refreshing breeze or turn that dazzling lake into a raging sea would be an error that offends nature itself.’

The view from Piazza Tasso and its cafés

Piazza Tasso

Sorrento’s principal streets converge on Piazza Tasso. Restaurants, souvenir shops and cafés where you can pause all share generous views of the town and coast.

Sorrento stands on a high plateau above dramatic cliffs. Rather than a long sandy beach, much of the waterfront uses bathing platforms and organised beach clubs built beside the rocks; access and facilities may be paid. After walking the streets around the square, we found our bus for the Amalfi Coast at the transport area near Sorrento station and settled into our seats. At the time, tickets were sold through local shops and included both single journeys and day passes. We paid €8 each for an all-day ticket. That is a historical price from our trip, not a current fare: ticket types, validation rules and prices should be checked with the operator before travel.

During my research, many travellers said the winding bus ride made them nauseous; some had become genuinely ill. I ignored every warning with classic Turkish nonchalance—what can I say, those are my factory settings. For the first time since childhood, a road journey made me carsick. Daylight softened the outward trip, but the return after dark was dreadful. Consider carrying your usual motion-sickness remedy, avoiding unnecessary movement and choosing a window seat if possible. Do not let this frighten you, though: the scenery was so beautiful that I would happily repeat the journey.

During the high season, buses may be slow and crowded because the coastal road is narrow and congestion can be severe. Seasonal ferries can be a useful alternative and provide a different view from the sea. Services depend on weather and season, so check the operator’s live schedule on the day of travel.

Views from our bus

AMALFI

The bus route serves a number of coastal towns. With enough time and a current timetable, you can leave at one and continue later. Depending on the route and service, places along or connected with the corridor include Sorrento, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, Minori, Maiori, Ravello and Salerno. We had intended to continue to Salerno, but the road had tired us and we wanted to use the remaining daylight, so we left the bus at Amalfi. The town was busy even though we visited outside peak season.

With its waterfront, shops selling enormous lemons, cafés and restaurants, Amalfi felt like a concentrated version of the entire coast: we hardly knew where to look or what to photograph. After a short walk, we chose an elegant place in Piazza dei Dogi for lunch. Kitchen hours and afternoon closures vary, so check before relying on an old assumption that every restaurant will serve continuously.

Houses built into the hills

Amalfi Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Andrew

After eating, we returned to the bus stop to continue to other towns and found a queue resembling a pension-payment line. Sunday services were less frequent, and the good weather had drawn crowds. At least three busloads of people were waiting while buses appeared only infrequently. We changed plans and boarded a service terminating at Positano.

Waiting in line is no hardship with this view

View of Amalfi

POSITANO

Whereas the bus leaves you close to Amalfi’s centre, in Positano it stops above the town. You can walk downhill or use the local shuttle; we walked down and took the bus back up. Positano clings to the hillside like something from a fairy tale. Its coloured houses, terraces and extraordinary sea views seem capable of adding years to your life.

As we descended the steps, we peered into gardens like curious cats and imagined living there—not for three or five days, but for months or years. Life among Italians, who do not feel entirely unlike us, did not seem impossible. Lost in these fantasies, we bounded down the long stairways and reached the centre.

The narrow, flower-scented streets and tiny shops remained busy even near the end of the season. We wandered without a plan and reached the beach just as the sun was setting behind hundreds of houses hanging above the sea. It was among the most beautiful views we had seen in years. Photographs began immediately, yet if any place is more beautiful than its Instagram version, it is the Amalfi Coast—especially Positano. Couples lay embracing on the beach while others practised yoga at sunset. We joined the scene with Americanos at the café beside the shore.

A Positano restaurant with a priceless view

Sunset in Positano

By the time we finished our coffee, night had fallen and we decided to leave. Drivers in Amalfi had told us buses ran hourly, so we hurried back to the stop. As noted, schedules can change; perhaps the driver had forgotten it was Sunday. That evening there was a long gap, and we waited almost two hours with the beautiful view, socialising and eating at a neighbourhood bar. Our bus finally arrived and carried us back along the twisting road, which felt far worse after dark. In Sorrento we ate pizza, then walked home to Sant’Agnello to burn at least a little of it off.

WHAT TO EAT ON THE AMALFI COAST

Do not expect a Turkish-style breakfast. Italy has world-famous cheese, olives and tomatoes, yet breakfast often still means a cornetto—similar to a French croissant—and coffee. If breakfast matters deeply to you, a small supermarket shop solves the problem, although finding your preferred tea may be harder. If preparing breakfast on holiday feels unreasonable, pizza margherita or quattro formaggi can come to the rescue.

From left: Melih, Tiffany, Franco, Burak, Tuğçe and Gökay

Breakfast on our second day: Nutella pizza. The video is on YouTube...

Our rescue came from Il Buon Boccone at Corso Italia 51 in Sant’Agnello. Franco, the warm and friendly owner of this family business, made whatever we asked for, and the pizzas were delicious. The menu also included classic fried Southern Italian snacks and parmigiana. When we wondered what to eat for breakfast, Franco invented a Nutella pizza for us and invited us into the kitchen to watch. Apart from the Nutella jar he encouraged us to sample with our fingers, everything looked impressively clean =). This account reflects our visit; confirm that the restaurant, menu and address remain current before going.

The unforgettable Nutella pizza

Family-size pizza margherita

We also ate lunch at a family-run restaurant in Amalfi, Trattoria da Barracca in Piazza dei Dogi. Its menu ranged from seafood to pizza. We chose a set lunch with pasta, salad and grilled sea bass in lemon sauce. It was very tasty, although the portions were small. Check the restaurant’s current name, opening status and menu before making a special journey.

Trattoria da Barracca

Italians are exceptionally good at desserts.

For other meals, the coast offers the familiar pleasures of Southern Italian cooking. My favourite is melanzane alla parmigiana: thin slices of fried aubergine layered generously with tomato sauce and cheese, then baked. Fish and seafood are plentiful, often paired with the lemons that symbolise the region. Anyone who insists lemon has no place with fish should come and see this coast. Signed: a friend who puts lemon on fish.

WHERE TO STAY ON THE AMALFI COAST

Amalfi Coast hotels can be found throughout the towns described here. Some sit high on the slopes and require hundreds of steps; others are close to the waterfront. Travellers with pushchairs, young children or limited mobility should examine elevation, stairs and transfer arrangements very carefully before booking. Sorrento is a practical base because it has rail and seasonal sea connections and is linked with coastal buses, although it is on the Sorrentine Peninsula rather than within every definition of the Amalfi Coast. Positano and Amalfi offer romantic hotels for a special stay. We chose a more affordable Airbnb in Sant’Agnello, around three kilometres from Sorrento. The comfortable apartment occupied the lower floor of a large villa. Our historical cost was around €18 per person for two nights; it should not be used as a present-day price estimate.

WHAT TO BUY ON THE AMALFI COAST

You are in lemon country. Among the most distinctive souvenirs are the region’s enormous lemons and limoncello made from local fruit. Lemon patterns appear everywhere, from aprons and salt shakers to magnets.

If your home needs something decorated with lemons, you are in the right place :)

Yes, those enormous things on the right are lemons :) They cost €5.50 per kilo during our visit—a historical price only.

You will also see herbs said to come from the surrounding hills, including oregano and basil. Much else resembles the souvenirs found in other tourist destinations, although miniature ceramics, jewellery and floral ornaments can still keep you browsing for hours.

A shop on the road through Positano

Ceramic decoration in Amalfi

HOW TO GET TO THE AMALFI COAST

One common route begins in Naples. From Napoli Garibaldi, EAV’s Circumvesuviana line runs towards Sorrento, with current schedules published by EAV; journey times depend on the service. Seasonal Campania Express trains may provide another option, but EAV announced that the 2026 service would be suspended from 1 October 2026 until further notice, so never rely on an old timetable. From Sorrento, travellers can continue by bus, private transfer or seasonal ferry. Travelmar publishes live ferry schedules and warns that sailings may change with sea conditions. Crowding and pickpocketing can occur on busy transport, so keep valuables secure. Information checked against EAV and Travelmar in August 2026.

P.S. Some photographs in this article were taken by our dear friend Mehmet Melih Cin. We thank him.