Positano, Amalfi and Ravello Day Trip from Salerno, Sorrento or Naples

The Amalfi Drive

The Amalfi Drive is the coast road that links Positano, Amalfi and Vietri sul Mare, cut into the cliffs between the 1830s and the 1850s. It twists above the sea for about 50 kilometres, through tunnels in the rock and around ravines, with views at every bend of terraced lemon groves, watchtowers and villages clinging to the slopes. The Amalfi Coast became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 for this blend of nature and human work.

Driving it yourself is stressful, with narrow lanes, buses squeezing past and very little parking, which is why most visitors choose an Amalfi Coast day trip from Naples with a driver. From the van you simply enjoy the view while your driver or guide shares stories about the coast, and stops are timed to avoid the worst of the traffic.

Positano

Positano is the most photographed town on the coast, a cascade of pink, peach and white houses descending a steep ravine to the Spiaggia Grande beach. With about an hour here, you can walk down the stepped lanes past linen boutiques and sandal makers to the beach, where the dome of the parish church shines with green and yellow majolica tiles.

In the Middle Ages Positano shipped goods across the Mediterranean under the Amalfi republic; later, emigration left it a quiet fishing village until it was rediscovered in the 1950s. If you are wondering how to get to Positano without a car, a day trip like this is the simplest way: the van drops you close to the centre and collects you at a set time.

Amalfi

Amalfi is the historic capital of the coast. From the 9th to the 11th century it was a maritime republic whose merchants traded with Byzantium, North Africa and the Levant, and its sea laws were used across the Mediterranean. Piazza Duomo is dominated by the cathedral, reached by a wide staircase, with a striped facade, Byzantine bronze doors and a bell tower decorated with glazed tiles.

You have about an hour and a half to visit the cathedral and the 13th-century Cloister of Paradise, explore the Valley of the Mills where paper has been made by hand for centuries, or have lunch near the harbour. The cathedral complex is usually open daily from morning to early evening, with shorter winter hours; entry is not included and is paid on site.

Ravello

Ravello sits on a ridge more than 300 metres above the sea, between the valleys of Amalfi and Minori. Its quiet squares and medieval palaces were built by wealthy merchant families, and its cathedral, founded in 1086, has bronze doors from the 12th century. In summer, concerts on a terrace above the sea have earned Ravello the name city of music.

With about an hour and a half here, you can visit Villa Rufolo, with its Moorish-style courtyard and terraced gardens, or walk to the gardens of Villa Cimbrone and its Terrace of Infinity, with sweeping views over the Gulf of Salerno. Villa entries are not included. Is Ravello worth visiting? Its calm and its views make it the perfect final stop of the day.

Praiano, Furore and the return journey

Between Positano and Amalfi the road passes Praiano, a peaceful town spread along the cliffs with a church dome of glazed tiles, and crosses the high bridge over the Furore fjord, a narrow gorge where a tiny beach sits far below. Your driver points out these sights on the way, along with Conca dei Marini and its watchtower above the Emerald Grotto.

After Ravello the van heads back by the eastern side of the coast and the motorway, reaching Naples about eight hours after departure. The best time to visit the Amalfi Coast for this trip is April to June or September to October, when the weather is warm and the road is quieter than in high summer.