Finally, your dream come true and you made it to the incredible Amalfi Coast (a Unesco World Heritage site since 1997) and now you are wondering how to spend your time in this wonderful part of Italy. In this article we’ll lay out the top 10 things to do in Amalfi Coast for first timers.
Before we dive in on the best things to do in Amalfi Coast you need to know how to get to the area easily. We have all the information step by step in this article here.
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Amalfi Coast Boat Tour
The best way to admire the amazing beauty of the coast is by taking an Amalfi Coast boat tour to discover the many incredible grottos, little beaches and swim in the blue crystal water of this magical place. You can take the boat tour from different places along the coast, the main departing ports are Positano or Amalfi. By taking a boat tour of the Amalfi Coast you can visit the Fiordo di Furore located between Amalfi and Positano or the Grotta dello Smeraldo in Conca dei Marini, another great thing to include is a spot in one of the many restaurants along the coast and enjoy a lunch feast of fresh sea food with good local wines. This is a very popular activity, so boat tours sell out fast, you need to plan well in advance if you wish to spend a day on the water.
Hike The Path of the Gods
An 8km path that connect Bomerano Agerola (above Amalfi) to Nocelle (above Positano) with incredible and stunning views over the Amalfi Coast, this is one of the most popular hikes in the world. Every year 1000’s of people from all around the world take up the challenge to hike the Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei). You can start from several places depending on where you are located along the coast. Majority of people start from Agerola (Bomerano) going toward Nocelle (above Positano), if you are in Amalfi, Maiori, Atrani or Minori the best way to get to the starting point is to get the SITA bus from Amalfi about 30-45 minutes depending on the traffic and on the month you visit. If you are in Praiano you can get to the path by the steps going up from near the beach la Praia. If you are in Positano or Montepertuso you can start from Nocelle above Positano, you can get there with the local bus that starts from the centre of Positano Piazza dei Mulini. This is a must thing to do in Amalfi Coast as the views from the path are just out of this world.
Explore Amalfi and Ravello
Depending on how long you’ll be staying along the coast a day trip to visit Amalfi and Ravello is a must. There are several ways you can do that by yourself using public transport (buses and ferries) or with a private tour of group tours. The main attractions in Amalfi are the Duomo located in the centre of Amalfi in Piazza Duomo, depending on the time you have you can also consider a visit to the paper museum or the maritime museum. Also don’t miss a visit to the Savoia gelateria for the best gelato in Amalfi and also the delicious delizia a Limone from the Panza family.
Ravello the city of music (Citta’ della Musica) located above Amalfi you can get there by bus (SITA) or with the City seething tour company a bit more expensive but a guaranteed seat or by taxi (expensive around €50) from the centre of Amalfi. The main attractions in Ravello are Villa Rufolo in the centre of Ravello with incredible views over the coast and Villa Cimbrone a 10 minutes’ walk from the main piazza, the main attraction inside the villa is the infinity terrace with wonderful views over the Amalfi Coast and behind, on a clear day you can see the Cilento Coast. If you have the time you can also visit the cathedral in the main square and if you are lucky you can run into the many weddings that take place in Ravello every summer.
A Day Trip to Capri
You can visit the Island to Capri from the Amalfi Coast for the day easily. There are two options to explore this incredible Island in the gulf of Naples. Take a ferry from Positano only 30 minutes or Amalfi 50 minutes to Capri or by taking a boat tour (sharing or private) there are several companies that offer lots of different tour options. Once you are on the Island you don’t want to miss the blue grotto, Monte Solaro, the gardens of Augustus, Arco Naturale and Via Krupp. For in deep info on what to do in Capri we have lots of free advice here.
Take A Cooking Class
If you are a foodie you can learn how to prepare traditional dishes and desserts from the area with a cooking class in one of the many restaurants or by local expert home cook showing you how to prepare traditional dishes passed on from their grandmothers. Most of the classes are hands on so be prepared to actually do some work.
Basic Limoncello & Marmalade Experience in Positano
This is a short class where you take part in the preparation and usually lasts 30-40 minutes. It takes place in our factory with a splendid view over the bay of Positano, where you will discover how to make Limoncello and lemon jam. They will show you the production step by step, in the preparation of Limoncello and lemon jam, discovering the secrets of our mothers’ recipe book. After this you can taste the Limoncello and other products they produce, such as candies, other types of liqueurs and other typical specialties.
Take A Walking Photo Tour of Positano
Are you into social media? With a walking photo tour of Positano you’ll discover the best hidden places with incredible views and photo opportunity that will take any of your social media accounts to the next level. This activity will take you for about 2 hours around Positano. This experience is design and suitable especially if you have a short time to spend in Positano and want to make the most of it.
A Wine Tasting in Positano Centre
Are you into wines? If so, you could take a wine tasting in Positano to taste the incredible wines produces along the Amalfi Coast. A professional sommelier will break down all the type of wines produced in the area and along with the wine tasting you’ll get also finger food to accomplish the experience all locally produced. This is a great way to try wines from small wine makers that probably you can’t find anywhere else outside the region.
Sunset Cruise Experience
Take a sunset cruise tour along the coast to admire the incredible summer sunset in Amalfi Coast. Usually those boat tours run from the middle of April to the end of October, weather permitting and the experience is about 2 hours, this is a fantastic idea if you are looking to propose. You can take a cruise from anywhere along the coast.
Enjoy A Day Relaxing at The Beach
There are lots of beautiful beaches along the coast you can choose from where you can spend a day relaxing and enjoying the incredible Mediterranean Sea. We have some suggestions for the best beaches along the Amalfi Coast. If you are in Positano or nearby villages, you don’t want to miss Fornillo beach at Pupetto Café and Da Adolfo at Laurito beach. If you are nearby Amalfi you should spend a day at Duoglio beach and a place you don’t want to miss is Lido degli Artisti. If you are near Maiori a fantastic beach you must visit if the Cavallo Morto beach, but you can get access only via the sea, so you need to get a water taxi.
Where To Eat
I have a list of great places on where to eat and drink along the Amalfi Coast on my dedicated site here
Places To Stay
I have great suggestions on places to stay along the Amalfi Coast here
The above are the top 10 things to do in Amalfi Coast for first timers you don’t want to miss. For more advice and suggestions visit our sister site about the Amalfi Coast here. From the coast you can easly take a day tour to Naples
More advice on the best free things to do on the Amalfi Coast
