Amalfi Coast by Car

The purpose of our trip was to explore in detail the Amalfi Coast.

The Amalfi region, Cinqua Terre and Portovenere, the Portofino region are the pearls of Italy - the most beautiful places in the world!!!

The study of the Amalfi region is worth starting with Salerno and ending with Sorrento. But should all villages be visited and what exactly to see in each of them?

The coastline of the Amalfi region is about 50 km and Google shows that you can drive this distance in 2 hours. But the actual travel time is not the same. We were here in January, what's it like in summer...?? We can guess, because in the season we have visited a similar region on the Ligurian coast - Cinqua Terre and we did not like it)

Through the Amalfi Coast there are two roads - the lower serpentine and the upper track. For travelers of course it is the lower serpentine road that is of interest. In fact, Salerno - Ravello took us 3 hours! We just went out in the cities and took photos for 15 minutes! We spent the night in Ravello in a hotel with panoramic views, and the next day Amalfi - Sorrento took about 3 more hours at the same pace!

The road here is a serpentine road that changes direction almost every 200 meters and sometimes it's a one lane road. There is a "snake" of cars lining the road all the time. Everyone has to follow the first slow car, because you can't go around it for half an hour...

Parking is a very sensitive issue here, too. In all towns there are parking lots, but they are not rubber ones and cost 6 euros per hour! In winter, there are not many cars and there are even free parking. But in the summer season it will not be 100%. Another peculiarity with parking is in the town of Positano. On the highway there are free parking, but then it is a long walk to the beach. Throughout the city and almost at the water there is parking, but there the car can be left only with keys, otherwise parkers do not let the car into the parking and more shout "without keys escape from here". Parking is also 6 euros per hour...

Salerno - a large resort town in Italy

Of the attractions of a huge promenade and a fortress Castello di Arechi. A walk around the fortress will take about 20 minutes (free). To go inside, to the territory of the fortress to basically take panoramic photos costs 4 euros per person. You can pay only in cash. In fact, you can not come into the fortress. The view from it is beautiful, but on the way to the Amalfi Coast, at the exit of the city of Salerno, there is a free similar panorama from the road. The fortress itself is quite small, although well preserved.

Vietri sul Mare is a fairly large town in the Amalfi region

Parking is on the waterfront by the water. There is a promenade, but it's not a cozy town. It's kind of stretched out and cars drive along the promenade alleys. It's no more than 30 minutes.

Cetara is a cute little town

The best opens from the end of the pier. Parking is on the waterfront itself on the right side of the pier. There is also a passageway to the pier. Visiting time is about 30 minutes.

Erchie - village/village

Not worth the attention at all. As a "derelict" looks. Parking along the road to the water.

Majori is a cozy, compact town with a promenade

It's not perfect, but it's appealing. Parking on the waterfront, there is a road along the promenade. Visiting time is about 30 minutes.

Minori is a shallow village with a bushy waterfront

Parking by the water. Visiting time is 15 minutes. Photo taken from the pier.

Ravello is a panoramic village in the mountains with no access to water

If you are not going to settle here, you don't have to go. If you are not going to settle here, you don't have to go.

Atrani is a beautiful village, the size of which "fits all in the picture".

We took a photo while driving along the road.

Amalfi is central, one of the best villages on the Amalfi coast

The promenade is 3+, but at least it's there. You can go out on the pier and take pictures from it. Visiting time is about 1 hour. Parking is at the end of the village, right at the end of the pier (towards Positano).

Positano is the picture city, the cover city of the Amalfi Coast - the most colorful!

It is the most beautiful city in this region. But it's also the most special in terms of convenience) The beach here is 1, at the very bottom - it's a pile of claptrap, without any promenade a priori) Walking through the town is the main local attraction. There is a highway through town and you can drive through it. Well almost always)) In January 2022, there were renovations almost at the end of town and we were five backwards.)) The highway "has" free parking in a limited amount and out of season) Even in winter, Positano has a huge amount of cars and people! As soon as you come into the city street central and the only one, begin paid parking along the side of the road for 3 euros per hour and they are independent. But if you keep going down there will be parking lots with valets everywhere, who will take the car only if you give them the keys!!! This pleasure still costs 6 euros / hour. Bottom line, you have to park on the highway and walk through the streets of the city to the bottom, not thinking beforehand about walking back up) It will take more than 2 hours for sure! The drive through town by car, as we did, is about 40 minutes. Seeing this city is definitely a must, but it's all up to the amateur.

Sorrento - the city from the song "late night in Sorrento))

In fact, there is no point in going here! The whole promenade is a precipitous shore with no views! There is no concept of a promenade. We visited two points - the view from the water, and the panoramic viewpoint.

The map below shows the points:

•     4 is the view from the water, from the pier. Near the pier, parking is hourly.
•     5 is an overview view from the road. There are pockets in that region for stopping and photos, and there is a convenient entrance to the Mega Mare Hotel, from which there is a good view of the city.

Amalfi Coast on your own:

•     visit in winter!!! Do not go here in summer!!!
•     get here by car. For a cursory tour you can take a tour, but this is for amateurs, not pros)
•     visiting time from 7 days
•     Settle on 1 night in a few cities (Salerno, Majori, Ravello, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento), the other cities to look through on the way.