How to Spend Five Days in the Amalfi Coast & Sorrento
- Updated: 04/09/2024
- Janice
On a recent spring break trip, our family of two adults and two teens spent four nights in Rome, followed by five nights on the Amalfi Coast and in Sorrento. I share our Amalfi and Sorrento itinerary, ideal for families traveling with older kids or teens, below. Or follow these links to check out my four-day Rome or 10-day Italy itinerary articles.
Table Of Contents
During the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento portion of our trip, we, unfortunately, got unlucky with the weather. There happened to be a major storm system sitting over much of southern Europe for several days. So, much of our itinerary could also be subtitled “What to do in Positano & Sorrento When It Rains.”
And if you are curious—yes–it rains more on the Amalfi Coast in spring (eight or nine days on average per month) versus summer (three or four days on average, view weather data for Positano here). However, given the lighter crowds and more affordable prices on just about everything—especially lodging and airfare, spring is an IDEAL time to visit this region of Italy, particularly for a family group. In addition, the weather was gorgeous before we arrived, on our day of arrival, and after we left.
Sometimes, you get lucky with the weather. And other times, you are lucky just to be in Italy, AND you get soggy. Regardless of the rain-soak, we had a phenomenal trip. And I would plan or recommend spring travel here again in a heartbeat. View our itinerary immediately below. Or dig into the detail starting with The Amalfi Coast: Days 1 to 3.
Our 5-Day Amalfi Coast & Sorrento Itinerary At-A-Glance
Days 1 to 3: The Amalfi Coast
Days 4 to 6: The Sorrentine Peninsula & Pompeii
To view more detail and get ideas for your trip, jump to the sections below.
Days 1 to 3: Amalfi Coast Itinerary
Day 1: Train to Naples & on to Positano
- Check out from Navona Gallery Suites in Rome
- Taxi to Roma Termini train station
- Take the Frecciarossa (high-speed) train to Naples, pre-purchased on ItaliaRail
- Pickup and transfer with Gianluca, owner of Amalfi Driver Service, to Positano
- Check in to our stunning 2.5-bedroom, 2-bath, with a terrace, Mamma Mia rental
- Explore Positano
- Breakfast: (included with lodging) return to Enoteca Il Piccolo in Rome
- Lunch: Seaside pizza and wine at Le Tre Sorelle in Positano
- Dinner: Excellent gnocchi with seafood and eggplant, and fish in lemon sauce, with a view, at Ristorante Bruno
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
After three full days exploring Rome, we let the kids sleep in and took a late morning Frecciarossa (high-speed) train to Naples, making our way to Positano.
Because we did not want to drive, we hired a driver. Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly service-oriented, Gianluca—from Amalfi Driver Service—met us at the train station. He chatted to us about the region in excellent English, stopping for sweeping views and fresh lemon granita on the way.
Pina, the wonderful owner of our Positano rental, met us at Gianluca’s drop-off point, helping us down the stairs and to our rental. Originally part of her grandmother’s guesthouse, our unit—named Mamma Mia—was sparkling-clean and meticulously decorated. And best of all, it had a terrace with a beautiful view across dome-topped pastel-hued Positano and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Is Mamma Mia booked? If Mamma Mia is booked, find other highly-rated Positano rentals and small hotel properties here on Booking.com.
After settling in, we headed down the stairs into town to enjoy a late lunch of pizza and wine at seaside Le Tre Sorelle, followed by a walk along the beach.
Needing their regular afternoon break, we dropped our teens at our rental and headed out again. Knowing tomorrow’s weather would change to rain, we spent the rest of the day outdoors, climbing up and down the stairs to explore the town. As evening fell, we returned to collect the kids for an alfresco dinner, with a beautiful view, at nearby and excellent Ristorante Bruno.
Day 2: Walking the Path of the Lemons from Minori to Maiori
- Accidental private guided tour of Minori and Villa Romana
- Guided walk along the Path of the Lemons (or the Lemon Trail) from Minori to Maiori
- Aperitivo with friends
- Breakfast: take away pastries from Collina bakery
- Lunch: great pasta, pizzas, and beers at Mario e Maria, a family restaurant in Maiori
- Snack: Epically good sweets at Pasticceria Sal De Riso in Minori
- Dinner: Excellent, though high-priced—the stuffed gnocchi was a favorite—at Ristorante Adamo ed Eva
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
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Although I typically appreciate the quote, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing,” not on this day. Due to rain and wind, our guide canceled our group Path of the Gods hike, an epic walk with sweeping coastline views I had been looking forward to for months.
Luckily, as it was early in the season, our family had been the only ones to book the hike. So, together with our guide Nino, we decided on an excellent alternative—walking the mostly paved and more protected Path of the Lemons from the town of Minori to Maiori. With raincoats on and umbrellas up, we began our visit in Minori with a stop at Villa Romana—an ancient Roman villa—where Nino shared his considerable knowledge of the site.
Next, we climbed steep stairs to begin the trail—a barely used road with pretty views across agricultural terraces and the Tyrrhenian Sea. The road led to a lemon-grove-lined stone path and into Maiori, where we had lunch at family-run Mario e Maria.
We walked along Amalfi Drive, the main road connecting the towns, to return to Minori and Nino’s vehicle, stopping at famed Pasticceria Sal De Riso to dry off and warm up with drinks and dessert before heading back. We used the rest of the day to relax, meet friends for a drink, and go to dinner at nearby Ristorante Adamo and Eva.
Day 3: Amalfi, Ravello & La Tagliata
- Private driver tour of the towns of Amalfi & Ravello with Amalfi Driver Service
- Canceled (due to rain): 30-minute family photo session with Andrea Gallucci
- Breakfast: take-away pastries from Collina bakery, yogurt and fruit from the Delicatessen, in Positano
- Lunch: light lunch at Bar Della Valle and dessert at Andrea Pansa in Amalfi Town
- Dinner: Prix fixe with a group of friends at La Tagliata
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
On this day, the poor weather, which had settled over much of southern Europe, continued with intermittent heavy rain, cool temperatures, and thick fog. Despite it, we stuck to our plan to drive down the coast with Gianluca, stopping at towns we had not visited the day before with Nino.
Upon reaching the town of Amalfi, Gianluca stayed with the car while we explored the town and its historic cathedral, the Duomo di Amalfi. Hard rain drove us indoors for an early lunch at Bar Della Valle, followed by a stop at another celebrated pasticceria, Andrea Pansa, for delicious lemon cake.
Afterward, Gianluca drove us up winding roads above Amalfi to Ravello—famed for its beautiful cathedral, gardens, concerts, and sweeping views. Though, upon climbing the stairs to the main piazza, we could only see fog. Combining this with the rain and wind, everyone opted to cut our Ravello visit short and head back to Gianluca’s comfortable car and our apartment.
The poor weather also disappointingly meant I had to cancel my scheduled 30-minute afternoon family photo session with local photographer Andrea Gallucci. However, all was not lost. After some dry indoor time, we joined friends visiting the area for dinner at La Tagliata, positioned high above Positano, enjoying a lovely evening including a multi-course, price-fixed family-style meal, perfect for a group with five kids.
Days 4 to 6: Sorrentine Peninsula Itinerary
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Day 4: La Masseria Farm & Sorrento
- Check out and goodbye to Pina at Mamma Mia
- Transfer with Gianluca (Amalfi Driver Service) to La Masseria Farm
- Tour and lunch at La Masseria Farm
- Transfer with Gianluca to Sorrento
- Check in to Cuore di Sorrento Suites
- Explore Sorrento (more rain!)
- Breakfast: take-away pastries from Collina bakery, yogurt and fruit from the Delicatessen, in Positano
- Lunch: a multi-course farm-to-table meal at La Masseria
- Dinner: good pizzas and pasta at nearby and relaxed Trattoria Da Gigino
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
After departing Positano, Gianluca drove us toward the tip of the Sorrento peninsula and La Masseria Farm to tour their hillside lemon farm and enjoy a farm-to-table lunch. Eugenio, the family’s son, led the group tour in English. He was excellent and good-humored, making jokes and telling stories as he took us around, visiting the animals, learning about the lemon growing process, and viewing the storerooms.
After the tour, we tasted the farm’s bounty—olive oils, cheeses, and more, followed by a lovely lunch of homemade pasta and lemon tiramisu, served with the farm’s lemonade, red wine, and limoncello.
Stuffed with delicious food, Gianluca drove us to Sorrento to check in at Cuore di Sorrento Suites. Priced at just over $150 US in early April, our perfectly located and ingeniously designed family room with two small balconies was an excellent deal. Especially considering the room included a surprisingly generous collection of self-serve snacks and breakfast items at no charge.
Is Cuore di Sorrento Suites booked? If it is booked, find other highly-rated Sorrento rentals and small hotel properties here on Booking.com.
Once settled, the kids stayed back to rest. And we headed out to explore Sorrento using Rick Steves’ walking tour in his Naples & the Amalfi Coast guidebook, cutting the walk short as the unseasonably chilly and windy rain turned to hail.
Would you like to see my husband get hit in the head by hail? (I promise no injuries occurred!) Check out this lucky video I took of the Sorrento hailstorm.
Luckily by dinnertime, the stormiest of the weather moved on, allowing us to head out to nearby busy and laid-back Trattoria da Gigino to enjoy dinner.
Day 5: Pompeii & Sorrento
- Take the Circumvesuviana train from Sorrento to the Pompeii Scavi station
- Join the “Skip the Line and Visit Pompeii with an Archaeologist” small group tour
- Return on Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento
- Explore and shop in Sorrento
- Breakfast: pastries, toasts, cereals, and yogurts stocked in our rental
- Lunch: sandwiches made with bread, meat, and cheeses in our rental
- Dinner: average to okay pasta at overrated Ristorante Fuoro in Sorrento
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
Today we headed to Pompeii for a day trip. Knowing from Gianluca that the local Circumvesuviana train was prone to delays of up to 45 minutes, we left early to meet our small group tour.
Disembarking at the Pompeii Scavi station, we walked to meet our guide, Lello, just as one of what would be several storms that afternoon dumped chilly rain and hail. Luckily the weather calmed as we began our outstanding tour with Lello, an animated storyteller with a knack for expertly walking backward while asking questions like, “Do you want to see something even better?” Yes, Lello—we do.
Lello led us to the gladiatorial training grounds, then to the Amphitheater, where he demonstrated its superior acoustics by having us take turns speaking in the middle of it. Throughout the tour Lello continued to highlight, explain, and tell stories while leading us through the streets, a Roman Villa, a brothel, and more. The only downside of the day was the terrible early spring weather, termed “pazzo,” or “crazy,” as Gianluca later explained to us.
At one point of the tour and during the worst of the hail, my 12-year-old announced, “The only thing worse than being in Pompeii today would be being here during the eruption.”
However, and despite the epically bad weather, she and the rest of my family still unanimously agreed—touring Pompeii with Lello and his excellent storytelling was a highlight of our trip. After the tour, we took the train back to Sorrento, where we rested, ate snacks, and then headed out again to explore, shop, and eat dinner on our last night in Italy.
Day 6: Naples International Airport & Flight Home
- Transfer to Naples International Airport (NAP) with Gianluca of Amalfi Driver Service
- Flight back to Chicago via Zurich
- Breakfast: pastries, coffees, and juices at the airport
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
We woke early today to meet Gianluca for our early morning 50-minute drive to Naples International Airport from Sorrento. As we drove, Gianluca told us that traffic into Naples, especially during the height of the summer season, can be terrible, and travelers coming from Sorrento may need to allow up to two hours to reach the airport.
Although we saw nothing notable about the traffic on our early morning drive, we saw snow covering the top of Mount Vesuvius, a sight that Gianluca informed us was normal in February but not in early April when it was, in fact, “pazzo.” Upon arrival at the airport, we said our sad goodbyes to Gianluca just as the rain clouds began to part and the sun shined through. Ciao, Italia—until next time!
Trip Planning Resources for the Amalfi Coast & Sorrento
To plan this portion of our trip, I relied on several resources. My top recommended ones are below:
Rick Steves Snapshot Naples & the Amalfi Coast. Use this guide in conjunction with other resources. It is not Rick’s most thorough work and surprisingly leaves out sections of the coast—for example, no mention of the towns of Minori or Maori. However, I still found reading it valuable to help shape my time in the area. In addition, I recommend checking out the highly rated Moon and Lonely Planet guidebooks for Amalfi.
Pinterest and blog articles. To complement guidebooks, I use Pinterest to search for and save itinerary ideas about what to do in my trip destinations. Find my Pinterest account here. Or check out my Amalfi Coast pinboard with saved articles.
Booking.com. Due to its generous cancellation policies and payment schedule, discounts (often 10% off), and easy-to-use interface, Booking.com has lately become my preferred resource for reserving properties—from rentals to hotels—particularly for Europe. Use it to search for Positano and Sorrento places to stay just right for your trip, especially if the accommodations I recommend (and have stayed in) are unavailable.
The Sorrento Insider. I used this website to get information about the Circumvesuviana train line to Pompeii, including the schedules and incredibly helpful FAQs (below the schedules) about catching the train.
It is also a great resource for more things to do and places to stay in Sorrento. The media company that runs it has similar sites for Positano, Capri, Ischia, and Pompeii.
The Man in Seat 61. I have mentioned this resource-rich website covering international train travel in a previous article. For Italy train travel, go here to learn where to buy tickets, which class to select, and what to expect while on your ride.
Italy Travel Planning Facebook Group. If you are planning a trip to the area and do not have a Facebook account, you should get one if only to join this group with 80,000+ members. The group is a gold mine of information.
Find itinerary ideas, lodging recommendations, where to eat, what to do, suggestions to avoid petty thefts—and much more. I discovered my favorite driver, Gianluca, from Amalfi Driver Service through a recommendation on this group.
Related Reading
If you are traveling to Italy, or Europe in the spring, check out these related articles to help you get the information you need to plan your best trip.
Or take a look at my “Rome and the Amalfi Coast: The Best Books to Read Before a Trip” booklist below to get a pre-trip reading list, including my preferred guidebook, Rick Steves’ Rome.
Additional Trip Planning Resources
To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below.
Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here.
Google Hotels. Use its “Where to stay” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.
Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.
Viator, Get Your Guide, & Airbnb Experiences. Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.
Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps. Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list.
AllTrails. Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.
Guide Along. 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour.
Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here. My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com.
Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks, and my free customizable travel itinerary template, downloadable in four file formats.
About the author: Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog, Gather and Go Travel. After attending the University of Michigan undergraduate business school and following a career in retail strategy and event management, she returned to focus on her first love—travel. Read her bio, learn how she became a blogger, and discover how to work with her. Sign up for her monthly Discovery Newsletter for travel recs and how-to’s. Or follow her on social media (@gatherandgotravel).
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Welcome to Gather and Go Travel, a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, a world traveler to 50+ countries, a travel writer/blogger, and a book lover. Learn more about me, read our story, and how to work with me. Get my latest updates, how-tos, and trip ideas in my monthly Discovery Newsletter.
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6 Responses
Thank you for reading it.
thanks for the useful article
You are welcome! I’m thrilled to hear it helped. Have a wonderful trip!
Janice,
Thank you so much for all of your advice in this article. We are planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast this August and you made it sound much easier than i am anticipating.
Thank you! I’m so glad you found information you could use with your planning!
This is a really helpful post. Thanks for all the tips and resources.