After spending time in Rome, you may be interested in taking a train to the beach. Italy has some spectacular seaside holiday destinations. One of the most stunning options is the Amalfi Coast. Our Italy travel experts share tips and tricks for making the most of your Amalfi Coast holiday.
How to get to the Amalfi Coast
Where is the Amalfi Coast? South of Rome on the western side of Italy, the Amalfi Coast is a 30 mile length of coastline famous for its picturesque towns, beaches, and stunning cliffside views. Located in Italy’s Campania region, it features many small beaches and beautiful pastel-coloured fishing villages.
Getting to the coast is a relatively straightforward operation. The simplest way from Rome is to take a direct train to Salerno, which takes between 90 minutes and three hours depending on the type of train you choose and time of day. The costs are nearly identical for the different speeds; we recommend choosing the train that best fits your schedule.
If you prefer to fly, the nearest Amalfi Coast airport is Naples International or Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport. If you’re heading directly to Amalfi, arriving by air may be the best option. But when you’re already in Italy, the train can be quicker when you consider travel time to the airport, security, checking luggage, and the other complexities of air travel. It takes just minutes to browse fares and book your trip on ItaliaRail.
The towns along Amalfi are small. To access these villages after arriving in either Naples or Salerno, you’ll need to travel by car, bus or ferry. By Salerno as your jumping-off point, you will have you more options to access the area’s most picturesque towns and villages.
Visiting the Amalfi Coast
Once you’ve landed, you’ll have a choice of many stunning places on the coast to explore. Here are our recommendations for things to do your trip to Amalfi Coast.
Amalfi
When planning a trip to Amalfi Coast you need to check-out Amalfi. Amalfi is the biggest of the Amalfi Coast towns and one of its most popular destinations. Consider a trip to the Emerald Grotto, a cave that emits a magnificent emerald hue due to the way the light refracts on the water.
Stroll along the beach or climb the hill to see some of the area’s famous lemon trees. The trees literally make the air smell like lemons and are one of the primary products of the area. Fresh lemon features heavily in many of the dishes you’ll sample, and limoncello liqueur is a popular beverage.
A beautiful and simple way to get to Amalfi is on the Salerno to Amalfi ferry. It’s a quick trip that costs only a few Euros, and you’ll get fantastic views of the coastline from the boat.
Positano
Famous for its pastel-coloured houses, Positano is perhaps the destination town on the Amalfi Coast. Popular with the rich and famous, you’ll be able to soak in incredible views, hit the sandy beach, and indulge in some exciting nightlife. Due to this kind of attention, Positano is also one of the few Amalfi Coast towns with upscale shopping opportunities.
While arriving by bus or car are options, we recommend taking the ferry from Salerno to Positano. It’s much better to be on the sea than potentially stuck in traffic on some of the coast’s winding roads. If you drive from Salerno to Positano, you’ll also have to contend with parking, which can be tricky during peak season.
Isle of Capri
Capri is famous the world over as a beautiful holiday destination; fortunately, it’s just a short trip on the Positano to Capri ferry. Try a peek at the famous Blue Grotto, a popular destination you may want to book in advance. For a leisurely stroll consider Villa San Michele, a series of gardens built on the grounds of one of Emperor Tiberius’s former villas.
Once you’ve wound up with your time on the Amalfi Coast, you can head back to Salerno to catch the Salerno to Rome train, or depart via Naples if that’s more along the route of your next destination. We hope you enjoy your trip to the Amalfi Coast.
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