At a glance

  • Sorrento is a transportation hub, Positano is known for its scenery, and Amalfi is great for a stroll through a coastal town.
  • Plan for crowded buses and ferries during peak season.
  • If you have a lot of luggage, pay special attention to how easy your accommodation is to reach.

Day by day

Suggested itinerary

See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.

Day 1 · Stay in Sorrento

After arriving in Sorrento, leave your bags at your accommodation and walk around the old town. Check the route to the bus stop in front of the station or to the Marina Piccola pier for the next day, then spend the night in Sorrento.

Day 2 · Round trip to Positano

In the morning, take SITA bus 5070 or a prebooked NLG ferry to Positano. Set aside 3–4 hours for the beach, lanes, and lunch, and decide in advance which return service to Sorrento you’re aiming for. Don’t continue on to Amalfi; spend your second night in Sorrento as well.

Day 3 · Depart from Sorrento

Pick up your bags and travel to Naples or your next destination. Don’t add a day trip to the coast on a day when you have a flight.

If you have one more day · 3 nights, 4 days

Take a round trip to Amalfi on day three, then depart on day four. Add Ravello only if you’ll have at least half a day between arriving in Amalfi, taking the round-trip bus, and catching your return connection. If time is short, stay in Amalfi.

History and context

Memories of a maritime republic

Amalfi preserves traces of its medieval maritime past, including its cathedral.

The Grand Tour and seaside resorts

The coast of southern Italy has long been a romantic destination for European travelers.

Places and meals

Positano Spiaggia Grande

See the beach and cliffside village scenery that make Positano iconic.

Google Maps
Amalfi Cathedral

A place to explore Amalfi’s history and its piazza.

Google Maps
Ravello

An optional extension for hilltop views and gardens.

Google Maps
Pompeii Archaeological Park

This is a separate extension and isn’t included in this itinerary. To visit Pompeii, add a day to your stay in Sorrento or swap it for a day in Positano.

Google Maps

Food and restaurants

  • Seafood pasta and lemon desserts are common choices in this region, but this guide doesn’t recommend any specific restaurant or assume any particular prices.
  • Add a restaurant with a view only if it fits your route and you can get a reservation. Keep the option of eating near the pier or bus stop open.

How to fit it in

The coast of southern Italy can be especially rewarding as a second Italy trip, after you’ve already visited Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Reality check

Transport

Take the SITA Sud 5070 bus toward Positano from the stop in front of Sorrento station. Allow 1–1½ hours each way as a planning estimate, and compare the departure and arrival times for the same service at Sorrento and Positano on the official schedule for your visit date. Queues and coastal road traffic are extra. From the Positano Chiesa Nuova or Sponda stop, allow another 20–30 minutes to walk downhill and down stairs to the beach. For ferries, check NLG services departing from Piazza Marinai d’Italia at Sorrento’s Marina Piccola. Use about 40 minutes each way as an initial estimate for the boat trip, but confirm the arrival time, any intermediate stops, and boarding cutoff for your selected service in your booking. Travelmar is a separate operator to check for coastal routes such as Positano–Amalfi. For Ravello, look up a separate SITA round trip from Amalfi toward Scala and Ravello.

Time

The basic 2-night, 3-day plan is two nights in Sorrento and one day in Positano. Set aside 7–9 hours in total for 2–3 hours for a round trip by bus, at least 1 hour for waiting and beach access, and 3–4 hours in town and for lunch. This is a planning allowance that accounts for traffic, not a guarantee of travel times. To visit Amalfi, extend the trip to 3 nights and 4 days; add Ravello only if you have an extra half-day. Capri and Pompeii aren’t included in the basic plan.

Cost

As of 2026-10-03, NLG’s official Sorrento–Positano fare table lists an adult one-way ticket at €21.50 and a round-trip ticket at €45. One bag is listed separately at €5 one way or €10 round trip. Check the actual round-trip total rather than simply doubling the one-way fare. On your visit date, recheck the route page with your travel date, passenger count, and luggage details. For the bus, look up a ticket for your two stops using the UnicoCampania sales information linked from the SITA 5070 timetable. Add up two nights in Sorrento, your chosen round-trip transport, meals, and local travel between your accommodation and the pier or bus stop. Don’t add both ferry and bus fares if you’ll use only one.

Safety

Watch your footing on cliffside lanes and steep stairs. On crowded buses, keep your bag in front of you.

If plans change

Backup plan if ferry service is canceled

If ferries from Sorrento to Positano are canceled, allow for a wait for the bus and visit just one town. Don’t continue on to Amalfi.

Backup plan if coastal roads are congested

Stay in Salerno or Sorrento, walk around the old town and along the beach, and travel onward on the first connection the next day.

Small tip

Motion sickness on buses and getting around on stairs can be major factors. When choosing coastal accommodation, consider how difficult it will be to carry your bags before prioritizing the view.

Final check before departure

  • Check seasonal operating dates separately for ferries and buses.
  • Plan how you’ll handle your luggage on the stairs to your accommodation and the pier.
  • Save a target return service that’s one departure earlier than the last one.
  • Check operating hours separately for each direction of your boat trip. To avoid being stranded in another town after the last return service, decide when you’ll finish lunch and your coastal walk.

Ferry service may vary by date, weather, and season. Check Travelmar’s current schedules and fares to plan travel between Positano and Amalfi. If ferries are canceled, scale back to visiting just one town.

Information checked: 2026-10-03
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    This article links to these materials for further reading.

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