The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) is one of the most beautiful coastal landscapes in the world and one of the most visited. The two facts are related and in tension. Here is how to experience it well.
What It Is
The Amalfi Coast is a 50km stretch of the southern Italian coast in the province of Salerno (Campania), south of Naples, characterised by dramatic cliffs dropping directly into the Mediterranean, terraced lemon and orange groves, and pastel-coloured villages stacked vertically on the rock. The main towns from west to east: Positano (the most photographed, highest density of boutique hotels and tourists), Praiano (smaller, quieter, local character still intact), Amalfi (the largest town, has a cathedral, ferry connections, more affordable), Ravello (inland, elevated, literary associations — Gore Vidal, Wagner — magnificent gardens), and Vietri sul Mare (western edge, ceramics town, quieter and cheaper). UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
The Crowd Problem
June–September: the coast is at or beyond capacity. The SS163 (the only coast road) is frequently closed to private vehicles during peak hours (July–August). Positano receives more daily visitors than it has residents during summer. Ferries are sold out, restaurants require bookings days in advance. This is not an exaggeration — the Campania region has discussed visitor caps. Solutions: visit in April–May or October, when temperatures are 18–22°C (pleasant, not beach weather), prices are 30–50% lower, and the towns are populated mostly by Italians rather than package tourists. Alternatively: stay in smaller towns (Praiano, Atrani) rather than Positano. Base in Salerno and day-trip — Salerno is a functioning Italian city with a fraction of the tourist prices.
Getting There and Around
The coast has no train station — access is: from Naples Centrale by SITA bus (slow, 2–3 hours, scenic, €5) or ferry (summer only, 1.5 hours, €15–25); from Salerno by SITA bus (1 hour) or ferry (30–60 minutes, €8–15). Within the coast: SITA buses run the SS163 (the coast road) — cheap (€1.30/journey) but very slow and crowded in summer. Ferries between towns are the faster option (Positano to Amalfi: 30 minutes by ferry, 1+ hour by bus). Private water taxi is excellent but expensive (€80–150 for short transfers). Driving your own car on SS163 in summer: possible but miserable — parking is either nonexistent or €5–10/hour.
Where to Actually Eat
Amalfi Coast food is Campanian — pasta al pomodoro, seafood, the local lemons (sfusato amalfitano, a specific elongated variety used for limoncello and lemon granita). The best eating is not at the restaurants with sea-view terraces charging €30 for pasta — it is at the small trattorie preferred by the few locals who live and work on the coast year-round. Ask your accommodation owner for their local recommendation rather than using Google. The lemon-based food is worth trying: delizia al limone (cream-filled lemon cake), sfogliatella, and the local limoncello, which tastes notably better made with sfusato than with the lemons used everywhere else.
