This guide is for you if you are staying in Sorrento, Naples or on the coast itself and want Positano, Amalfi and Ravello in one day. It covers the choices that shape the day before you book it: the month, the road, the gardens in Ravello, the bus, and who in your group will enjoy eight hours on the coast.
When to go
The coast road is the thing to plan around. From June to September it is busy, and our day starts at 07:00 to stay ahead of the traffic. You are in Positano at about eight, before the lanes fill, and you leave Ravello in the middle of the afternoon.
The local authorities have also limited traffic on the busiest stretch in high season. When the rule was introduced in 2022, it covered the SS163 between Positano and Vietri sul Mare: on summer weekends from mid-June to the end of September, every day in August, Holy Week and the days around 25 April and 1 May, cars could use the road between 10:00 and 18:00 only on alternate days, depending on whether the number plate ends in an odd or even number. Rental cars were included. Taxis, buses and hired cars with a driver were exempt. If you plan to drive yourself, check the current rules before you go, because the dates are set again each year.
Ravello has its own calendar. The Ravello Festival runs through the summer, from July into early September, and most of its concerts take place on the Belvedere of Villa Rufolo, the terrace over the sea. The programme has included a concert at dawn. Check this year's dates, and if music is part of why you are going, look at the programme early and stay in Ravello that evening; the day tour has you there in the early afternoon.
Outside those months the road is calmer, and the early start matters less. If you have the choice, spring and autumn give you the same three towns with more room on the road between them.
How the day fits together
Eight hours, from your hotel and back. If you are collected in Naples, add about an hour each way to that.
The time divides into three towns and the road between them. Positano comes first: you walk down through the lanes and the driver meets you at the bottom, so you never climb back up. Then the coast road past Praiano and the Furore fjord, with stops where you want them. Amalfi is the long stop, with lunch, and Ravello takes the early afternoon. Lunch is not included, and neither are the cathedral cloister in Amalfi or the gardens in Ravello.
The vehicle is yours, so the order can change on the day. One example: Villa Rufolo has run free guided visits in English, included in the normal ticket, on the first Saturday of the month, starting at 11:00. If they are running on your date and you want to join one, tell us and we can take Ravello before Amalfi. Places are limited and you sign up at the gate shortly before the start; check the official site for the current dates.
The bus, or a driver
You can do this by public transport. SITA buses leave from outside Sorrento station for Positano and continue to Amalfi. From Amalfi a separate bus climbs to Ravello, and other buses go on to Salerno. Ferries also link Amalfi and Positano with each other and with Sorrento and Naples, and their frequency changes with the season. Amalfi is the hub for all of it, so you change there.
It works, and it costs less. What you give up is control: you change in Amalfi, and the timetable decides how long you spend in each town. A hired car with a driver was also exempt from the number-plate rule, and fuel, tolls and parking are part of our day.
The private day gives you the road at your own pace, the pick-up at your door and the drop at the bottom of Positano. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to book and what to bring
There is little to book ahead. Villa Rufolo sells its tickets only at the gate, and does not take bookings. Its current schedule has the gardens open every day from morning until early evening, with last entry half an hour before closing, so the afternoon stop fits easily. Check the official site before you go, because hours change with the season. Children can go up the villa's tower museum from the age of five.
Bring:
- Shoes with grip. You walk down through Positano's lanes, and Ravello sits on a ridge.
- A swimsuit if you want a quick swim at Positano's beach, where the driver collects you.
- A card or some cash for lunch and the entrances, which you pay for on the day.
- Water and a hat from June to September.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits couples and families staying on the peninsula who want the three towns without managing buses and parking. It is a good first day on the coast: after it you know which town you want to go back to.
- Someone in your group finds steps hard. Positano is built down a cliff and Ravello is on a ridge. Tell us when you book and we plan the stops around it.
- Anyone gets car-sick. The coast road is all bends. Ask for a front seat and keep the windows open.
- You are based in Rome. This day starts on the coast. From Rome, our Pompeii and Amalfi Coast tour covers it in one long day, and our article on choosing between Rome and Sorrento compares the two.
- You are more than 16. Two vehicles travel together on one booking. Message us with your numbers.
Questions people ask
Can we fit in Capri?
Not by road: Capri is reached by boat. We can drop you at the ferry in Sorrento or Positano and collect you when you come back, which makes it a different day.
Can we add Pompeii?
Yes, on a longer day. Pompeii is on the way from Naples, so it fits at the start.
What if we change our plans?
Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick the month with the road and the festival in mind, wear shoes made for steps, and tell us about anyone who needs an easier pace. The stops, the times and what is included are on the Amalfi Coast private day tour page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
