Amalfi Coast on a budget may seem difficult, but it’s not impossible!
What is the Amalfi Coast?
Amalfi Coast, or la costiera amalfitana in Italian, is definitely famous for a reason! It’s a beautiful coastline in Italy full of islands and Mediterranean beach towns. Italians and tourists alike flock to the Amalfi coast to bathe in the beautiful turquoise water and soak up the scenery.
When is the best time to visit the Amalfi Coast?
It’s most popular to visit in the summer of course, but that also means high season and lots of crowds. Springtime is nice, before the summer crowds arrive, or September, when the water is still warm from the warmer months, but way less people are traveling. You can also visit the Amalfi Coast year-round, but of course the sea won’t be that pleasant to swim in!
Where should you visit in Amalfi Coast?
The two most popular destinations are Positano and Capri.
Positano is a little coastal town with beautiful buildings built on a cliff that look out over the Mediterranean sea. If you’ve seen photos of Amalfi coast, chances are you are picturing Positano!
In Positano, you can visit the beach, explore the little shops throughout the village, do some hiking, or a cruise on the sea! The village is filled with luxury hotels and restaurants that provide lots of amazing views and instagrammable spots of the coastline.
It really only takes a day to see Positano, as it’s fairly small and you can spend your day split between beach activities and exploring the village. The beaches in Positano are beautiful, but most of them cost money! If you’re on a budget, stick to wandering the town or visiting the public beach in Positano.
Capri, another popular stop on the Amalfi, is a beautiful island off the coastline. Although it can often be a luxury destination, there is really something for every kind of budget.
Most people only visit Capri on a day trip, but there are actually many things to see! The only way to reach the island is by ferry, so you’ll arrive to the island at the port. From there, you can explore a bit of the town, take a boat trip around the island or to see the famous Blue Grotto, or venture out to other parts of the island.
Not to miss in Capri:
- Take a boat to the Blue Grotto
- Admire the views and garden at Giardini di Augusto
- Explore Anacapri, the more local town
Other destinations to visit
Besides these two popular destinations, there are other places to see on the Amalfi coast!
Sorrento – The biggest city on the Amalfi coast, but still beautiful! Great for shopping and ferry connections.
Procida – The less popular, more Italian version of Capri. This little island is small but tremendously underrated!
Ravello – A cute, underrated town on the coast. It’s gaining popularity so visit now before it blows up in tourism!
How to get around the coast
The main ways of transport on the Amalfi coast are car, train in some areas, bus, and ferry.
Car – Renting a car is definitely the easiest, and provides you with the most flexibility. The downside to a car of course is the price, and you should be aware that the roads of the Amalfi Coast can be really winding with sharp corners!
Train – The train only goes from Naples to Sorrento. From there you can connect to other cities via bus or ferry.
Bus – The bus is local, hot, crowded, and incredibly cheap! It’s definitely the cheapest way to get around the coast.
Ferry – The ferry is a nice, in-between option. It isn’t as expensive as a car, but still a lot more expensive than buses or trains.
3 Main Ways to travel Amalfi Coast on a budget
1. Take public transport
Using public transport will be wayyy cheaper than if you take ferries all day. They may be delayed or without AC, but you’ll pay probably about 1/4 of the price of a ferry. You can definitely rent a car as well, but it will cost a big portion of your budget. Taking public transport is definitely a major way to save some bucks!
2. Stay in the cheaper cities
If you stay in Positano or Capri, you will pay hundreds of euros. If you stay in smaller, nearby towns however, you can save quite a bit of change!
Look at the nearby towns and the cost of accommodation, such as:
- Ravello
- Outside of Sorrento (inside the city can still be a bit pricey!)
- Salerno
- Maoiri
The difficult here is that some destinations may be hard to reach without a car. If you don’t have a car, you can stay in Naples the whole time and do day trips out of the city to the touristy spots. This is definitely the cheapest way to go, as you can find decent Airbnbs for as little as $50 a night!
3. Eat local food
The food is crazily overpriced in the Amalfi Coast! If you want to save money, unfortunately that’s one of the first things that you should cut out!
Opt for sandwiches from a supermarket, focaccia (Italian bread with various toppings), or split a pizza. Your wallet will thank you later, believe me!
Now, if you’re reading this and saying, “But I’m in Italy! I want to try all the food!” Sure, try the local food, but most of the time the food in tourist places on the Amalfi coast is not very authentic. If you really want to experiment all the dishes that Italy has to offer, splurge on food in Naples, Salerno, or the other cities that don’t exist solely for tourism.
In all, visiting the Amalfi coast on a budget is definitely feasible, so don’t let that stop you! It’s a truly amazing destination in Italy.
