The Amalfi Coast is a bucketlist destination for many people! We’ve all seen the beautiful insta pics on the Spiagga Grande in Positano and all the lemons in Capri. Keep reading to find out about 9 things you need to know before traveling to the Amalfi Coast.
1. Public Buses are very crowded and unreliable
One of the most important decisions you need to make when traveling the Amalfi Coast is what means of transport you want to use. My boyfriend and I decided we’ll use the bus, since we read that parking is a nightmare and the roads are pretty tricky for driving. While we do still stand behind our decision, there are a couple of things I wish were communicated more clearly on the internet.
Don’t rely on the timetable
First of all, the bus timetable is completely unreliable. While the bus might leave from the starting point somewhat on time (I’m talking +/- within 20 minutes of it’s scheduled departure), all other stops are completely random. It’s really a complete blackbox when the bus going from Positano to Amalfi will arrive, or when the bus from Amalfi to Positano will leave. To be frank, this really might cost you a lot of nerves and stress, since you can’t really use your time efficiently. You might end up waiting over an hour at the bus stop until the next bus comes. Time, that you could have spent exploring the city…
Expect crowded buses
Additionally, the buses were super crowded. And we weren’t even there in summer during peak season! Several times, we had to wait in a queue and see how the bus filled up in front of us. Since seats are limited, you’ll have to wait for the next bus to come around. Given this, I would strongly recommend to not rely on catching the last bus home, ever! Also, to maximise your chances of getting to where you need to go, I would recommend to try and only get on and off at the final stops. For example, the bus we were in going from Amalfi to Sorrento filled up in Amalfi. There were several people that wanted to get in along the way, but the bus driver had to tell them to wait for the next bus, since his bus was full.
Overall, I’m not a huge fan of the bus and I’m not sure if I would do it again. While it is very cheap, there’s just a lot of stress and waiting around associated with it. If you can afford to spend a little more, I would highly recommend to opt for a ferry instead. There are multiple ferry operators that stop at the major Amalfi Coast towns.
2. DEFINITELY avoid peak season and public holidays
This might be a very obvious one, but it’s also a VERY important one! I cannot stress enough how overrun the Amalfi Coast is during peak season and public holidays. My boyfriend and I thought that we would avoid the crowds by going in early April during Easter. But this was no true, public holidays are just as bad as the summer months.
Please please trust me and don’t go during summer or public holidays. You’ll enjoy your time so much more!!!
3. Start your days early
This kind of links to all the points I’ve mentioned before. The earlier you start your days, the longer you will have some peace and quiet. When we visited Positano on Good Friday, we arrived there at around 11 am. At that time, the Spiagga Grande was still pretty empty and we had no issue getting a place at a beachside café. The same goes for Capri. We arrived there at 10 am. Some shops were not even open, the streets were almost empty. It was lovely!
4. The shops are the same in every city
I can keep this one short and sweet: If you’re looking to buy some souvenirs or anything lemon related, you will find the exact same things wherever you go. No literally, we saw the same lemon painted ceramics and flowy, linen clothes in Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Capri and Sorrento. So if you buy something, don’t be afraid to wait until the last stop of the day to minimise the time you need to carry your new things around Also a little tip, in my experience the prices in Sorrento were lower than in all other towns. So you might want to check out the stores there…
5. Eat where the locals eat
We’ve all heard that the Amalfi Coast is really expensive. And frankly, it is. If you want to have a drink with a view in Capri, or a plate of pasta at the beachfront in Positano – be ready to drop some cash! However, we were shocked to see that there are also super affordable options around, especially in Sorrento. Specifically, we found a place in Sorrento called Master Hosts and it was full of locals. I’m talking 5 euro pizzas and 8 euro pastas!!!
6. Not all information is available online
If you’re a planner like me this will make you a little nervous. But it’s true, not everything is online! For example, there are way more ferry connections and operators in real life than I was ever able to find online! Hence, especially relating to public transport, it is worth asking someone at the ticket counter to get all the up to date information that is available.
7. Also visit Anacapri, not just Capri
Anacapri is another beautiful little town on the island of Capri. While Capri is where most tourists flock to, Anacapri is slightly less touristy. You can take the bus either from the port or from Capri town, the drive only takes approx. 15-20 minutes. While I don’t recommend to skip Capri town entirely, I do recommend to spend at least as much time in Anacapri 🙂 For a detailed Amalfi Coast and Capri itinerary, check out my post here!
8. Be selective about what attractions you want to visit
There are so many things to do on the Amalfi Coast. From beautiful gardens, to old churches, to one seater chairlifts… If you are either short on time or money, I highly recommend to think about what your highest priorities are in advance. For example, there are at least two stunning villas with beautiful gardens in Ravello. Both have an entry fee, which is why we decided to only visit the Villa Cimbrone and left out the Villa Rufolo.
9. Travel time between destinations is long
This again mainly affects those that plan on using the local bus. We decided to stay in Sorrento and do day trips to all the smaller cities along the coast. However, we underestimated how long the drives actually are. For example, it takes 2+ hours to get from Sorrento to Amalfi. Another hour to get from Amalfi to Ravello.
Therefore, if you have the budget, it might be worth staying in a more central town on the coast instead of Sorrento. It’ll save you a lot of travel time and therefore maximise your time for actually exploring 🙂
That’s it, I hope these tips will help you on your trip to the Amalfi Coast. If you have any questions or want to share your own experiences, leave a comment below. I’d love to chat <3