Amalfi in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

If you are planning a trip to Amalfi and only have three days to explore this beautiful coastal region of Italy, this article is for you. Here you will find a detailed itinerary of things to see and do in Amalfi with the best recommendations to make the most of your trip.

Start this first day on the Amalfi Coast with a stroll through beautiful Positano and Sorrento. Being only 17 kilometers from each other, Sorrento and Positano are two Amalfi regions that can be visited in the same day, giving you plenty of time to enjoy both.

Stroll around Sorrento

Sorrento is the largest seaside town on the Amalfi Coast. It has great charm and is well worth a visit. Among the things you can do are to visit:

• The Cathedral of Sorrento.
• The Church of San Francesco.
• The Museo Correale di Terranova, which houses an impressive collection of art and antique objects.
• Its stores, where you can buy gifts or souvenirs of your trip.

Take a boat trip in Positano

After spending half a day in Sorrento, I recommend leaving for Positano by bus 5070. There you can hire a boat ride to start your tour along the coast of this beautiful city and its surroundings. Undoubtedly, one of the best boat trips in Amalfi.

This is definitely one of the activities you cannot miss during your visit to the Amalfi Coast. Ideal to enjoy a day full of sun, sea and spectacular views. During the boat tour you will be able to:

• Enjoy the breathtaking views of the coast.
• Admire the town from a unique perspective.
• See the beaches, cliffs and sea caves that have made Positano famous.

Visit the best beaches of Positano

After the boat ride, what better than to take the opportunity to visit the most beautiful beaches in the area. All of them offer a quiet atmosphere, crystal clear waters and the possibility to enjoy the sun and sand.

• Spiaggia Grande: it is the most famous beach of Positano and you will find numerous restaurants and stores where you can buy souvenirs of your visit.
• Fornillo: a smaller beach, but no less beautiful, which stands out for its offer for water sports such as kayaking and paddle surfing.
• Laurito: although it is a bit more difficult to reach, you will find some privacy, as it is a much less crowded and more relaxed beach.

Do the Path of the Gods in Positano

Positano is not all about the beach. The Path of the Gods is considered one of the most beautiful hiking trails on the Amalfi Coast.

Most visitors start their tour in Sorrento (from where you can hire a guided excursion to the Path of the Gods), and the hike itself lasts about four hours, but you can also start the tour from Positano.

Along the route, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a panoramic view of the entire Amalfi Coast from a perspective that most tourists don't usually get to see. The trail is easy to follow, so you don't need a guide. It is a must do, especially if you visit Amalfi in June because of the warm temperatures.

• After this day of adventure, you can take the 5070 back to Amalfi, although my advice is to opt for a cab or ferry.

This second day I suggest you tour Atrani and Amalfi, as both neighboring towns offer a perfect combination of tranquility, excitement, culture and history.

Both have a historic center full of monuments and architectural gems, as well as a privileged coastal area. And because they are so close to each other, it is ideal to take a full day to get to know the best of each one.

Visit the small square of Atrani

Atrani is only 5 minutes by bus from the center of Amalfi. You can opt for line 5120 or 5110. Piazza Umberto I is the nerve center of the city. It is a beautiful urban courtyard where both locals and tourists gather from early morning until late at night.

The square has numerous bars and restaurants, as well as the steps of the church of San Salvatore (San Salvatore), where it is very common for passers-by to sit and rest.

La Piazzetta is an ideal place to sample delicious local specialties while enjoying a good view, as it is only a few steps from the sea.

Appreciate the architecture of the church of San Salvatore di Birecto

You will see that in Atrani you can walk everywhere, as it is a small town. The church of San Salvatore de Birecto is the most prominent building in the Piazzetta di Atrani.

It was built in the 10th century and has a bell tower over the clock on the church façade. It also has a bronze door from 1087 donated by a wealthy merchant, as well as a 12th century marble pluteus depicting an allegorical scene with two peacocks in relief and a tree in the center.

Get to know the Santa María del Bando Church

The Church of Santa Maria del Bando is located on the rocky wall below the Torre dello Ziro. It is an ancient chapel that you can reach if you dare to climb its hundreds of steps.

According to tradition, the church takes its name from the custom of announcing notices from the top of its terrace. In Italian, such announcements are called "bando". Next to the church is the Cave of the Saints, where in the Middle Ages there was a hermit.

Visit the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Magdalena

The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Magdalena was founded in 1274 on the ruins of an ancient medieval fortress. It was built by the citizens in gratitude to S.M. Magdalena for having freed them from a garrison of Saracen soldiers.

It is located on the promontory overlooking the town, so you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Gulf of Salerno, one of the most beautiful places on the Amalfi Coast.

Visit the Cathedral of Amalfi

You can go to Amalfi by bus which, as I mentioned before, is only 5 minutes away from Atrani. Visiting the Amalfi Cathedral is a unique experience and a magnificent example of Italian medieval architecture and an important religious site.

Built in the 9th century, the cathedral features an impressive Arab-Norman style facade and a majestic marble staircase. Inside you can admire the magnificent central nave, the mosaics, frescoes in the apse, and the chapel of St. Pantaleon.

The cathedral also houses a crypt containing the relics of St. Andrew, making it a destination for thousands of pilgrims.

Stroll the streets of Amalfi and taste its gastronomy

Amalfi's cathedral is located in the main square of the city, making it the perfect starting point to walk the streets of Amalfi. One of the first things you will notice when walking through them is the great beauty of its buildings. For all this, the ideal option is to take one of the best guided tours of Amalfi.

Walking through the historic center you will find many stores and small markets where you can buy souvenirs and local handicrafts, such as ceramics and textiles. Also, if you have a sweet tooth, you can't miss the delicious limoncellos and the traditional almond cookies known as amaretti.

The town is also famous for its gastronomy, so there are numerous options for a delicious lunch:

• The famous fish soup "zuppa di pesce".
• The "spaghetti alle vongole".
• Pasta with clams in tomato and garlic sauce.
• Neapolitan pizza is a classic worth trying.
• As for drinks, nothing better than a good local wine, such as Taurasi or Greco di Tufo.

Relax on the beaches of Amalfi

After touring so many attractions and delighting yourself with the best local cuisine, nothing better than recharge your batteries on one of the best beaches in Amalfi.

Noted for its fine, soft sand and crystal clear, refreshing waters, these beautiful beaches have on their periphery numerous bars to enjoy a delicious cocktail or a refreshing drink. So this is the time to enjoy the sea breeze and the sun, while basking in the beauty of the panoramic views and the breathtaking cliffs that surround the beaches of Amalfi.

For this third and last day in the Amalfi region, I suggest you visit Ravello. It is a village located 365 meters above sea level that has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

Unlike other villages along the coast, Ravello has no beaches. It is located 6 kilometers from Amalfi and can be reached by bus 5110.

Visit the Cathedral of Ravello

The Cathedral of Ravello or (Duomo di Ravello) is a beautiful building with a simple facade and a door from 1179 created by Barisano da Trani. It is located in the Piazza Duomo of Ravello, and was built between 1086 and 1087.

Inside the cathedral there is a relic with the blood of San Pantaleone, which shows the phenomenon of liquefaction every year. In addition, the marble ambo of the Gospel, a work of the sculptor Bartolomeo da Foggia, dated 1272, attracts attention.

Visit Villa Rufolo

A few meters from the cathedral is Villa Rufolo, the main tourist attraction of Ravello, not only for being the venue of the Ravello Festival, but also for its beauty and, especially, for the incredible panoramic view of the entire Amalfi Coast and the Gulf of Salerno it offers.

It is an ancient noble villa that belonged to the powerful Rufolo family, a family of bankers and merchants of the city. The villa features:

• Two towers and two terraces built on the rock, from where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the entire Amalfi Coast.
• The Auditorium of the Ravello Festival.
• A small museum.
• A cloister.
• A chapel.
• Several important rooms and wonderful gardens.

Walk around Villa Cimbrone

Villa Cimbrone is a villa of great importance in Ravello currently converted into a 5 star hotel. However, its Terrace of Infinity, considered one of the most famous and spectacular terraces of the Amalfi Coast, is open to the public so you can enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the region.

Visitors can stroll through the beautiful gardens and have a coffee or a drink at the nearby bar.

• Price: around €8 per person, as this is a private villa.
• How to get there: the villa is only accessible via a staircase and a 20-minute walk from the Cathedral of Ravello.

Shopping for souvenirs on Via Roma

Located in the historic center of the town, this is a street where visitors can buy souvenirs, typical products, paintings, wines and the famous limoncello. At the end of this street you can visit the emblematic Church of Santa Maria a Gradillo, symbol of Ravello's history.

Visit the Church of San Giovanni del Toro

The Church of San Giovanni del Toro has an important historical past, as it was built in the 11th century by the patrician families of the town, including the Muscettola, Pironti, Rogadeo and Rufolo families.

It was later restored in 1715 after being affected by an earthquake. Inside the church you will see several frescoes and the pulpit, decorated with 13th century Persian basins.

Finally, you can return to Amalfi for a dinner in the port area, and say goodbye to the Italian town with a postcard of its illuminated houses.