The Perfect 3 Days on the Amalfi Coast Itinerary

Last Updated on July 3, 2025 by Tori Pines

Planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast and only have three days? Good news, you can absolutely hit the highlights without rushing, while basing yourself in the picture-perfect Positano. This 3-day Amalfi Coast itinerary blends iconic sights, real-life experience, and plenty of pasta into one unforgettable adventure.

There’s no coastline quite like it. With pastel villages clinging to cliffs, lemon trees everywhere, and sunsets that make you emotional, the Amalfi Coast is pure Italian magic. Whether you want to hike, swim, eat, or just stare at the view, it’s all here.

Day 1: Positano

Morning: Arrive + Settle In

If you’re coming from Naples, arrange a private transfer or ferry. It’s a bit of a journey, but once you see Positano from the road or water, you’ll know it’s worth it. I recommend taking a private car. Book through Joe Banana Limos for the absolute best service and reasonable pricing. We used them and seriously could not have been happier with the experience!

Check into your vacation rental or hotel. We loved staying at Gema Suites, but anywhere with a sea view and balcony will feel like a dream. There’s tons of amazing VRBOs that offer a better value, but the luxurious hotels are worth the money too if it’s in your budget.

Grab a cappuccino and pastry at Collina Bakery, on the way into town, to kick off your day exploring some of the best things to do in Positano.

Midday: Beach Time at Spiaggia Grande

Head to Positano’s main beach, Spiaggia Grande, it’s one of the best beaches in Italy! Rent a lounge chair and umbrella for the afternoon, or just grab a towel and find a spot on the public side.

For lunch, walk along the water toward Positano’s other beach, Fornillo Spaggia, to Lo Guarracino for lemon pasta and insane views.

Travel Tip: Pack water shoes, these beaches are beautiful but pebbly.

Afternoon: Explore the Village

Wander Positano’s winding streets. Duck into linen shops, ceramic stores, and gelato stands. Be sure to buy something special from town. For me, it was a beautiful ceramic plate painted with the Positano skyline along the cliff. It’s my absolute favorite thing I brought home from our two weeks in Italy! My husband on the other hand got himself some beautiful Italian leather shoes that he wears constantly even years later.

While you’re exploring town, don’t miss the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, it’s small but iconic with its colorful dome. As with all other churches in Italy, you must have your shoulders and knees covered to enter.

Evening: Dinner at La Tagliata

Plan ahead and make reservations for dinner at La Tagliata, a family-run restaurant in the hills of Montepertuso. There’s no menu, just rounds of antipasti, handmade pasta, meats, and dessert. All for a fixed price, and all picked out and cooked by nonna.

They offer free shuttle service to and from Positano, so be sure to tell them your accommodation information. Be patient, they are known for not being on time.

Tip: Only have one day in this beautiful beach town? Here’s how I’d spend a perfect one day in Positano instead.

Day 2: Hike the Path of the Gods + Dinner on the Beach

Morning: Amalfi and Hiking

Catch a bus to Bomerano, the starting point for the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods). The bus route stops in Amalfi, so I recommend taking a break exploring the town before heading to the hike. Spend an hour or two enjoying a light breakfast and seeing the beauty Amalfi has to offer.

Then head onto the Path of the Gods. The hike is about 5.8 miles of jaw-dropping views, lemon groves, and ancient stone paths that feel like they’ve been here forever. Bring a packed lunch. Either pick it up the day before in Positano, or while in Amalfi. Some bread, meats and cheeses from a local cafe will definitely do the trick.

End in Nocelle, a tiny village above Positano where you can grab a lemon granita at Lemon Point, it’s iconic. Then take the thousand steps down to Positano.

If hiking isn’t your thing, plan to spend this day exploring the villages on the Amalfi Coast. Book a full day tour by boat like this one. For lunch in Amalfi, try Taverna degli Apostoli tucked right near the cathedral steps.

Evening: Dinner on the Beach at Chez Black

After a long day exploring the coast, head back to Positano for dinner at Chez Black, right on the sand. Order the heart-shaped pizza and a spritz. It’s touristy, but one of the times I definitely recommend it. The food is still so so good and the location is so perfect.

Cap off the night with gelato from Buca di Bacco’s stand nearby.

Day 3: Capri Day Trip

Morning: Boat Tour to Capri

You cannot visit the Amalfi Coast without making a day trip to Capri. Book a small-group boat tour from Positano. You’ll circle the island, pass the Faraglioni rocks, and swim in secret coves. If conditions are calm, you might even visit the famous Blue Grotto. This was easily one of the best days we’ve had in Italy. It was both relaxing and exciting and a huge bucket list item. This Capri day tour is the one we chose and it was perfect! Gave us a tour of the island by boat, and a few hours to explore the island on our own. I highly recommend it!

Alternatively, you can visit the island on your own by taking the ferry. It costs about 28 euros per person and takes about 45 minutes to get there. This way you can be on your own schedule and come and go as you please (so long as you follow the ferry schedule). The only thing you miss out on is the tour of the island by boat, but if that’s less important to you then go for this option instead!

What to bring: Swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, and motion sickness bands or meds (just in case). I had no motion sickness issue on the boat ride, but there were a few people who did. The water was pretty rough the day we went.

Midday: Explore the Island

Once you dock, you’ll want to have a plan for how you want to spend your one day on Capri. From the marina, you can take the funicular up to Capri town, or walk the path up the hill to get to town. While only 12 minutes, it’s definitely a workout. But if the funicular has long lines and you don’t want to pay the 2.40 euro per person, then this is a free and beautiful option. You could always choose to ride up and walk down at the end.

Once you get to the top, walk the boutique-lined streets and check out Via Camerelle for designer window shopping. If you want the full experience, I highly recommend getting leather sandals made right to your foot. It’s the most famous thing to do on Capri, and you leave with a beautiful souvenir. I had them made during our time on Capri and I am SO glad that I did.

However, I spent way too much time looking at the different shops to find one that looked nice while also not costing a fortune. So to save you time, I highly recommend heading straight to A Mano Capri Sandals. The ladies there were so wonderful and made me a gorgeous pair of sandals for just over 100 euros, which was a good deal after I compared to the other shops in town.

But whatever you do, you must book a table at Da Paolino for lunch. It is the most iconic spot on the island for a meal, and you must book months in advance to secure a table. The entire restaurant sits underneath a lemon grove and it is absolutely magical. Plus the food is delicious. Be sure to try something with lemons (obviously) and the arugula salad, it was incredible.

If you don’t plan far enough in advance and miss out on reservations at Da Paolino, instead grab lunch at Lo Sfizio or Capri Pasta, a casual deli with amazing to-go options.

Optional: Take a short taxi to Anacapri and ride the Monte Solaro chairlift for sweeping island views. If you have extra time, or don’t want to get sandals made, this is a really fun thing to do on Capri!

Afternoon: Swim + Cruise Back

Meet your boat for the return trip, often with a prosecco toast and another swim stop on the way. Sit back and relax. Take in the jarring coastline that’s unlike anywhere else!

Evening: Farewell Dinner

Have one last dinner in Positano tonight. For a gourmet experience that’s on the pricier side, and definitely a little fancier than the previous nights, head to Casa Mele. Our dinner here was a little fancier than we typically enjoy, but everything we put in our mouths was in fact delicious. Plus, the server was incredible and made the experience super memorable.

Option two would be ​​Il Tridente, an equally as expensive but slightly more relaxed spot. But this one offers incredible views of the water. The food here is what you’d expect from a nice dinner out in Italy, handmade pastas, decadent desserts and plenty of local wine to enjoy.

If You Have More Time

Here’s a few more fun things to do if you have more than 3 days on the Amalfi Coast!

• Beach Club Day: Rent a sunbed at Arienzo Beach Club or Da Adolfo, both accessible by boat. It’s not a cheap way to spend a day on the Amalfi coast, but definitely is a bucket list type of thing to do!
• Cooking Class: Learn how to make fresh pasta or gnocchi with a local nonna. There’s several to choose from, and many of the local restaurants even offer them. I think this cooking class looks like a great choice because it’s on an open air farm overlooking the Mediterranean. How dreamy!
• Sunset at the Villa Cimbrone Gardens in Ravello: The Villa Cimbrone Gardens sit right on the edge of the cliff in Ravello. It takes some walking, but the views from the infinity terrace are worth every step.

Three days on the Amalfi Coast is the sweet spot. It’s just enough time to soak in the magic, explore different towns, eat everything in sight, and never feel like you’re rushing. It’s the perfect 3 days to add onto a longer trip exploring other areas of Italy while you’re here.