5-Day Amalfi Coast Road Trip Itinerary: The Azure Coast | Travileer

Five days on a coastline where every hairpin turn reveals another shade of impossible blue.

The Amalfi Coast is Italy operating at full capacity — lemon groves terraced into sea cliffs, pastel villages that spill down hillsides like watercolors left in the rain, and a kitchen tradition that treats simplicity as the highest art. This five-day road trip winds from Sorrento to Ravello, with a day trip to Capri and a hike along the Path of the Gods that will recalibrate your sense of what a coastline can be.

Trip details

  • Destination: Amalfi Coast, Italy
  • Duration: 5 days
  • Budget: luxury ($3,000 - $4,500)
  • Best season: May - June or September - October
  • Best for: Couples, road trip enthusiasts, Mediterranean food lovers, hikers
  • Interests: coastal drives, Italian food, hiking, beaches, history, wine

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Sorrento: Arrival on the Cliffs

arrival & orientation

  • 10:00 — Arrive in Sorrento · Sorrento, Campania
    Whether you arrive by train from Naples (Circumvesuviana, 70 min) or by private transfer, Sorrento greets you with orange trees, cliff-edge views, and the faint smell of lemons. The town sits atop a tufa cliff with the Bay of Naples spread below.
    Tip: The Circumvesuviana train is cheap but crowded. Guard your belongings. A private transfer from Naples airport runs about $80.
  • 11:00 — Explore Sorrento old town · Piazza Tasso & Via San Cesareo, Sorrento
    Sorrento's historic center is a labyrinth of narrow lanes radiating from Piazza Tasso. Via San Cesareo is the main pedestrian artery — lined with limoncello shops, inlaid wood artisans, and gelaterias with queues out the door.
    Tip: Buy limoncello directly from the small producers, not the tourist shops. The wood inlay (intarsia) workshops are genuine and fascinating.
  • 12:30 — Lunch at Inn Bufalito (mozzarella bar) · Inn Bufalito, Sorrento
    A mozzarella bar dedicated entirely to buffalo mozzarella from Campania. Burrata, mozzarella di bufala, stracciatella — served with local tomatoes, basil, and the kind of olive oil that ruins you for the supermarket stuff forever.
    Tip: The degustazione plate lets you try five varieties. Pair with a local Falanghina white wine.
  • 14:00 — Marina Grande fishing village · Marina Grande, Sorrento
    Walk down the steep path from Sorrento's cliffs to the old fishing harbor. Colorful boats, fishermen mending nets, and waterfront trattorias that serve whatever came in that morning. It feels like a different century from the tourist strip above.
    Tip: A hidden gem that most day-trippers miss. The walk down is steep — wear sturdy shoes or take the local bus.
  • 15:30 — Bagni della Regina Giovanna · Bagni della Regina Giovanna, Sorrento
    A natural swimming pool enclosed by Roman ruins at the tip of the Sorrento peninsula. The 20-minute walk from Sorrento passes through olive groves and lemon orchards. The pool itself is sheltered, turquoise, and worth every step.
    Tip: Bring water shoes — the rocks are sharp. The path is unmarked but follow signs for "Bagni Regina Giovanna." No facilities.
  • 18:30 — Aperitivo at Terrazza delle Sirene · Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento
    Sip an Aperol spritz on the cliff-edge terrace of Sorrento's grandest hotel. Vesuvius rises across the bay, the sky turns apricot, and you understand why every 19th-century writer parked themselves on this coast.
  • 20:00 — Dinner at Ristorante 'O Parrucchiano La Favorita · O Parrucchiano, Sorrento
    Operating since 1868, this restaurant sprawls across a lemon-grove courtyard under a canopy of vines and citrus trees. The cannelloni — their original recipe — is the star. The ambiance alone is worth the trip.
    Tip: Request a garden table. The cannelloni alla Sorrentina (their original dish) is mandatory. Reserve ahead in summer.

Dining highlight: Inn Bufalito — Buffalo mozzarella & Campanian, $20-35. A love letter to buffalo mozzarella. Five varieties on one plate, each more impossibly creamy than the last, paired with tomatoes that taste like they were grown in sunlight and nothing else.

Day 2: Positano: Pastel & Blue

beach town & beauty

  • 08:30 — Drive from Sorrento to Positano · SS163 Amalfitana
    The Amalfi Drive is one of the world's great roads — a narrow ribbon of asphalt carved into sea cliffs with hairpin turns and vertiginous drops. The 50-minute drive to Positano delivers views that will stop conversation mid-sentence.
    Tip: Drive early to avoid traffic. The road is single-lane in spots — buses have right of way. If you are prone to car sickness, sit in front.
  • 09:30 — Check in at Hotel Marincanto · Hotel Marincanto, Positano
    Perched on the cliff above Spiaggia Grande, Hotel Marincanto is Positano as you imagined it — bougainvillea cascading over white terraces, tile floors, and a view from your balcony that renders language inadequate.
    Tip: Request a sea-view room — the price difference is worth every cent here.
  • 10:30 — Wander down to Spiaggia Grande · Spiaggia Grande, Positano
    Positano is a vertical town — everything involves stairs. Walk down (you will walk up later, and it will be humbling) through the cascade of pastel buildings, boutiques, and ceramic shops to reach the main beach. The pebble shore frames the town like a postcard that refuses to be cliché.
  • 12:00 — Lunch at Da Vincenzo · Da Vincenzo, Positano
    A family-run restaurant that has fed Positano since 1958. The seafood pasta with cherry tomatoes is perfection — local prawns, vongole, and pasta made that morning. The terrace tables overlook the rooftops tumbling toward the sea.
    Tip: The lunch menu is better value than dinner. Order the catch of the day — it is always impeccable.
  • 14:00 — Boat to Fornillo Beach · Spiaggia di Fornillo, Positano
    Catch a small water taxi from Spiaggia Grande around the headland to Fornillo — Positano's quieter, more local beach. The water is clearer, the crowd thinner, and the beach bars (try Da Ferdinando) serve cold Peroni with a view.
    Tip: You can also walk to Fornillo in 10 minutes via the coastal path. Bring snorkel gear — the water visibility is exceptional.
  • 17:00 — Church of Santa Maria Assunta · Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, Positano
    The majolica-tiled dome is Positano's architectural signature — green, yellow, and blue tiles glinting in the afternoon sun. Inside, a 13th-century Byzantine icon of the Black Madonna presides. It is the spiritual heart of the town.
  • 18:00 — Sunset aperitivo at Franco's Bar · Franco's Bar, Positano
    Tucked above the main road, Franco's offers one of the best sunset perches in town. Negronis, prosecco, and a soundtrack of Italian jazz as the sun drops behind Li Galli islands.
  • 20:00 — Dinner at Lo Guarracino · Lo Guarracino, Positano
    Built into the cliff face on the path between Spiaggia Grande and Fornillo, Lo Guarracino is all open-air terraces perched above the sea. The grilled octopus and lemon risotto are outstanding, and the sound of waves below provides the only background music you need.
    Tip: Reserve a sea-facing table. The restaurant is built into the cliff — every table has a view, but the front row is special.

Dining highlight: Da Vincenzo — Campanian seafood, $30-50. Three generations of the same family, the same commitment to whatever the fishermen brought in that morning, and pasta that has no business being this good in a tourist town.

Day 3: Path of the Gods & Amalfi Town

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Day 4: Capri: The Island of Emperors

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Day 5: Ravello & Departure

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Where to stay

Hotel Marincanto — Boutique luxury, $250 - $450 per night, Positano, above Spiaggia Grande.

Positano demands a hotel with a view, and Marincanto delivers one of the best on the coast. The cliff-edge pool, flower-draped terraces, and direct beach access make it the kind of place where you cancel your afternoon plans and stay put.

  • Cliffside infinity pool overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea
  • Direct staircase access to Spiaggia Grande beach
  • Terraced rooms with private balconies and sea views
  • Complimentary breakfast on the panoramic terrace

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Amalfi Coast, Italy?

We recommend 5 days to experience the best of Amalfi Coast, Italy.

When is the best time to visit Amalfi Coast, Italy?

The best season to visit Amalfi Coast, Italy is May - June or September - October.

What budget should I plan for Amalfi Coast, Italy?

This itinerary is designed for a luxury budget of approximately $3,000 - $4,500.

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