Sorrento, Capri and Amalfi Coast
Sorrento, Capri and the Amalfi coast are world famous vacation destinations and for good reason. The water is crystal clear, the weather is comfortable, and the food is world class; sometimes even catering to celebrity clientele. It is the perfect getaway for anyone who wishes to escape to the charm of Mediterranean life.
In this guide we will cover the main tourist towns of Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi and Positano.
Sorrento
Sorrento is the largest town that we visited on our trip and due to its geographic position, it serves as the gateway to the Amalfi coast and is also a perfect base for visiting the surrounding areas of Pompeii, Capri and Naples.
As you walk around Sorrento, you will be marveled by the views of Mount Vesuvius and the city of Naples across the water along with lemon trees lining the streets, restaurants, markets, shops, and hotels. The town is split between an upper portion (uphill), which is the main town, and a lower portion (downhill), which is where the beaches and marinas are located.
Beaches - Sorrento has a small public beach that has piers/jetties lined with beach chairs and umbrellas as well as stairs that lead into the water from said piers/jetties for easy access to swimming. From what we could see, there is only one restaurant available on this beach and the restrooms are all portable toilets. If you are staying in the upper portion of the town, you can access the beach by elevator/lift which costs 1 Euro and is located right next to the monastery of San Francisco. The real selling points of this beach are the views of Mount Vesuvius in the distance and the huge cliff backdrop as you lounge on the beach.
Accessibility – Although Sorrento is quite hilly, most people will not have a problem dealing with the terrain. This is because the main town, which is located uphill, has an elevator/lift that connects the marina and beach area to the main town on the hilltop. Additionally, there are buses and taxis regularly available that connect the upper and lower portion of Sorrento. Lastly, once you are in the main town (uphill), the inclines are very minimal, so strolling around should be enjoyable even if fitness is a concern.
Shopping - Sorrento had every imaginable type of shop but Nina’s favorite boutique in Sorrento was Balleri, a designer specializing in hand made shoes. Another favorite of our was Nino and Friends, a shop that specializes in selling chocolates and sweets. We also purchased some beautiful printed silk scarves that were sold in various stores.
In general, all restaurants will be good but a few places that we would highly recommend are:
Ristorante da Filippo is located in the hills just outside of Sorrento, and it is quite charming as you walk up the dimly lit path to the entrance which is covered with lemon and olive trees. The restaurant is huge inside with a friendly staff and it is mostly frequented by locals, so you will have a more authentic food experience. Not only is the food exquisite (it all tastes homecooked) but it is also about 20% cheaper than what you would spend for a similar restaurant in Sorrento. We recommend that you have your hotel or AirBnB host help you set up reservations as the restaurant will offer free pick up from your hotel as well as drop off at your hotel.
O Parrucchiano La Favorita is a romantic and luxurious garden style restaurant in Sorrento. You can choose to dine indoors in what looks like a massive green house, or outside under romantic lighting and fruit bearing lemon trees. The food is excellent and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Gelateria Primavera is located close to the main square of Piazza Tasso in Sorrento. At first glance, it looks like a complete hole in the wall, but once you are inside you will notice that all of the walls are decorated with photos of international celebrities and signed jerseys of international sports icons who have eaten there. The shop is run by the eccentric Antonio Cafiero and his daughter who claim that this gelateria catered the desserts for the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Capri
Capri has been a vacation destination since the times of ancient Rome and once you are there, you will see for yourself why people have been visiting this paradise for over 2,000 years. Its unique position in the Tyrrhenian Sea gives it views of both the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi Coast so no matter where you are on the island, you will always have an amazing view. Capri is also home to some famous tourist destinations such as the Blue Grotto, Villa Jovis and the Phoenician Steps.
Beaches - Capri has a large beach that is perfect for lounging, but it can be quite rocky for some. You’ll find plenty of hotels, restaurant and excursion options on this beach as well as magnificent views of the Bay of Naples.
Chairlift – In the community of Anacapri on the island of Capri, you can take a single person chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro. Although the chairs are a bit rickety, I promise you that this will be one of the most memorable experiences that you have as you sit back and glide up the mountain while having views of the town below and the bay of Naples. Our family members who had traveled with us still talk about this experience to this day.
Villa Jovis – Built almost 2,000 years ago on the very eastern tip of Capri, Villa Jovis was once the palace and administrative headquarters of the Roman emperor Tiberius. Its ruins are worth a visit for anybody interested in Roman history, with the only downside being that you have to hike about 40 minutes uphill in order to reach it.
Blue Grotto – The Blue Grotto is a beautiful sea cave with clear, bright blue water that reflects from the ocean floor. It is even said that the Roman emperor Tiberius used to recreationally swim here.
In order to reach the Blue Grotto, you can take a bus or walk to the site but it’s best to take a boat from the marina (Marina Grande) which only takes about 10 minutes. Once you reach the outside of the cave, if weather and sea conditions permit, then you have to disembark and board a small rowboat which seats a maximum of 4 people plus the skipper. At that point, you will most likely have to wait in line in order to enter the cave and once you do, be sure to duck really low as that cave opening can appear quite low.
In all honesty, although the cave and water were impressive, the experience itself is a complete tourist trap so we would most likely not repeat this experience. Not only do you have to pay for the boat ride in order to reach the cave, but once you are there you have to pay an additional amount in order for the rowboat skipper to let you in and at the end of the experience when you are boarding your boat back to the marina, the skipper will hold his hand out and expect a tip!
Also, once inside the cave, you get the feeling that you are part of a carefully controlled experience akin to the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disney World. This is because you don’t even get to travel completely through the entire cave complex. Rather, you move around in a circle while your skipper as well as all of the skippers of the other boats in front of you sing the same line from “Volare” on repeat. Perhaps this was due to the ocean conditions not allowing for a fuller experience, but we got the sense that this was the standard experience for most tourists.
With that noted, we would only recommend that you visit the Blue Grotto as part of a unique, once in a lifetime experience and nothing more.
Phoenician Steps – The Phoenician Steps is a long stairway that connects the town of Capri to the uphill town of Anacapri, and it was built thousands of years ago by the original settlers of Capri island. Up until the modern era, these steps were the only way to reach Anacapri and you can still climb the stairway today.
Accessability– Capri is very accessible to people of any fitness. The island is connected by a network of buses, ferries and taxis and they are freely available in the main town centers of Capri and Anacapri. Additionally, there are funiculars and chairlifts that allow you move uphill if necessary. Although, if you want to go hiking, be prepared for some steep inclines.
Amalfi
Amalfi is a quaint little coastal town located at the foot of some dramatic cliffs. While it was once a dominant maritime power in the Mediterranean before being destroyed by a powerful seaquake in the 14th century, it is now a tourist hub in the Amalfi coast, from which the coast derives its name.
Visiting Amalfi felt like being on a second honeymoon. Every day we would walk into town from our AirBnB, passing by terraced lemon groves, vineyards, cliffside restaurants and beaches while looking out at the clear blue water juxtaposed with white colored buildings and dramatic rock formations in the hills. In fact, we loved it so much that we returned with our family on a different trip.
The town is known for custom sandal making, limoncello, gelato and honestly, the best pizza that we’ve ever had anywhere in the world at Fior di Pizza. Amalfi also has a large harbor, which is perfect for watching sunsets, as well as a small, rocky beach with dark color sand and gentle waves.
Beaches - Amalfi has the smallest beach, with an area that is free to the public and a private area which is separated by a fence that has umbrellas and beach chairs that you must pay in order to enter. It’s located right next to the marina, main bus station and with easy access to the main street.
Duomo di Amalfi – Located by the main plaza of Amalfi, you’ll find Duomo di Amalfi (Duomo di Amalfi) which houses a tomb filled with some relics of the apostle Saint Andrew, one of the original disciples of Jesus Christ. In the main hall, you will also find some additional relics of Saint Andrew displayed, such as pieces of his skull. The architecture of the cathedral is unique, in that it includes influences from Arabic, Gothic and Baroque styles.
Accessibility– The town of Amalfi has a slight incline that continues as you progress from the marina and bus station into the town. The deeper you go, the more you will notice the incline, but this will not be an issue for most folks as they are very minimal.
In general, all restaurants will be good but a few places that we would highly recommend are:
Fior di Pizza – Fior di Pizza is our favorite place to eat in the entire region because it literally has the best pizza that we’ve had anywhere in the entire world thus far. This is a family owned pizza shop located on the main street in the town of Amalfi. The shop owners are very friendly and the pizza is inexpensive (about 9 Euros for a margherita pizza). The cheese that they use is made from cows’ milk that are raised in the surrounding hills. Some of our favorite pizza flavors available are lemon pizza, truffle pizza, margherita and diavola (also known as pepperoni in the USA).
Positano
Positano is a beach town made famous sometime in the 1950s after American author John Steinbeck visited and wrote about his travels. Now it boasts a celebrity clientele and tourists from all over the world come to experience the charm of Positano year-round. It is indeed the most picturesque town that we visited on the Amalfi coast and it looks just like a postcard, with its multicolored buildings sloping down from the hillside towards the beach, resembling an inverted triangle of beauty.
Positano also has a very large public beach with an equally large harbor which is perfect for watching sunsets as well as tons of amenities, shops and restaurants which are almost all on the mid to higher end of most budgets. You will not see backpackers or budget tourists here. Rather, you will mostly find families and tourists with intentions of spending money.
Beaches- Positano has the largest public beach, with a walkway that goes from the town onto the sand. On the beach you will find multiple restaurants, bars and shops selling ice cream, jewelry, private charters, excursion tickets and the like.
Accessibility – Positano is a very vertical town, with continuous inclines and stairs everywhere, so be prepared to always be climbing as you stroll around. Although the beach area is flat, most of the town is actually located uphill and there are no funiculars or chairlifts available, so if fitness is a concern, then you should plan on taking frequent breaks while walking. Also, there are almost no sidewalks and the streets are very narrow so you will have motorcycles and cars weaving all around you. However, as you continue to climb higher, you will be rewarded with increasingly better views of the beach and town below.
Helpful Tips For Your Visit
Shopping
Ceramics - Commonly found throughout the region were a multitude of hand painted ceramics, often with fish and citrus themes.
Boutiques - Designer ateliers and luxury boutiques can be found in the town of Positano. Most of the other clothing available in the region was beach chic style with a local flare and at more affordable prices.
Art Galleries - As you stroll throughout each town, you will notice souvenir paintings of the landscape unique to each town.
Shops - Most markets sold pasta, spices, flavored olive oil and limoncello.
Food
Seafood – There is an abundance of fresh seafood at all of the towns and you are encouraged to indulge in all of its forms. Grilled swordfish, lobster, octopus, steamed clams, and mussels with pasta are just one of the many delicious combinations of seafood that you can enjoy at nearly every restaurant in the region.
Lemon everything – Lemon grows with almost equal abundance as the seafood and it is certainly prevalent in the food scene. Lemon pastas, lemon sorbets, lemon with fish, and even lemon pizzas are one of the many delicious options that still have us salivating as we write this.
Limoncello – Limoncello is a liqueur that is made from lemon and spices and is a specialty of this region. Nearly all of the limoncello that is sold at shops and markets is grown in the surrounding hillside terraces by the same families that have lived here for generations.
A note on the dining experience – Most of the dining options in Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi and Positano are of mid to upper tier caliber in both price and palate. This is unsurprising, given its popularity with celebrity clientele, families, and luxury tourism. You will not likely see any burger and beer joints, tapas bars nor any fast-food options so prepare your budget accordingly.
Activities/Excursions
Boat Tour – This is one of the best things that you can experience in the Amalfi coast in order to appreciate the dramatic rock formations and picturesque towns amid the clear blue waters. There are several options available and you can find tickets at any information booth which are located at the marinas of each town.
Private Charter - Private charters for fishing or sightseeing excursions are available at all of the towns but it will be expensive because you are paying for the cost of renting the entire boat so if you are on a budget, then it is best to go with a group and split the cost.
Beaches & Swimming – All towns have a nice beach that is suitable for swimming and all of them are located right next to the marina that receives ferries and charters into town.
Hiking – Given the mountainous terrain, there are plenty of hiking paths available throughout Sorrento, Capri and the Amalfi coast with the best known being the Path of the Gods which takes you between the towns of Agerola and Nocelle (near Positano). Another famous hike is the trail on the island of Capri which takes you up to the ruins of Villa Jovis.
Plan Your Trip
Arrival/Getting There
Sorrento - Sorrento is very easy to reach from Naples by ferry, train or hired car. Taxi drivers in Naples will also offer to take you to your accommodation in Sorrento for a flat rate. However, the ferry is the best option if you are traveling from Naples as the trip is only 30 minutes and only costs about 13 Euros one way from the main port of Beverello.
The town itself is located uphill from the main pier of Marina Piccola if arriving by ferry, so depending on your fitness you can either walk uphill for 10 minutes, take an elevator which costs 1 Euro or a bus which costs the same as the elevator.
If you are arriving by train, then there is no need to worry as the train station is located right in the middle of the town and very close to the main square.
You can find more information on ferries, timetables and costs at (http://www.alilauro.it/orari-e-tariffe)
You can find more information on train schedules at (https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html)
Capri – It can only be reached by ferry or private charter as it is an island in the Bay of Naples. The cost of a ferry is about 20 Euros one way.
You can find more information on ferries, timetables and costs at (http://www.alilauro.it/orari-e-tariffe)
Amalfi & Positano – There is no airport nearby and no train station in the area so you will have to arrive by hired car, bus or ferry from the towns of Salerno or Sorrento.
The best option is to hire a ferry as it is the most direct option and also cost efficient. Not to mention, you can also enjoy views of the coastline during the entire trip.
You can find more information on ferries from Salerno at (https://www.travelmar.it/en/timetable)
You can find more information on ferries from Sorrento at (http://www.alilauro.it/orari-e-tariffe)
We generally wouldn’t recommend using the bus unless you are only using it to either travel within the towns themselves or a neighboring town. This is because like almost anywhere in the world, bus schedules can sometimes be unreliable as they tend to be at the complete mercy of situations out of their control (accidents, traffic congestion, breakdowns, etc.) and the last thing you want to do is waste time waiting for a bus.
You can find more information on bus schedules at (https://www.sitabus.it/en/amalfi-cost-connections/)
Getting Around
Ferry – At every port, you will have an opportunity to book a ferry so that you can travel to Capri or between the towns of Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. Ferries are one of the cheapest options available and make for a great chance to take daytrips.
Although please note, ferries run according to the weather. On particularly windy days, when the waters are too rough, some ferries will stop running altogether so keep this in mind when planning any excursions or trips.
You can find more information on ferries at
Alilauro: http://www.alilauro.it/orari-e-tariffe
NLG: https://www.navlib.it/en/ticketoffice/
Travelmar: https://www.travelmar.it/en/timetable
Bus - At most of the towns, you can take a bus, hire a taxi or walk. Buses cost less than 2 Euro per person one way and they only accept cash or coins. If you are unsure of the route, then politely ask your bus driver if your destination is part of the bus route. If not, most bus drivers will be kind enough to let you know which bus to take.
You can find more information on bus schedules at (https://www.sitabus.it/en/amalfi-cost-connections/)
Taxi – Taxis are available in Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Capri but expect this to be one of the more expensive forms of transportation as due to the small size of the region and its popularity as a tourist destination, competition is virtually nonexistent. For example, we had a family member get charged 65 Euros to be driven 5 minutes down the street in Sorrento because it happened to be raining that day and there were no other transportation options available. Budget accordingly.
Private Charter – At any marina, you can typically charter a boat with a captain for either half days or full days. You can expect this to be the most expensive form of transportation available as you are paying for the cost of renting the entire boat so if you are with a group you can split the cost among your party. Depending on the time of year (high season – low season) you will be quoted anywhere between 450 to several thousands of Euros. Although expensive, this can be an excellent way to spend a day having complete freedom to travel around so if it falls within your budget, then you are highly encouraged to experience this option at least once on your trip.
Funicular/Lift – In Capri, you can take the funicular from the main pier of Marina Grande which will take you up to the main town of Capri. The cost is only 2 Euros.
In Sorrento, you can take the lift in order to get from the marina and beach area to the main town which is located at the hilltop and vice versa. The cost is about 1 Euro per trip.
Language
The official language is Italian (with a southern dialect also known as Neapolitan, which can be quite distinct from the standard Italian which is based on northern dialect). However, most people understand English as it is the language of tourism in Naples and the Amalfi coast.
Currency
The currency that they use is the Euro and credit cards are generally accepted, although you should always carry cash and coins just in case. For example, buses, funiculars, taxis and chairlifts will not accept credit cards nor will some small merchants.
Weather
The weather is temperate, with very mild winters and hot summers so for most of the year you can swim or hang out on the beaches without issue. Temperatures will generally range from the low 40s – mid 60s Fahrenheit (4 – 18 Celsius) in the autumn and winter and from the low 70s – high 80s Fahrenheit (21 – 30 Celsius) in the spring and summer.
Accommodations
Hotels – The region has every type of accommodation available ranging from international luxury chains to mid-tier and boutique ultra-luxury hotels. The rates can vary greatly depending on the time of year that you are planning to visit (summer high season, early autumn/spring shoulder season, late autumn/winter low season) so budget accordingly.
AirBnB - AirBnB will most likely be your cheapest option. Interestingly, many of the properties available on the platform are actually managed by the same real estate groups. These real estate groups even have offices where you can stop by and collect information on excursions, activities, maps, etc. For us, this was the best option, given that the properties are generally better located than hotels. Also, we never really spend time inside the accommodation when we travel so we see no need to pay for the extra amenities that hotels offer.
Hostels and Low Budget Hotels – From what we could see, there are no hostels or low budget accommodations available. Your best bet if you are on a budget is to rent an AirBnB and split the cost with your party.
Other
Information Centers - If for any reason, you find yourself lost or need additional information, you can always visit the local information center at the main port of any town. The information center will usually appear as a booth with a cursive letter (i) on it. They usually have maps, bus schedules and information on excursions and activities which they will provide to you free of charge. Some information centers might even be able to sell you tickets for said excursions.
Low Season – Low season officially runs from November 1 – Mid March and during this time of year, many hotels and restaurants in the area will be closed.
