The Amalfi Coast is a famed stretch of coastline in southern Italy that is known for stunning cliffside views, picturesque towns, lemons, and luxury travel. Being a destination that is often equated to luxury, the prices of accommodations, food, and shops is higher here than the surrounding areas. However, it is possible to travel the Amalfi Coast without spending thousands of euros for travel and hotels. This is how we experiences Amalfi on a budget in mid-May.
Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is full of 13 beautiful little towns, with the most popular destinations being Amalfi, Positano, and Ravello. However, as these towns become busier and busier, they also become more expensive. An alternative is staying in Sorrento or Salerno, two towns on either end of the coast (Sorrento is actually in the Gulf of Naples), but are easier to reach and less expensive overall. The roads along the Amalfi Coast are narrow and trains do not run between Sorrento and Salerno, so public transport is limited to buses or ferries. Make sure to map out your transportation to the town of your choice, as some towns are inaccessible from the coast.
We opted to stay in Naples, where we were able to secure our accommodations on Airbnb for about $80 CAD per night. While this price point was great, we did not love Naples, and may have preferred accommodations in the other smaller municipalities.
Boat Tours
Staying in Naples, we wanted to see as much of the Amalfi Coast as we could in a single day. While this means we had to be selective in what we were able to see, it also saved use hundreds of dollars per night from accommodations alone. We booked an 8-hour boat tour through Get Your Guide with a local tour company, Cooperativa San Antonio, which is based out of Nerano. Nerano is a small town on the Amalfi Coast, close to the point of the peninsula and the Chiesa di San Costanzo.
Our tour left at 11:15 am from Nerano, but their shuttle picked us up from Sorrento at 10 am. This meant we took the 8:20 am train from Napoli Centrale to arrive in time for the shuttle. Trains in Southern Italy often encounter delays, so it is always a good idea to give yourself a significant buffer to account for this. We had enough time to grab a cappuccino and enjoy it on the patio of a cafe before catching the shuttle.
There is an abundance of boat tours servicing the Amalfi Coast that depart from Sorrento as well as the ferries. Do some research ahead of time, but its not impossible to find a trip last minute. It is good, however, to know what the average prices are to make sure you’re not overpaying.
The Amalfi Coast Tour Itinerary
Our 8-hour tour began at Nerano where we boarded our boat. We were on the trip with about twenty others and the weather was fantastic. Our boat set off quickly and made its way to our first stop, Isole Li Galli. These three small islands are privately owned, and have been inhabited since Roman times. The tour navigated through and around the islands before continuing on to Amalfi.
We reached Amalfi around 12:30 pm and have three hours to explore the town. We started off with some pizza al taglio at Fior di Pizza, a small takeaway shop. Our next step was to explore the town. We walked through Piazza Municipio and followed some tunnels and small pedestrian streets. We made our way to the Duomo di Amalfi and walked the main shopping street, Via Cardinale Marino del Giudice.
After spending some time in the town, we headed back to the water to spend some time on the beach. It was hot enough to swim, but the rocky beach was uncomfortable on bare feet, so I’d definitely recommend bringing shoes you can wear in the sea.
We grabbed some gelato before boarding the boat again at 3:30pm, bound for Positano. We arrived in Positano around 4:30pm and had two hours here before the boat departed. Positano was busier than Amalfi, with ferries continuously bringing new tourists to the small town. We walked through many of the streets, window-shopping souvenirs and ceramics. We had some snacks and continued our tour.
Around 40 minutes before our boat left we found some more pizza and ate dinner on the beach. We made sure to meet our boat early at the port, as the dock is small and only allows for two boats at a time. We left without two of our original passengers (who had opted to take the bus home instead), but we realized how serious the captain was about leaving people behind, no questions asked.
Our boat hugged the coastline on the way back, the guide pointing out interesting sights like the Abbazia di San Pietro a Crapolla, Fiordo di Crapolla, and a Virgin Mary shrine embedded in the cliffside.
Boat Cruise Tips and Tricks
Well the day was beautiful, the sea can get windy! Our ride home got cold, as the sun was getting low and we were travelling against the wind. We did not bring any jackets or sweaters since the day had been so warm, but as our boat didn’t have an enclosed area we were all exposed to the elements. If you’re prone to feeling cold, I’d definitely recommend bringing an extra layer just in case.
Our tour company advised everyone to bring a hat and motion sickness prevention which are always good ideas. I would also add sunscreen and sunglasses to this list. Additionally, I recommend you leave plenty of time between commuting and the tour itinerary to ensure you don’t miss the trip. We spent just over $100 per person on this tour, and well it felt like a pricey purchase for our budget travel plans, it was well worth the experience, it provided the iconic views of the coastal cities from the water, and it saved us hundreds in accommodations by staying in Naples.
I’d love to hear about any trips you have taken to the Amalfi Coast, or anything you’d have done differently.
