A Slow 7-Day Amalfi Coast Itinerary: by Car

Amalfi… Everyone who hears this name probably pictures the same thing first: that Pinterest image of pastel houses stacked from cliff to sea. And honestly? It’s all true. Walking those streets, turning a corner on the coast road and being met with that view — it makes you want to slam the brakes, get out, and just stare at the road. And while you’re at it, don’t only see this coast from those winding roads. Take the ferry from Maiori to Amalfi at least once. Seeing this geography from the water is its own kind of unforgettable.

But here’s what we ran into when we tried to actually book a hotel in the heart of Amalfi during peak season: the prices were unreal. Some nights climbed to €600. So we shifted 25 km east and settled in Maiori instead, at a small boutique apartment called La Serenata Luxury — walking distance to the beach, right above the main street. For a week, we hopped in our car every morning and explored a different town: Amalfi, Ravello, Atrani, Minori, Positano.

Here’s what I’d tell anyone going to the Amalfi Coast for the first time: the real experience isn’t only in Amalfi or Positano. It’s in slowly working your way through the smaller towns most people drive past.

Why the Eastern Coast

The Amalfi Coast is a 50-kilometer stretch of 13 towns running from west to east. The “Amalfi Coast” you’ve seen on Pinterest and Instagram is, almost always, one specific place: Positano. The blue-and-white striped umbrellas. The bougainvillea spilling onto the steps. The pastel houses cascading down to the sea. All of it is real. But it’s not the whole coast.

Positano’s problem isn’t only the price. A single narrow road brings more than 5,000 tourists into town every day. Parking is virtually impossible — when you do find it, expect €50–80 per day, plus a hunt that’s a project in itself. If you want a spot on the beach, you need to be there by 8 AM, or it becomes uncomfortable by noon. Restaurants need to be booked two weeks ahead. In Positano, the price you pay for that beauty doesn’t stop at the hotel.

There’s another challenge to driving in Positano: it’s a one-way town. You enter at one end and exit at the other. If you skip the first parking lot you see, assuming you’ll find something closer to the center, you can’t turn back. For gambling fans, it’s perfect. 🙂

Amalfi, Ravello, and the smaller towns around them

The eastern coast sits on the same sea, beneath the same cliffs. Same lemon groves, same pastel buildings, same dramatic drops. The only difference: prices cut in half, crowds cut to a third, and people who actually live there. In Maiori, when we went to buy bread in the morning, the baker was chatting with his neighbor — not with tourists. That’s a difference you have to experience to understand.

So we made ourselves a rule when planning: pick a base, explore by car. For seven days, we left Maiori in the morning and returned to the same street at night. We saw five different towns this way — tourists where we visited, residents where we slept.

We did go to Positano, of course. One day, day-trip style. Below is the route, the towns, and why your next Amalfi visit should look something like this.

Where We Stayed: Maiori

Maiori stands out from other Amalfi Coast towns in two ways. First, its beach. It’s the longest stretch of flat sand-and-pebble shoreline on the entire coast — about one kilometer. Unlike Positano’s narrow rocky cove or Amalfi’s crowded inlet, here you can actually lay down a towel and stretch out. Second, the layout. While other Amalfi towns cling to cliffs and force you up endless staircases, Maiori is flat. One main street runs parallel to the sea, lined with everything you need: restaurants, gelaterias, a vegetable market, the church, small grocers.

For us, this was an ideal base town. No stairs to climb after a day of driving. Each evening we’d walk up to the main street and pick one of the 10–15 restaurants lined shoulder-to-shoulder — pizza one night, fish the next, classic Campanian the third. We never made a reservation in advance because we didn’t need to. Worst case, we waited 30 minutes for a table.

La Serenata Luxury

100 meters from the beach, right above the main street. Despite the name “luxury,” it isn’t a traditional hotel — it’s a small set of renovated boutique apartments. Breakfast wasn’t included, but that wasn’t a problem for us; we’d walk down to one of the cafés below each morning. The one we accidentally discovered and then went back to every single day was o Barão Bistrot Brasiliano — a tiny bistro tucked into a side street off Maiori’s main road, run by a Brazilian couple. You’d think, “how different can a coffee be?” But here it really is different. The espressos we drank and the smoothie bowls we had for breakfast became some of the most concrete memories of the trip. It’s ranked the #2 restaurant in Maiori on Tripadvisor for a reason.

From our room, we looked out over Maiori’s terracotta rooftops and a small lemon grove behind the building — we never figured out who owned it. The AC worked, the bed was comfortable, the owners were responsive when we needed anything. The nightly rate in early August was around €150 — about half what you’d pay for the most modest hotel in Positano, and a quarter of what a boutique apartment there costs.

If Maiori isn’t quite your speed, Minori, 3 km east, is a strong alternative. It’s smaller, quieter, more of a true “village” feeling. If you don’t want the energy of Maiori’s bustling main street, Minori might suit you better.

Renting a Car: The Reality of Driving the Amalfi Coast

If you’ve researched the Amalfi Coast at all, you’ve probably read the same advice 50 times: “Don’t rent a car. The roads are narrow, there’s no parking, driving is dangerous, take the SITA bus.” We did the opposite. And we spent a week exploring five towns at our own pace.

The concerns behind that advice are real — the coast road is narrow, parking is hard, the afternoon traffic is heavy. But the opposite is also true: you can’t see all of the Amalfi Coast by public transit. SITA buses are often late or packed, thin out in the evening, and reaching upper towns like Ravello requires a transfer in Amalfi. If you want to do Ravello and Atrani in one day, you’ll need a car — or half your day disappears waiting at bus stops.

Our solution: we picked up the rental car several days before arriving on the Amalfi Coast, from Bari Airport. We’d flown from Montenegro to Bari, then driven first to the Amalfi Coast and then on through Puglia. Picking up a car from Naples or Salerno airport and immediately heading into narrow mountain roads, jet-lagged, would have been our worst-case scenario. Arriving on the coast with a driver already in rhythm was far easier. Naples or Salerno are also valid pickup points if Bari isn’t an option for you.

Our car was an Opel Corsa, automatic. This is an important detail. The slopes and tight single-lane curves of the Amalfi Coast make manual driving significantly more stressful — especially if you’re used to automatic. Automatic cars are more expensive in Italy and harder to find; book 2–3 months in advance if you need one. We did, and got our 7-day rental for about €350.

The Parking Reality

On the Amalfi Coast, parking is sometimes more important than the hotel itself. Know this going in: almost no hotel along the coastal strip has its own parking. Where it exists, it’s priced as a luxury feature — €25–50 extra per night. Our hotel in Maiori didn’t have parking either. Our workaround: we arranged with a private parking lot a few minutes’ walk away, paying €30 per day. When we returned at night, we’d hand the car over to the attendant; when we wanted it back, we’d tell them the plate, the make, model, and color, and they’d bring it around. It turns out this system is common everywhere on the Amalfi Coast.

For the towns we day-tripped to, parking was always paid. In Amalfi Town, we used a lot near the center at €7–8 per hour. Positano runs higher (€13/hour). Ravello is reasonable (€3–4/hour). Budget around €25–40/day for parking when planning.

When Not to Drive

We developed one rule fast: be on the road before 9 AM. After 10, the coast road clogs up with tour buses and day-trippers; a 30-minute trip can stretch to 1.5 hours. Same goes for the evening return between 6 and 8 PM. Outside those windows, traffic is manageable.

Rule two: when you get squeezed into single-lane sections, don’t panic. Italian drivers grew up on this road and react faster than you will. Wait, let them pass, then continue. There’s a lot of horn-honking, but it isn’t aggressive — it’s just how they communicate.

Rule three: watch for ZTL. In Amalfi, Positano, and many smaller towns, the historic center is a residents-only traffic zone (Zona Traffico Limitato). If you drive into one without authorization, the ticket lands at your home address — usually €80–100. ZTL entries are marked with signs and watched by cameras. If your GPS warns you, listen to it.

Edit, 10 months later: I got a €105 ZTL fine from the Italian police, mailed to my address in Sweden, for driving into Ravello’s ZTL for about 5 minutes. They don’t forgive a thing. 🙂

The Verdict

Renting a car on the Amalfi Coast isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. The freedom you get in exchange — being in Ravello at 8 AM, swinging by Atrani in the late afternoon, driving back at your own pace at midnight — is impossible by public transit. Over seven days we drove 400+ km, with zero accidents and (eventually) one fine. We’d do it again.

Discover Cars

A note: we rented our car from Bari Airport through a comparison site. If we were renting again today, I’d go with DiscoverCars — it puts multiple suppliers side by side, and in a region like Amalfi, that price difference can easily be €100. Especially if you need automatic, compare early.

Amalfi Town: The Namesake of the Coast

Amalfi Town — the place that gave the whole coast its name — sits right in the middle of the stretch. Ten minutes by car from Maiori, 45 minutes from Positano. Over the week, we visited several times — once to wander, one afternoon for the beach, another morning to walk to Atrani and swim there too. That ability to come back repeatedly is the best way to actually get to know Amalfi.

Don’t try to “finish” Amalfi in a single day. The town is small — only 5,000 residents — but every visit catches a different version of it: empty cathedral steps in the early morning light, the piazza thick with tourists by noon, lemon shops winding down at sunset. If you can, spread your visits across different times of day.

Sant’Andrea Cathedral and Those Steps

The Sant’Andrea Cathedral (Duomo di Amalfi) in the center of town is the visual identity of the place. The 62-step staircase rising up from the piazza is where most of the photos you’ve seen were taken. We went in, all the way to the top. Don’t just snap a photo from outside — inside, the Cloister of Paradise (Chiostro del Paradiso) is a quiet courtyard of Arab-Norman columns where you can step away from the noise for ten minutes. Entry is reasonable at €3 per adult.

A warning on the steps: they get crowded in the late afternoon. The emptiest photos are taken before 9 AM.

A Pause at Andrea Pansa

Right at the foot of the Duomo, on the same piazza, sits a pasticceria that’s been there since 1830 — Pasticceria Andrea Pansa. It’s a fifth-generation family pastry shop, listed among Italy’s official “Locali Storici” (historic establishments) in 2001. The interior still carries its 19th-century atmosphere — marble façade, gilded mirrors, waiters in formal attire. The outdoor tables on Piazza Duomo give you a front-row view of the cathedral and the square.

We stopped here for a coffee break, and it ended up being one of those small moments that makes a trip. Don’t leave Amalfi without dropping in for a sweet and a coffee with a view of the cathedral and the piazza. Their Delizia al Limone (a lemon-cream dome) is what they’re famous for; the sfogliatella Santa Rosa and the chocolate scorzette (chocolate-dipped candied lemon peels from their own Villa Paradiso grove) are also worth trying. Prices reflect the prime location — slightly higher than what you’d pay a few streets in — but for what they are and where you’re sitting, it’s worth it.

Lemons, Ceramics, and Souvenir Shopping

Walking the main street of Amalfi, two things will catch your eye: lemons and ceramics. Both are authentic local crafts, not the imported-from-China tourist-shop stuff. You’ll also notice lemons aren’t just in shops — people walk around in lemon-print shirts and dresses too, making the theme feel impossible to escape.

Lemon products — limoncello, lemon soap, lemon oil, lemon pasta, lemon chocolate — exist in every shop, but the quality varies wildly. To buy good limoncello: the color should be deep yellow and cloudy (clear limoncello = synthetic flavoring). Look for the “IGP Limone Costa d’Amalfi” mark on the bottle. We bought a few small bottles, packed them home, and we’re still working through the last one in our cabinet.

For ceramics, Vietri sul Mare (the town at the eastern end of the coast) is the historic capital, but Amalfi’s shops are part of the same tradition. Lemon-patterned plates, hand-painted blue-and-yellow cups, small olive oil pitchers — all bag-friendly gift ideas. Quality and pricing vary a lot; the closer to the center, the pricier. Drift into the side streets and you’ll find better prices.

The Beach

From the central piazza, descending toward the water, you’ll reach Spiaggia Grande di Amalfi. It’s a mixed beach: part of it is a free public section where you bring your own towel, and the larger part is private stabilimenti — establishments that rent loungers, umbrellas, and provide drink service. In early August we paid €20–30 for two people in the private section; the free section was very crowded, but still usable.

A note when entering the water: Amalfi Coast beaches are pebbly, not fine sand. Bring water shoes or sandals. The water gets deep fast — careful with kids. In exchange, the water is clear and the color is one of the most beautiful Mediterranean shades. The view — cliffs and town rising behind you — is something you don’t get on any other beach. (Though, fair warning, in peak season the crowds and waves stir up the water a bit.)

Practical Notes

• Parking: Luna Rossa is the most practical option in central Amalfi — we used it every single visit. €4–5/hour. But come afternoon, finding a spot becomes nearly impossible; another reason to arrive early. The digital signs at the entrance show how many spaces are open on each level — useful.
• Time needed: Plan at least half a day to really see Amalfi. We made several short visits and found a new corner each time.
• Best time of day: Between 8–11 AM (before the tour buses unload) or after 5 PM (after the day-trippers have left). Sunset is incredible.
• Walking to Atrani: Pass through the short tunnel at the east end of Amalfi and you’re in Atrani — a 10-minute walk. Skip the parking hassle and walk it.

Ravello: The Quiet World Above the Coast

Ravello is different from every other Amalfi Coast town in one key way: it isn’t on the coast. It sits 365 meters up, on top of the cliffs, looking straight down at the sea. From Amalfi Town, you climb a narrow switchback road for about 20 minutes — each curve takes you a little farther from the water, and each curve opens a new view.

The moment you arrive, you realize you’ve entered a different place. Down below, the coastal towns are crowded, loud, full of revving motorbikes; Ravello is silent, secluded, almost monastic. Even in mid-summer, you can sit in the small main piazza and drink a coffee in peace. Its elevation gives it a different character — not a tourist town, but the “world above” where artists and writers have been retreating for centuries.

We arrived in Ravello in the afternoon and stayed until 11 PM. Let me tell you what made it the best single investment of time on the trip.

Villa Rufolo

Ravello has two famous villas: Villa Rufolo (where Wagner visited in 1880 and imagined the “magic garden” scene in Parsifal) and Villa Cimbrone (home of the Terrace of Infinity). Most guides tell you to see both.

When we visited, Villa Rufolo was closed — possibly for restoration or a private event, we couldn’t get a clear answer. This happens regularly on the Amalfi Coast: even in peak summer, villas occasionally close for events or maintenance. Check the official websites before you go. Don’t show up without a Plan B.

For us, it wasn’t a disappointment — Villa Cimbrone was our main target anyway.

Villa Cimbrone and the Terrace of Infinity

Villa Cimbrone is a 15-minute walk from Ravello’s main piazza. The path winds uphill between historic stone walls, narrow enough that you can’t see where you’re going — and then the gardens open in front of you all at once.

The 6-hectare grounds date back to the 11th century, but the gardens as you see them today were designed in the early 1900s by Ernest Beckett, an English banker. His friend Vita Sackville-West — the English writer and gardener, and close friend of Virginia Woolf — helped with the design. That’s why you’ll see a rare blend of Italian and English garden styles here: strict geometric Italian terraces softened by lush English plantings.

At the far end of the gardens, where the walk concludes, you’ll reach the Terrace of Infinity (Terrazza dell’Infinito) — a stone balcony built on the cliff edge, lined with marble busts, looking out at the sea forever. It’s one of the most dramatic views you’ll ever see. Everyone there is busy hunting the same perfect angle for their photo. On a clear day, you can see all the way across the Gulf of Salerno to the Cilento mountains. It’s stunning in photos, and something else entirely in person.

Entry is €10 per adult. The gardens are generally open from 9 AM to 7–8 PM. To avoid the crowds, come early morning or just before closing; we arrived late afternoon, the light was soft, and there were only a handful of people on the terrace.

The Evening: The Most Expensive (and Most Unforgettable) Meal of Our Lives

This is where we owe you some honesty: that evening in Ravello, we ate at Il Flauto di Pan, the Michelin-starred restaurant inside Villa Cimbrone. It was the single most expensive thing we did on the entire Amalfi Coast trip — about €550 for two.

We’re saying that number out loud because we didn’t come here with a “cheap trip” story; we came with a “smart trip” story. By staying in Maiori instead of Positano, we paid less than half what we would have paid for a hotel. We spent the savings on one extraordinary night somewhere else. It felt like the right balance.

Dinner itself took three hours. Before the meal, we sat at the cocktail bar inside the villa and ordered drinks — and that’s where I had what I still call the best cocktail of my life. Tomato-based. Unusual and somehow perfectly balanced. After ordering, the owner — a lovely woman running the bar — told me that tomato cocktails were a new trend, that I was one of the first to try this one, and that she could send me to a cocktail workshop in Sorrento at a discount because of it. (We never made it to the workshop, but the story stayed.)

Dinner was a 7-course tasting menu for me, 8 courses for Türkan. I chose the lamb-themed menu; Türkan went for seafood. I spent the whole evening looking longingly at her plates. 😀 We sat in the center of the garden under a canopy of wisteria, at a sea-view table. By the time we left, it was past midnight. Tip: Ravello sits high enough that the breeze gets cool in the evening, even in August. Bring a shawl or light cardigan if you’re staying through dinner.

Practical Notes

• Parking: The lot near the cathedral piazza is €3–4/hour. The center is fully pedestrian (ZTL), so you’ll park and walk.
• Time needed: At minimum, half a day in Ravello, ideally including dinner. The evening light in the gardens is extraordinary.
• Villa Cimbrone tickets: Reservations aren’t necessary; tickets can be purchased at the entrance for €10 per adult.
• Reservations at Il Flauto di Pan: Book at least 2–3 weeks in advance for summer. Mention dietary preferences or allergies when reserving.
• Ravello Festival: From July to September, the Ravello Festival runs open-air concerts in honor of Wagner at Villa Rufolo. If your dates overlap, grab tickets.

Three Towns Next to Amalfi: Atrani, Minori, Maiori

Just east of Amalfi Town — within 2 to 5 kilometers of each other — sit three small towns: Atrani, Minori, and Maiori. Most tourists, after seeing Amalfi, head back to Positano and skip all three entirely. Their loss, your opportunity.

I’m grouping them together because they share the same eastern stretch, are all 5–10 minutes by car from Amalfi, and each offers a distinct version of “small-town Italy.” Over the course of a week, we spent time in each one — sometimes as day-trippers, sometimes as residents.

Atrani: The Smallest Municipality in Italy

Atrani is right next door to Amalfi — just 600 meters apart, an 8–10 minute walk. They’re so close that the short tunnel at Amalfi’s eastern end opens directly into Atrani. Most people pass through without realizing it.

This town is officially the smallest municipality in Italy by area — only 0.12 km². When a town is this small, two things happen. First, the tourist flow doesn’t really reach it. Second, the layout becomes entirely vertical. Atrani is essentially a labyrinth: narrow streets begin at the main piazza, turn into staircases, climb to another street, where another staircase leads somewhere else — and eventually you always end up back in the center. You walk out of one street and come back through another, and you don’t say “I’m lost” after half an hour, because there’s nowhere to actually get lost.

We went to Atrani on two different days. One day for the center: Piazza Umberto I, the tiny fountain in the middle, the cafés around the edges. We sat there with espressos; we didn’t see a single tour bus the whole time. Local teenagers were using the piazza as a meeting spot — a scene you’d never witness in Amalfi.

The other day, we went for the beach. Atrani’s beach is small, set in a cove with the town wrapped around it. The public section is free, just bring your own towel; if you prefer, the paid stabilimento section has loungers and umbrellas. We used the free part. The water was noticeably better than in Amalfi — calmer, clearer.

You might think there isn’t much to do in Atrani — and that’s true; the “attractions list” is short. But it’s one of those rare Amalfi Coast spots where real life is still happening, just behind the postcard.

Minori: The Coast’s Sweet Village

Minori sits 3 km east of Amalfi — five minutes by car. The same distance from Maiori, going west. It curves around a small bay with a generously long beach for the area.

What sets Minori apart is its identity: this town is associated with sugar and sweets. Because here, in this single pasticceria, lives one of Italy’s most famous pastry chefs — Sal De Riso.

Salvatore De Riso is a chef-pastry maker from Campania, well-known on Italian television. He opened his pasticceria in 1988 in Minori, and it’s still in the same spot at Via Roma 80. In summer, expect a line outside, especially on weekend afternoons.

We stopped by Sal De Riso one late afternoon. We stood in front of the case for ten minutes because there were more than 30 different desserts — lemon delizia, sfogliatella, cassata, mille-foglie, seasonal fruit cakes, chocolate bombs. In the end, we chose not to gain any more weight on this trip. But just looking at what they offer is enough — you won’t regret the visit.

Minori is worth a trip for Sal De Riso alone, but while you’re there, walk the seafront. Unlike Maiori’s energetic main street, Minori is quieter and feels more like a true village.

Maiori: The Wide Beach, the Local Life

We covered Maiori in detail earlier in this post because we stayed there. Here’s a quick version for day-trippers:

The beach: Maiori has the longest flat beach on the Amalfi Coast — about 1 km of sand-and-pebble shoreline. Unlike the cramped coves of the other towns, you can actually find space to lay down a towel. Free public sections and stabilimenti both available.

The main street: Runs parallel to the beach, lined with about 20 restaurants, multiple gelaterias, small shops, and a Sunday produce market that comes alive in the mornings.

A few sights worth seeing: The Norman Castle (Castello di San Nicola de Thoro Plano) — a historic fortress above town, reachable by a short uphill walk. Santa Maria a Mare Church — a large historic church near the beach. You can see both in half a day easily.

Restaurants: We tried a different one almost every night and never had a bad meal. The best strategy is to just walk the main street and step into the one that pulls you in. But Maiori’s hidden weapon is breakfast: o Barão Bistrot Brasiliano, which we mentioned earlier. Even if you’re just passing through for the day, make sure to get your morning coffee there.

If you want to stay in Maiori, see “Where We Stayed” section above for our recommendation of La Serenata Luxury.

Practical Information: What We Wish We’d Known

Things we observed over seven days that we didn’t know going in but wish we had:

When to Go

The Amalfi Coast is a different town in every season. The two “shoulder seasons” — late May to early June and late September to early October — are the smartest picks: warm but not burning, swimmable sea, manageable crowds, prices 20–30% below peak. July and August are peak season: heaviest crowds, highest prices, fight-for-a-spot beaches. We went in early August and managed it, but only because our setup (Maiori-based, early morning departures) was specifically designed to dodge the worst of it.

In winter (November–March), most hotels, restaurants, and villas are closed; you won’t really get “the Amalfi Coast experience.” April through early May is opening season — pretty with spring flowers and young lemons, but the sea is still cold.

Money and Prices

The Amalfi Coast is one of Italy’s more expensive regions. That said, the price range is wide — accommodations in Positano cost 2–3x what they cost in Maiori. Rough daily budgets (early August, for two people):

• Modest (Maiori-based, local restaurants, free beach): €150/day
• Mid-range (boutique apartment, restaurants, some stabilimento beach time): €250–300/day
• Comfortable (special meals like Ravello, ferry to Capri, that sort of thing): €500+/day

This is daily spending, not including accommodation, which was about €150/night for us.

Internet and eSIM

Phone data is essential on the Amalfi Coast: GPS navigation, parking apps, restaurant reservations, instant photo sharing — you’ll need it constantly. Your home carrier’s roaming is expensive; consider Airalo eSIM. The app activates in 10 minutes, and our 50 GB package was more than enough for a week.

Airalo

Travel Insurance

Travel health insurance is a must for international trips — especially when you’re driving. We’ve been using SafetyWing for several years now; designed for nomadic travelers, monthly billing, flexible coverage.

SAFETYWING

Eating and Drinking Rhythms

Italian daily timing takes some adjustment:

• Breakfast is light: espresso and a cornetto (croissant-like pastry).
• Lunch is 1:00–2:30 PM; restaurants usually stop serving at 3 PM.
• Dinner starts at 7 PM (early) or 9 PM (late). If you want to eat at 6 PM, most places aren’t open yet.
• Aperitivo hour, 6–8 PM — a cocktail with snacks (olives, croutons, small sandwiches). That “evening drink on a terrace” scene you’ve seen on Pinterest? This is when it actually happens.

Reservations: for ordinary restaurants, not needed. For terraced sea-view places, book 1–2 days ahead.

Pompeii, Capri, and Other Day Trips

We didn’t cover Pompeii or Capri in this post because we didn’t visit them on this trip — we dedicated all seven days to the coastal towns. But they’re the two most popular day trips from the Amalfi Coast. Pompeii is about an hour by car from Maiori (around 50 km). For Capri, you take the ferry from Amalfi’s harbor (about an hour, €25). We’ll definitely plan both on our next Amalfi trip.

Our Amalfi week was part of a longer Mediterranean trip — we’d flown into Bari from Montenegro, then drove through Puglia before heading to the Amalfi Coast. If you’re planning a longer Italy-and-Adriatic trip, those two guides pair perfectly with this one.

Final Thoughts: Go East

If you’re going to the Amalfi Coast for the first time, the internet will point you at that famous terraced hotel on the cliff in Positano. We looked at the same photos. But don’t burn your money there — when you pay €600–800 a night for that view, it isn’t actually that different from the view we had from our €150 boutique apartment in Maiori. Same sea, cliffs and bougainvillea.

The eastern coast — Amalfi, Ravello, Atrani, Minori, Maiori — means fewer tourists, lower prices, and more real experience. Pick a base, explore by car, walk back to the beach at night.

You’ll want to see Positano too, of course — we did. It’s a dream. It’s one of those places everyone should stand in at least once in their life. Positano is beautiful enough to visit for a few hours, but staying there isn’t for everyone — at least not at those prices.

Which brings us to the bridge to our next post: we’re writing about Positano specifically, next. What we did on our day trip, what the beaches were like, why this town is so unique, and our full guide from the “didn’t stay but explored” perspective.

A week later, leaving the Amalfi Coast, we left behind 400+ km of driving, 5 different towns, one Michelin-starred dinner, a few bottles of limoncello, and a lot of lemon desserts and gelato. Will we come back? Definitely.

What the coast taught us: you don’t always have to pay for the most beautiful view. Sometimes you just have to settle in the right corner.