2 days in Amalfi Coast – a comprehensive itinerary and things to do

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most picturesque coastal roads in Italy, and one of the destinations worth being on your bucket list. No matter if you only have 2 days in Amalfi Coast, that’s plenty to make the best out of your trip.

Of course, with that much time, you would only be scratching the surface, but that’s just one reason to come back someday.

On my first visit to Southern Italy, I only went on a day trip from Naples to Amalfi and absolutely loved every moment of it. Years later, I came back and spent only 3 days exploring the coast, but actually stayed in one of the towns perched up on the hills.

If you are visiting Italy and plan for a longer itinerary and have only 2 days allocated for seeing the Amalfi Coast, I’ve got you covered. I have put together this easy-to-follow and comprehensive itinerary and travel guide so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

I’ll answer all your questions about how to get to the Amalfi Coast, where to stay for 2 days, and how to split your days so that you can make the best out of your time.

Additionally, you’ll find information for getting around on the Amalfi Coast and the most beautiful picture-perfect spots.

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2 days in Amalfi Coast – a comprehensive itinerary and things to do

What is the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most picturesque Italian destinations, a coastline spiraling from Naples to Salerno, sprinkled with colorful villages and unforgettable landscapes.

One of the most popular vacation spots in Italy, here is where you will also find plenty of world-renowned restaurants and luxury hotels. When you only have 2 days to spend on the Amalfi Coast you will be able to only scratch the surface, but it will all be worth it.

Where to fly for the Amalfi Coast / How to get to the Amalfi Coast

Let’s start with the basics that will come in handy for those traveling directly to the Amalfi Coast.

You can always land in Rome and spend a longer vacation exploring Rome and the Amalfi Coast. That would be easy to do since getting from Rome to the Amalfi Coast would only take between 1h and 30 minutes to 2 hours by train, and roughly 4 hours by car.

The closest airport to the Amalfi Coast is the Naples International Airport, only 61 kilometers (38 miles) away from Positano, the most popular town on the coastline. 

If you choose to land in Naples, check out my complete guide for how to get from Naples to the Amalfi Coast.

My go-to car rental company is always Discover Cars. It is a great aggregator that will help you find and book the best option for renting a car during your trip, helping you save up to 70% on your car rental. They have a pretty good cancellation policy that would give you options in case your flight or travel plans change. You will most probably need a car to get to most of these places, especially if you want to keep a schedule. Get your best offers here!

What is the best time of year to visit the Amalfi Coast?

While the Amalfi Coast is a perfectly charming destination year-round, you will want to avoid it during winter when it gets cold and windy, and most restaurants and hotels are closed. 

Everything starts to open in March and you can plan your vacation up to November. That being said, the best time to visit might be in May or September in my opinion.

The weather is nice, prices aren’t so high, and streets aren’t packed with tourists as you might find them in July or August. 

Which Amalfi Coast town to stay in for 2 days

When you only have 2 days in Amalfi Coast you will want to spend the night in a convenient place. A town from where it is easy to travel around because you won’t want to waste time commuting from one place to the other.

Positano is the crown gem, the colorful and vibrant small town you see everywhere when you look for the Amalfi Coast.

Staying in Positano is perfect because it is not only charming but is linked to most towns and attractions. It will be easy to go for a day trip to Capri, get to Sorrento, and take the bus to Ravello.

Check out my complete guide for where to stay in Positano no matter your budget!

Sorrento is another great place to stay on the Amalfi Coast because it offers more affordable accommodation options, and it has trains, ferries, and buses linking it to other parts of Italy.

Amalfi would be my 3rd option for staying on the Amalfi Coast. It is a bit further away than Positano or Sorrento, but it has boats and buses that link it to the most important destinations.

Read also: Should you stay in Sorrento or Positano

My favorite hotels on the Amalfi Coast

La Sirenuse – One of the most iconic places in Positano, and maybe the most photogenic as well. You can’t get more central than this because you will be only steps away from the heart of the village and minutes away from the beach. See availability and prices here!

Alcione Residence – A family-run hotel with a great location and stunning views, AC in all their rooms. Make sure to book way in advance, because they have only a few rooms. Find out when they’re free here!

Il Giardino Dei Limoni – That terrace is stunning, and I could imagine myself working or simply enjoying strong Italian coffee with that view. Just a 1-minute walk from the beach, and close to a bus stop, you cannot get a better location than this. See availability and prices here!

How to get around the Amalfi Coast when you don’t rent a car?

As mentioned before, if you opt not to rent a car for 2 days in Amalfi Coast, it is easy to get around by bus, ferry, or organized tour.

Sorrento is linked to Salerno by a bus line operated by the SITA SUD bus. The ticket price is 2 EUR and you can buy it at any tabbacheria in one of the villages.

During summer expect delays in the bus timetables, and if you don’t take it from one end of the line, you might not be able to hop on the first bus.

Check out the bus timetables here and plan accordingly.

The other option would be to travel by boat.

Admiring the coastline from the water is something worth doing at least once during your 3 days on the Amalfi Coast. 

Check out ferry schedules and prices here!

2 days on the Amalfi Coast itinerary

Day 1 – Sorrento, Positano, Ravello

Day 2 – Day trip to Capri Island

Day 1 – Sorrento, Positano & Ravello

Visiting Sorrento in the morning

Sorrento is enchanting and will keep you busy for half of the day with its aristocratic vibe,  historic buildings, and beautiful marina. 

While Sorrento might not be one of the cheapest seaside resorts in Italy, you don’t have to break the bank to spend a few hours exploring it or sipping a cup of strong coffee with a sea view.

Take a stroll in Marina Grande and don’t leave without a few pictures of the colorful buildings and boats. Discover the hidden San Francesco Cloister, get lost on the narrow streets, taste some limoncello, or simply have a coffee in Tasso Square.

The laid-back vibe of Sorrento will charm you and will leave you wanting more.

Afternoon – take the bus to Positano

From Sorrento, take the bus or boat and head to Positano.

The charming village is less than 20 kilometers away and you’ll get there in roughly 40 minutes by land because of the winding roads.

Positano is by far the most beautiful town on the Amalfi Coast, and as expected, it’s also the most popular and thus crowded. With not so many attractions, you can easily spend half of the day strolling on the streets of Positano, climbing its narrow stairs, and enjoying the breathtaking views.

Don’t miss Spiaggia Grande (the main beach in Positano), cocktails at Bar Franco for sunset, the heart-shaped pizza at Chez Black, or the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta with its yellow cupola. Go shopping for unique clothes or souvenirs to bring back home on the main street of Positano, and eat some delicious and refreshing lemon sorbet. 

Check out my list of picture-perfect locations, and come prepared to take some of the most beautiful photos to hold as a lifelong memory. 

You can even plan for a professional photo session and let a professional local photographer create a memory that will last forever. 

Optional: head to Ravello and see the sunset from one of the villas

Although the time is short, you might still be able to fit into your schedule a visit to Ravello.

Perched up the hill, you can get here from Positano by bus. Choose between seeing Villa Cimbrone or Villa Rufolo – with the given time, unfortunately, you won’t have the time to see both.

Villa Cimbrone dates back to the 11th century and is a luxurious boutique hotel, with Michelin-star restaurants, and an impressive botanical garden that is open to visitors daily from 9 AM until sunset. Most tourists come here for the famous Terrazza dell’Infinito – the panoramic belvedere point. 

Virginia Woolf, Winston Churchill, Greta Garbo, and many more famous people have fallen in love throughout the years with Villa Cimbrone, so let yourself be seduced!

Villa Rufolo is a “younger” establishment dating from the 13th century, having been built by a wealthy family with the same name. With such a long history, the location is nowadays popular for its beautiful garden and breathtaking view over the Gulf of Salerno and the Amalfi Coast.  

Alternative for your first day itinerary: Pompeii and Positano

Because no trip to the Amalfi Coast should skip a visit to Positano, but also because history lovers cannot miss Pompeii.

Start your day with a guided tour of the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Especially if you are visiting on a summer day, temperatures can get pretty intense, thus starting early is a good idea.

Here are 2 of the most popular Pompeii tour options:

Small-Group Tour with an Archeologist – be part of a small group and discover this memorable UNESCO World Heritage Site together with an archeologist that will answer all your potential questions.

Pompeii Ruins Skip-the-Line – a 2-hour guided tour with skip-the-line access, allowing you to make the best of the rest of the day on the Amalfi Coast.

From Pompeii, take the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento. From there, hop on the bus and head to Positano where you can spend the rest of the day walking up and down its narrow streets.

Have heart-shaped pizza for lunch at Chez Black, do some ceramics shopping at the local stores, and end your evening with a sunset from Franco’s Bar. Or better yet, go on a sunset cruise along the coastline from Positano.

Alternative for your first day itinerary: visit some of the most important villages on the Amalfi Coast

You might not have time to visit all the villages on the Amalfi Coast in one day, however, you can see some of the most beautiful of them.

This is best done when you choose to stay towards the end of the coastline (in Sorrento for example), or in Positano.

You can travel by local bus, rent a car, go by boat, or book an organized tour from Sorrento (in which case you won’t have to worry about a thing).

No matter how you choose to get around you will most likely have time to visit only Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. These are also the most beautiful destinations.

Day 2 – Day trip to Capri Island

Once you get to Capri island you’ll understand why it isn’t hard to think that the charming island located in the Gulf of Naples has been inhabited since early times. You’ll understand also why Tiberius chose to move here and run the Roman empire from the island.

Throughout the years, many celebrities have spent their vacations roaming around the streets of Capri, and some have even bought properties here. 

Read my comprehensive day trip to Capri itinerary and plan your trip!

Enjoy a cocktail or a coffee in the main square, climb up Mount Solaro (or take the chairlift), stay to indulge in a romantic dinner, admire the Faraglioni rocks from Via Tragara, and go shopping via Camerelle. 

There are ferries that will get you there when you want to explore on your own, and organized tours linking up Capri with the Blue Grotto. 

From Sorrento: 

• By ferry – it can be as short as a 25 minutes boat trip, but you will need to book your ticket in advance because this is a very popular destination. See timetables and prices here!
• By organized tour – a full day trip with hotel pick-up. You will get to explore Capri Island, get to swim in the Blue Grotto, and taste some limoncello on your way back to Sorrento. See more here!

From Naples:

• By ferry – the ride takes anywhere between 50 minutes to close to 1.5 hours depending on the boat you choose. See timetables and prices here!
• By organized tour – explore Capri Island with a local guide, get some free time to let yourself be seduced by the island, and enjoy a delicious lunch. See more here!

From Positano or Amalfi

• By ferry – from Positano, you will be in Capri in just 30 minutes, while from Amalfi the time spent on the boat will double. See timetables and prices here!

Alternative for your 2nd day on the Amalfi Coast: Ischia & Procida

If this is not your first time on the Amalfi Coast, or if you prefer less explored destinations, with a local vibe, then skip visiting Capri Island and go for Ischia & Procida.

If you have seen or read Elena Ferrante’s “My Brilliant Friend” then you have already heard about and seen Procida Island. That’s where Lenu spent her holidays when she was a teenager. It is a less touristic destination for foreigners, but the go-to place for Italians.

On the other hand, the smaller and more colorful Ischia has been featured in “The Talented Mr. Ripley”. It is the island where Matt Damon’s character rode his scooter and spent his days under the sun. It is also my favorite Italian island, a place worth seeing if you like colorful destinations.

Packing List for your Amalfi Coast vacation

If you don’t know what to pack for your Amalfi Coast vacation, here are some of the things you must carry with you:

A pair of good sunglasses, no matter the season

A few nice floral colorful dresses

Sunscreen (this is my current favorite one)

A sun hat and a scarf to cover your shoulders if you enter the churches around the Amalfi Coast

A head scarf

A good camera to take pictures (I have the Sony a6000 mirrorless and I love it! And I’ve also invested in a 50mm lens for the best photos)

Swimwear (when you are visiting during summer)

Comfortable shoes (I love how comfortable and light my Rockport shoes are)

A foldable European travel adapter

Other FAQ about the Amalfi Coast

Are 2 days on the Amalfi Coast enough?

Not by far, but if you only have 2 days to spend exploring this amazing destination, that’s better than nothing. When you plan your trip accordingly, you can see some of the most important destinations on the Amalfi Coast, but you will surely want to go back someday.

What is better: Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast?

Both destinations are lovely and worth seeing. Depending on your budget, travel style, and favorite activities, you will like one more than the other. In my view, the Amalfi Coast is perfect for a honeymoon or for a special vacation because it has more options for luxury activities. Cinque Terre on the other hand is perfect for nature lovers seeking laid-back Italian life.

I have a comprehensive comparison of Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast here.

What is better: Amalfi Coast or Puglia

While both destinations are incredibly beautiful, they are also different and might target different types of travelers. Puglia is filled with hidden gems, while the Amalfi Coast is packed with tourists (especially during summer).

Read the whole comparison here: Amalfi Coast or Puglia? Which one to visit?

Is the Amalfi Coast worth visiting?

The Italian riviera is one of the most popular destinations in the world for a good reason. I personally think that you should spend at least 2 days on the Amalfi Coast.

Other Amalfi Coast travel resources

An easy to follow 3 days on the Amalfi Coast itinerary

Everything you must know about driving on the Amalfi Coast

5 days on the Amalfi Coast itinerary

Your complete guide for visiting Amalfi on a budget

Your ultimate Amalfi Coast honeymoon guide

Amalfi Coast affordable hotels for your dream vacation