Day Trips to Sorrento and Amalfi Coast from Naples

There's plenty to see and do in Naples and, if you're staying longer than three days, I recommend exploring the Amalfi Coast. You'll see some lovely scenery and taste the region's excellent food.

Sorrento is the largest city on the Amalfi Coast, the perfect starting point for exploring the surrounding area and a must for the best tours and excursions from Naples. This article explains all the options to reach Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast from the capital of Campania.

Guided tours are a good way to see more than one destination in a single day and to make the most of your time. Tours are usually run in a small bus and pick you up from your hotel or another central location in Naples. You can choose between different types of routes.

Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi Stages Tour

Booking an excursion to Positano, Amalfi and Sorrento from Naples will give you time to see the main attractions in each town and have a drink. At the first destination I recommend Piazza Tasso, a coffee at the Bar del Carmine, the Cloister of San Francesco and Villa Comunale (Via San Francesco).

The second stop is Positano, a village between the sea and the hills that is famous both for its wonderful nature and for the homonymous style of clothing. The walks usually start from Piazza dei Mulini and are notable for the main church and the typical coloured houses.

The last destination is Amalfi, Italy's first seafaring republic. The Sant'Andrea fountain and the Cathedral bear witness to its glorious past.

• These excursions cost approximately €140.

Excursion to Positano, Amalfi and Ravello

This option replaces Sorrento with Ravello, the panoramic balcony of the Amalfi Coast. It's not on the coast but on the heights and is dotted with elegant mansions such as Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo.

Among the many classical buildings is the Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium, a concert hall built by the famous Brazilian architect. Every summer it hosts a famous music, film and literature festival.

• These tours last between 7 and 8 hours and cost around €80.

Pompeii and Amalfi Day Tour

In this case, before reaching the coast, the bus will take you to the most important archaeological excavations in Europe. The guide will explain the history behind the Stabian thermal baths, the forum, the Temple of Jupiter and other survivors of the eruption of Vesuvius.

The tour ends near the Duomo of Amalfi, the symbol of the city which has an eclectic style that mixes Romanesque, Baroque and Rococo elements. Admission is free but if you want to visit the Museum and the Cloister of Paradise you will have to pay about €3.

• These tours usually last 8 hours and cost around €120.
• If you are only interested in visiting Pompeii, I recommend you visit the article Excursions to Pompeii from Naples.

Tour of the Amalfi Coast by Fiat 500

The ideal option for vintage car enthusiasts. The driver will take you to Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Pogerola and Ravello. Pogerola is a fraction of Amalfi located on the heights. From here you can enjoy beautiful views of the Gulf of Salerno.

The last stage is the Grotta dello Smeraldo, a karst cave partially occupied by the sea. The best time to visit it is around 13:00. At this time the sun's reflections penetrate the cave, making the waters sparkle.

• The cost is rather high, more than 300 €, and includes pick-up from the hotel or a central point in Naples.

In my opinion, the car is a double-edged sword. On the one hand it is a comfortable and scenic option, but on the other hand it is subject to heavy traffic and the availability and price of car parks, especially if you travel in summer or on public holidays.

However, the road is very beautiful as the route runs in the communal territory of charming villages such as Meta, Vico Equense and Sant'Agnello.

The best option to rent a car is at Napoli-Capodichino airport. You will find the main agencies in the arrivals terminal. If you want to rent a car once you are in the city centre, see the article on transfers between the airport and Naples.

Practical information

• Price: taking the A3 motorway you will have to pay a toll of about 10 €, plus petrol and, if applicable, the price of the rental car.
• Travel time: 1 hour or so. It can turn into an hour and a half or more if traffic gets bad.
• How to get there: take the A3 Napoli - Pompei - Sorrento motorway and exit at Castellamare di Stabia. At this point, just follow the signs for Sorrento.

This is one of the most popular options for both comfort and price. The Ferrovia Circumvesuviana - a railway network covering the metropolitan area of the city - guarantees frequent connections between Naples and Sorrento.

You can catch the train at the stations of Napoli Porta Nolana (Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi) or Napoli Garibaldi which is located below the central station (Stazione Centrale).

Sorrento is the last stop, you can't go wrong. The station is located in Piazza Giovanni Battista de Curtis, a stone's throw from the old town. Passengers boarding without a ticket must purchase one for a surcharge of €5.

Practical info

• Price: between 3 € and 4 €.
• Journeytime: just over 1 hour
• Advantages: Easily accessible from the city centre.
• Disadvantages: If you are travelling with a lot of luggage, it might be better to opt for another means of transport. It is a local train and therefore does not have a dedicated space for luggage. It is also very busy at certain times of the day.

Naples and Sorrento are about 25 kilometres apart and two companies provide boat connections: Navigazione Libera del Golfo (NLG) and Alilauro.

In both cases, the ferries depart from the Beverello pier which is located next to the Maschio Angioino, the medieval castle built during the reign of Charles of Anjou.

Most excursions to Capri depart from Naples from this pier. The area is very central and easy to reach, as the "Municipio" metro stop (line 1) is just a few metres from the waterfront.

Practical Information

• Price: about 14 € (one way, adults) or 10 € (one way, children)
• Journeytime: about 45 minutes
• Advantages: it is without a doubt the most beautiful route

Only one company connects Naples with Sorrento: Curreri Viaggi. Buses depart exclusively from Naples-Capodichino Airport and stop in 7 towns before arriving at Sorrento bus station. It is located in Piazza Giovanni Battista de Curtis, just a few metres from the central Piazza Tasso.

If you visit Naples in winter, please note that there are no buses on January 1st and December 25th. For more information I recommend you take a look at the official website.

Practical information

• Price: from 10 €.
• Journeytime: about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Advantages: You don't have to go through the city to get to Sorrento.
• Disadvantages: traffic jams are frequent and the journey might take longer

There are multiple ways to get from Naples to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, all with their advantages and disadvantages. If you're still undecided, here's a summary to help you clear your doubts:

Finding a parking space in Sorrento without spending money is not easy. However, you can try your luck on Via Rota or Via Parsano, two streets where you can leave your car for free. You will see that the lines are white and not blue.

If you can only find a space on the blue lines, you will have to pay 1 € for the first 30 minutes and 2 € per hour for longer stops, approximately.

Alternatively, you can opt for one of the following guarded parking spaces:

• Parcheggio Achille Lauro, €2 per hour or a daily rate of €24 (Via Correale).
• Garage Marina Piccola, a great option if you decide to take a ferry to Capri. Check their website for more information on hourly and daily rates. By the way, if you want to visit the island I recommend you to read the post that explains how to get from Naples to Capri (Via Luigi De Maio 60/62).
• Parcheggio Vallone dei Mulini, open 24 hours and with video surveillance. In addition to the prices, on their website you can see the places available (Via Fuorimura 16).
• Parcheggio Stinga, a space a short distance from the old town. Again, the hourly rate is 2 € (Via degli Aranci 25).

The scooter

As you know, most tourists choose Sorrento as a base to visit the surrounding area. If you are planning to stay here for a few days, it might be a good choice to rent a scooter.

The orography of the territory and the small roads make the scooter the ideal means of transport. Fortunately, there are dozens of rental agencies in Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi.

You will always find a place to leave your scooter - the same cannot be said for a car - and you will enjoy roads with beautiful views, such as the state road SS163 that connects Sorrento with the picturesque village of Vietri sul Mare.

The sea taxi

Another alternative is the Taxi del Mare, a sea taxi service serving Sorrento, Positano, Capri, Amalfi, Sorrento, Maiori and Cetara.

The trips are made on board a yacht with a maximum capacity of 11 passengers. Normally, the ticket also includes the transport of luggage.

It depends on the season. During the summer, the roads along the coast are crowded with cars and buses. A half-hour journey can easily turn into an hour-long queue. However, if you visit Naples in winter you won't find many traffic jams on the Amalfi Coast.

In this case, the bus is an economical alternative that can be taken into consideration. On the official website of the local transport company you will find all the routes and timetables. Just enter the name of the town of departure in the field "Comune di partenza" and click on the button "Ricerca".

Whether you choose to book an excursion to Capri from Naples or the Amalfi Coast or you are travelling on your own, I recommend you wear comfortable shoes.

The area's terrain is characterised by mountains and the villages along the Amalfi Coast are beautiful but dotted with hills that are best climbed in trainers.

If you're travelling in summer, don't forget to wear sunscreen to avoid the effects of the sun.