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Italy

Amalfi Coast

From Salerno to Sorrento: lemons, hairpin bends and views over the gulf

Your suitcaseThe packing list

A trip from Salerno to Sorrento. In this guide I will not leave anything out: from the places to see to the things to eat.

Budget
★★★★★Very expensiveParking and restaurants weigh most: it is better to get around by bus or ferry.
Route
From Salerno to Sorrento
Suggested length
4 days
Getting around
I went by car; you can also go by motorbike or, cheaper, by bus
When I went
In September, at the end of the scorching heat
Map with the places of the itinerary12345678910

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Mission Amalfi Coast

Tick off the places as you visit them and watch the trip move forward.

Your trip 0/32

Off we go! Tick the first place.

Food0/13
Attractions0/19

4-day itinerary

An idea for a route, not an obligation: change the order, skip stops, stay where you like.

  1. 1Day 1Salerno

    Afternoon

    • Arrive in the afternoon and check in at the hotel.
    • Ready for a stroll: the seafront, the alleys and Via dei Mercanti, with its shops.

    Evening

  2. 2Day 2Vietri, Cetara, Minori and Ravello

    Morning

    • Breakfast at Russo Cafè: I had the graffa napoletana.
    • A stroll in Vietri: ceramics shops, the church with the majolica dome and then down to the sea, among the colourful houses and cafés.

    Afternoon

    Evening

  3. 3Day 3Amalfi, Positano and Praiano

    Morning

    • Breakfast in Amalfi at Pasticceria Pansa: it is worth it, the sfogliatella is delicious.
    • A tour of Amalfi with the cathedral and the alleys, the typical lemon sorbet in a real lemon, then a walk on foot to Atrani and back.

    Afternoon

    • Lunch in Positano, after a stroll through the centre along the lanes: Le Tre Sorelle, a really good traditional lunch but pricey.
    • Then the cliffs, the beach and the little shops.

    Evening

    • In Praiano, in the cute little places for dinner, and a little stroll.
  4. 4Day 4Sorrento and the way home

    Morning

    • Head to Sorrento: breakfast and a stroll.
    • Villa Comunale: the most famous panoramic terrace, with a view of Vesuvius.
    • Cloister of San Francesco: a fourteenth-century oasis of peace, next to the Villa.
    • Getting lost in the town's little alleys, with all the shops, places to eat and local products.

    Afternoon

    • A last quick lunch with a pizza, then head home in the early afternoon.

Attractions

Places and sights not to miss: 10 areas to explore.

1AREA 1 / 10

Salerno

We start here: seafront, alleys and a proper pizza.

  • An evening stroll along a street in Salerno with palm trees and street lampsAn evening stroll in Salerno.A walk along the seafront.
  • A girl in the square in front of Salerno Cathedral, lit up in the eveningSalerno Cathedral in the evening.The alleys of the old town and Via dei Mercanti, the shopping street.

2AREA 2 / 10

Vietri sul Mare

The ceramics town, with colourful little houses by the sea.

A pink ceramic donkey on a wall, next to a plaque with a poemThe ceramic donkey on the wall.
  • A shop of colourful ceramics with plates, vases and hand-painted tilesThe hand-painted ceramics.A stroll through the ceramics shops along the main street.
  • A stone alley in Vietri with a church with a pale facade at the endThe alley towards the church.The church of San Giovanni Battista, with its majolica dome.
  • A pink and blue house in Vietri with a wayside shrine and lots of ceramics on the facadeA colourful house, with a shrine and ceramics.Walk down to the sea, where the colourful houses and cafés are.

3AREA 3 / 10

Cetara

A tiny village, like a little jewel box.

A terrace with a white railing above the blue sea of CetaraA terrace over the sea.
  • A girl in the water with the village of Cetara and the beach behindA swim in front of Cetara.The village of Cetara seen from the beach, with the green seaCetara from the beach.An alley in Cetara with the majolica dome of the church at the endAn alley in Cetara, with the dome at the end.A stroll around the village, small and neat.

4AREA 4 / 10

Minori

A sweet break and a quick stroll.

  • A girl in the square of Minori in front of the yellow basilicaThe square in front of Minori's basilica.An alley in Minori with the bell tower at the endThe bell tower at the end of the alley.A stroll around Minori: it takes little time.

5AREA 5 / 10

Ravello

Villas and gardens suspended above the sea.

  • A girl at sunset on the Terrace of Infinity, with the marble bust and the seaSunset on the Terrace of Infinity.Villa Cimbrone: it is worth seeing the sunset from the Terrace of Infinity.
  • A girl sitting among flowers at Villa Rufolo, with the coast and the moon behindVilla Rufolo, with the coast behind.The tower of Villa Rufolo among the trees, lit up in the eveningThe tower of Villa Rufolo in the evening.Villa Rufolo: pretty in the evening too.
  • Ravello cathedral square with the shadows of two peopleCathedral square in Ravello.A little evening stroll through Ravello.

6AREA 6 / 10

Scala

To save money: a little village with a beautiful view of Ravello.

  • The view from the window over the terraces and the seaThe view from the window, in Scala.The village has a beautiful view of Ravello.

Where to stay

I stayed in Scala to save money: it costs less than Ravello and has the view.

7AREA 7 / 10

Amalfi

The cathedral, the alleys and a walk to Atrani.

  • A girl on the steps of Amalfi CathedralThe steps of Amalfi Cathedral.A girl in front of a ceramics shop under an arcade in AmalfiA ceramics shop under the arcades.A tour of Amalfi: the cathedral and the alleys.
  • A girl sitting on a low wall in an alley in Atrani, with the bridge archAn alley in Atrani.The beach and village of Atrani seen from aboveAtrani from above.A walk on foot to Atrani and back.

8AREA 8 / 10

Positano

Lanes, cliffs, beach and little shops.

  • A stroll through the centre, along the lanes.
  • A girl on the beach in Positano with the town on the hillsidePositano beach.The colourful houses of Positano on the cliff, with the beach belowPositano from above.The cliffs, the beach and the little shops.

9AREA 9 / 10

Praiano

In the evening, in the village's cute little places.

  • The majolica dome of the church in Praiano at duskPraiano's dome at dusk.The village of Praiano on the headland with the sea and the blue skyPraiano and the sea, from above.A little evening stroll through the village.

10AREA 10 / 10

Sorrento

The last stop: a stroll and a quick lunch before heading home.

The sea of Sorrento seen from above, with the bathing platformsThe sea of Sorrento from above.A girl with a pizza topped with buffalo mozzarella in a street of SorrentoPizza with buffalo mozzarella in Sorrento.
  • Villa Comunale: the most famous panoramic terrace, with a view of Vesuvius.
  • Cloister of San Francesco: a fourteenth-century oasis of peace, next to the Villa.
  • A girl seen from behind in an alley of Sorrento, with tables and yellow housesIn the alleys of Sorrento.Getting lost in the village's little alleys, with all the shops, restaurants and typical products.

Where to eat

Where to have breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Coffee, breakfast and sweets

5 areas with cafés, breakfasts and sweets.

1AREA 1 / 5

Salerno

  • A brioche filled with gelato on a Mr Whippy plateThe brioche with gelato.Whippy – Di Prisco: gelato after dinner. It opens at 10:30: not for breakfast.

2AREA 2 / 5

Vietri sul Mare

  • A breakfast of cappuccino and pastries on a table with a viewBreakfast with a view.Russo Cafè Pasticceria: breakfast with a view of the gulf. I had the graffa napoletana.

3AREA 3 / 5

Minori

  • Sal De Riso: you must try the delizia al limone and the ricotta and pear cake.
  • The "caffè nuvola", a delight: like a macchiato where they manage to keep the milk and the coffee separate.

4AREA 4 / 5

Amalfi

  • A girl at a small table with cappuccino and croissantsBreakfast at Pansa.An outdoor table with cappuccinos and croissants in the squareBreakfast in the square.The facade of Pasticceria Andrea Pansa with outdoor tablesThe pastry shop from the outside.Pasticceria Andrea Pansa: breakfast here is worth it. The sfogliatella is delicious.
  • A girl with a sorbet served in a lemon, in a street of AmalfiThe sorbet served in the lemon.The typical lemon sorbet, served in a real lemon.

5AREA 5 / 5

Sorrento

  • Breakfast in the centre.

Lunch, dinner and street food

6 areas with restaurants, trattorias and street food.

1AREA 1 / 6

Salerno

  • A plate of montanarine, fried mini pizzas with tomato and basilThe montanarine, to start with.A person eating a slice of Neapolitan pizzaThe Neapolitan pizza.Pizzeria Don Antonio: Neapolitan pizza to start with, where I went.

2AREA 2 / 6

Cetara

  • A decorated plate of scialatelli with colatura di alici and yellow cherry tomatoesScialatelli with colatura di alici.A girl with a fork in front of a bowl of pasta, at an outdoor tableLunch at Cetara Punto e Pasta.Cetara Punto e Pasta: a little restaurant that is worth it. The pasta with colatura di alici is delicious.

4AREA 4 / 6

Positano

  • A girl with a plate of gnocchi in a restaurant in PositanoLunch at Le Tre Sorelle.Cured ham with buffalo mozzarella on a decorated plateHam and buffalo mozzarella.The sea and boats of Positano seen from a restaurant terraceLunch with a view of Positano.Le Tre Sorelle: a really good traditional lunch, but pricey.

5AREA 5 / 6

Praiano

  • The village's cute little places for dinner.

6AREA 6 / 6

Sorrento

  • A last quick lunch with a pizza.

To taste

The coast's menu: how many can you try?

Tap a dish to see what it looks like and what it is.

Good to know

  • On the coast, parking is the real problem: arrive early, expect to pay and do not count on finding a space at midday.
  • With the coastal roads and hairpin bends, each hop between two towns takes 15–25 minutes: better not to pack in too many stops.
  • Times, prices and opening hours are indicative: please check before you go.

Got room in your suitcase?

Here is what I would pack.

  • Vietri ceramics Hand-painted plates and tiles in the shops of Vietri sul Mare.
  • Colatura di alici Cetara's typical fish sauce, in a small bottle, to take home.
  • Fresh buffalo mozzarella The fresh ones, to enjoy on the same day.
  • Wicker baskets full of lemonsThe lemons of the coast.Lemons The Sfusato Amalfitano is the coast's lemon.
  • Riccardo holding a small lemon plant, in front of a carRiccardo with the lemon plant.A lemon plant To take a little piece of the coast home.

Prices and availability are indicative.