Sorrento, Amalfi and Ravello Day Trip from Naples by Minibus

Sorrento, the cliff-top gateway to the coast

Sorrento stands on a terrace of volcanic rock about 50 metres above the Bay of Naples, with Vesuvius across the water and Capri just off the tip of the peninsula. The drive from Naples takes a little over an hour, and our guide points out the views as the road follows the bay. In town you have about an hour and a half of free time, enough to reach the main square, look down into the Valley of the Mills, a deep green gorge with the ruins of an old flour mill at the bottom, and stroll the narrow lanes of the old centre.

Sorrento is known for its lemon groves and for inlaid woodwork, a craft still practised in small workshops off the main street. From the public gardens above the fishing harbour of Marina Grande, the view across the bay is superb. Many travellers ask whether Sorrento is worth visiting on an Amalfi Coast day trip: as a first stop it is ideal, relaxed and full of character.

Positano viewpoint on the Amalfi Drive

After Sorrento the minibus crosses the peninsula and joins the Amalfi Drive, the coast road carved into the cliffs in the 19th century. The first sight of Positano is unforgettable: pastel houses stacked down a steep ravine to a grey-sand beach, crowned by a church dome covered in glazed majolica tiles. Our driver stops for about 15 minutes at a viewpoint above the town, a quick break that lets you see Positano as a whole, something you cannot do from inside its lanes.

Offshore you may make out the small Li Galli islands, linked by local legend to the sirens of ancient myth. Positano was a modest fishing and trading village until the mid-20th century, when travellers made it fashionable, and today its boutiques sell handmade sandals and colourful linen. If you want more time there, our team can suggest a Positano boat tour or another day on the coast.

Amalfi, the old maritime republic

Amalfi gave its name to the whole coast. Between the 9th and 11th centuries it was a powerful maritime republic trading with Byzantium and the ports of North Africa and the Levant, and its sea laws were followed across the Mediterranean. Its heart is Piazza Duomo, where a broad flight of steps rises to the cathedral, with its striped Arab-Norman facade, bronze doors cast in Constantinople in the 11th century and a bell tower dressed in green and yellow tiles.

Beside the cathedral, the Cloister of Paradise, built in the 13th century with interlaced white arches and palm trees, is a peaceful corner; the cathedral complex is usually open daily from morning to early evening, with shorter hours in winter, and entry to the cloister and museum is paid separately. You have about an hour and a half here to visit, see the fountain in the square, follow the lanes towards the old paper-making valley or sit by the harbour.

Ravello, the city of music above the sea

From Amalfi the road climbs through the Dragone valley to Ravello, perched more than 300 metres above the sea. Rich merchant families of the Amalfi republic built their palaces here, and the town still feels quiet and elegant. Villa Rufolo, begun in the 13th century, has a Moorish-style courtyard, a tall medieval tower and terraced gardens looking down on the coast; in summer, concerts are held on a stage that seems to hang above the sea, which is why Ravello is called the city of music.

A short walk away, the gardens of Villa Cimbrone end at the Terrace of Infinity, a balcony lined with marble busts and a view many consider the finest on the coast. Is Ravello worth visiting? For many guests it is the highlight of the day, cooler and calmer than the towns by the sea. You have about an hour and a half here; entry to the villas is not included and is paid on the spot.

The Lattari Mountains panorama

The Lattari Mountains form the rocky spine of the Sorrento peninsula, rising to more than 1,400 metres and dividing the Bay of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno. Their name recalls the dairy pastures of the uplands, still known for fresh cow's-milk cheese. On the way back to Naples the minibus climbs into the mountains for a final panoramic stop, with the coastline and the Gulf of Salerno below and, on clear days, Vesuvius and the plain of Naples on the other side.

It is a peaceful end to a long day and a good moment for photos away from the crowds. The drive back takes about an hour and a half, and you reach your Naples drop-off point at around 17:00, depending on traffic. The cool air up here is welcome in summer, so keep a light layer handy in spring and autumn.