Naples to Amalfi Coast day trip – an experience worth having

For such a long period of time, I was ignorant. About the world around me and about the places, I could have loved. But thankfully, life brought me to a lot of incredible places and opened my eyes to them. And maybe the most amazing trip I ever took was my first Naples to Amalfi Coast day trip. 

This can be said about the Amalfi Coast, the wonderful place I have discovered by chance during my trip to Naples late one Summer.

While I was in the North of Italy, they told me “Vedi Napoli e muori” is a common saying in Italy (“see Naples and you can die” – because it is so beautiful of course and you don’t need nothing more), but nobody told me about the Amalfitan Coast that waiting not far from the city.

I think I was the last one to hear about it, the world plotted against me so I would never hear about the most incredible coast there is. I most certainly don’t remember how we got to the idea of going there, but we did.

How did we plan our Naples to Amalfi Coast day trip? 

We took the Circumvesuviana train directly from Naples central train station up to Sorrento (here are some additional things to do in Sorrento if you have more time).

The journey should normally take between 45min and 1h30 and cost you around 4EUR one way, but be prepared for the train to be delayed (it sometimes happens, in our case, we got stuck for around 1h on the road because of a fight).

If you are interested, you can check out timetables here.

Oh, and another thing to have in mind if you travel during the Summer and especially during the weekends: stepping into the train is like stepping into a loud, crazy, hectic, Italian bar or better yet school.

Lots of children heading to the beaches around Naples, loudly talking and laughing in Neapolitan dialect.

We did a day-trip, leaving Naples in the morning returning in the evening thus opted for the day-ticket, cheaper than buying 2 one way tickets (around 7 EUR).

Once you get to Sorrento, right in front of the station you will find the hop on hop off buses leaving for Amalfi (and not only). We opted for this version of travel with an audio guide and the experience was incredible. We had an audio guide included, and we learned about this magnificent place while making our way along the winding road.

One tip from me: if you are afraid of heights to make sure to sit on the left side of the bus when traveling towards Amalfi.

And once the bus will start moving, I guarantee you: you will fall hopelessly in love! 

Other ways of getting from Naples to the Amalfi Coast

BY BOAT/FERRY

Another way of getting to Sorrento by boat.

This is the faster and more expensive way of doing things since the trip costs 11 EUR one way, 22 EUR return and takes around 40 min 🙂

I guess it can be a very nice experience, seeing the coast from the sea, having the wind in your hair, and getting lost in the deep blue.

If you are interested in booking a ticket you can do it here.

Also on the sea, you can choose to go by ferry and more precisely by The Metro del Mare. This option is cheaper than taking the boat and you will find out there are many more destinations to choose from.

BY CAR

You can rent a car at any time and drive all the way from Naples to Amalfi.

I personally would not do that because I am still a novice when it comes to driving and also because of 2 other reasons:

• drivers in the South of Italy tend to drive a bit like madmen
• the coast is very high, narrow and steep

But that shouldn’t stop you if you trust your driving skills.

I think this would be the best way of taking the trip, getting to stop whenever and wherever you want, taking as many pictures of ice creams as you like.

And if you do decide to rent a car and drive your way from Naples to the Amalfi Coast, I suggest you check out Discover Cars, which will help you find the best deals and save up to 70%. 

BY ORGANIZED TOUR

The easiest way to plan for a day trip from Naples to the Amalfi Coast without having to worry too much about timetables and other things is by booking an organized tour. 

We usually choose this kind of trip whenever we have a short time and want to make the most out of our trip. With a tour, you will always have someone to think about the timeline, and to show you all the most important things you’ll need to see in a place. 

On top of that, you won’t have to worry about transportation or anything else. 

As expected, there are many available options for tours to the Amalfi Coast from Naples, and I usually go for the one organized by GetYourGuide or Viator. 

They are easy to book ahead of time online, you can always cancel if something arises and you cannot make it any longer, and they have great reviews and my experiences have always been perfect. 

If you are trying to impress someone, this is where you should bring him/her. The effect will be 100 times more than what you were expecting. 

Just make sure to take more time than I did to spend here, just one day is not enough and you will regret not having more time on hand just to sit back and admire this Paradise on Earth.

I plan to go back at some point. And when I do, I want to choose to stay in one of those incredible places you see on Pinterest overlooking the sea.

I want to see the sunset relaxed sipping from a glass of fruity white wine while savoring a rich pasta dish.

This dream I know will come true!