With only one day to experience the Amalfi Coast, we wanted an easy way to see two of its best-known towns without spending the day dealing with the coastal road. We were staying in Sorrento, so we booked a ferry package that took us from Sorrento to Amalfi, then to Positano and finally back to Sorrento.
The schedule gave us about three hours in both Amalfi and Positano. In the end, that was probably more time than we needed in each town, but it meant we could explore without feeling rushed.
Travelling by ferry was also part of the experience. From the water, we could enjoy views of the cliffs, colourful villages and beaches along the coast. For a one-day visit, we found it a simple and enjoyable way to experience the Amalfi Coast.
We travelled to the Amalfi Coast with our kids, who were 10 and 12 at the time, but the focus here is on what adults can expect during their trip.
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Our One-Day Amalfi Coast Ferry Itinerary
We explored the Amalfi Coast on a self-guided ferry trip from Sorrento, spending approximately three hours in Amalfi and another three hours in Positano. It was a great way to experience two of the coast’s most famous towns in a single day, without having to navigate the busy coastal road.
While both towns are beautiful, we found the experiences quite different. We enjoyed exploring Amalfi’s historic centre, while Positano’s dramatic hillside setting and coastal walking paths were highlights of our afternoon. Three hours in each town gave us enough time to enjoy what interested us most, although there were a few things we would have done differently.
Here’s how we spent our day on the Amalfi Coast, what we enjoyed most and what you should know before planning a similar ferry trip from Sorrento.
Why We Chose to Visit the Amalfi Coast by Ferry
Seeing the Amalfi Coast from the water was one of the highlights of our day, especially since we avoided the coastal road altogether.
Our day was completely self-guided. The ferry package we booked simply provided the transportation between Sorrento, Amalfi and Positano, leaving us free to decide how we wanted to spend our time in each town.
Having roughly three hours at each stop also gave us more than enough time for the way we wanted to explore. We could see the main sights, walk around, stop for food and spend some time by the water without trying to squeeze too much into the day.
3 Hours in Amalfi: What We Saw and Did
Amalfi was our first stop. It is easy to think of Amalfi primarily as a scenic coastal town, but there is much more history here. Amalfi was once a powerful maritime republic, and the town’s historic Arsenal, documented as early as 1042, was used to build and repair the galleys involved in Mediterranean trade.
We started our visit at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew, which rises above the main square. The cathedral is one of Amalfi’s defining landmarks, reached by a broad staircase from the piazza. Its long history is reflected in a mixture of architectural influences and later renovations, while the interior includes works depicting the life of Saint Andrew.
It happened to be Sunday morning, and mass was taking place while we were there. We were fortunate enough to hear the organ and the congregation singing, which made our visit to the cathedral especially memorable.
Throughout our trip to Italy, we kept seeing people enjoying lemon sorbet served inside a real lemon, so we finally decided to try one ourselves. We stopped at Il Pianeta del Gelato. The serving was enormous and the sorbet was excellent, although it was also extremely expensive.
We spent some time wandering Amalfi’s shopping streets, although shopping isn’t usually a major part of how we like to travel. Once we felt we had thoroughly explored the town, we found a spot on Marina Grande, the main beach near the centre of Amalfi, and ate the lunch we had packed.
If you have more time than we did, Amalfi also has a Paper Museum devoted to the town’s long history of handmade paper production. The museum preserves historic equipment, including working paper presses, and offers another way to see a side of Amalfi beyond its waterfront and shopping streets.
After a relaxing stop at Marina Grande, it was time to return to the ferry for the trip to Positano.
3 Hours in Positano: What We Saw and Did
Positano was every bit as beautiful as we had hoped, with its pastel-coloured buildings covering the hillside above the sea.
While Positano’s hillside setting is beautiful, it’s worth considering how much walking you’re comfortable doing. Positano is built vertically into the hillside, with narrow lanes and steep stairways connecting much of the town. A winding one-way road runs through the upper parts of Positano, but many of the shops, restaurants and areas near the beach can only be reached on foot.
We began by exploring the beachfront shopping area, with its boutiques and cafés. It was a pleasant place to wander, but after spending time in Amalfi’s shops earlier that day, we were ready to see something different.
Next, we walked up to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Unfortunately, the church was closed during our visit, although we could still look inside through a large window. Its tiled dome is one of the most recognizable features of the Positano skyline.
Rather than spending more of our limited time shopping, we decided to walk toward Spiaggia di Fornillo using the Via Positanesi d’America walking path. This turned out to be one of our favourite parts of Positano.
The elevated path had beautiful views over Positano, its beach and the water below. It also gave us an opportunity to leave the busiest part of town behind for a while and enjoy the scenery away from the crowds.
Spiaggia di Fornillo is close enough to reach on foot from Positano’s main waterfront. It is worth knowing, however, that beach access in Positano can involve long staircases, something to factor in if stairs are an issue for you.
At Spiaggia di Fornillo, we relaxed beside the sea while our kids collected sea glass. After a day of exploring Amalfi and Positano, it was a welcome opportunity to slow down and enjoy the beautiful setting.
We finished our time in Positano with an early dinner at a waterfront restaurant before catching the ferry back to Sorrento.
How We Booked Our Amalfi Coast Ferry Trip
We booked our day of ferry travel with NLG Ferries. At the time of our trip, they offered packages that included the ferry tickets needed to travel from Sorrento to Amalfi, continue to Positano and then return to Sorrento. We booked their Tour 1 package,
The trip itself was self-guided rather than an organized sightseeing tour. That suited us well because we could decide for ourselves what to see and how to use the time available in each town.
Travellers who prefer having more of the day organized for them could instead consider a boat-based tour of the Amalfi Coast.
Where We Stayed in Sorrento for Our Amalfi Coast Day Trip
We initially wanted to stay in Amalfi or Positano, but the nightly hotel prices were too high, so we decided to stay in Sorrento instead. We spent three nights at Tasso Suites & Spa.
We chose a one-bedroom unit with a queen bed in the bedroom and two twin beds in the main room for our kids. We were especially grateful for the extra space when we unexpectedly spent one of our days in Sorrento recovering from food poisoning we picked up in Pompeii.
Location was another major advantage for us. Having the train station, ferry port and plenty of restaurants within walking distance made Sorrento an especially convenient base for our day trips.
We also found the hotel clean and comfortable, with friendly and helpful staff. When our illness forced us to change our plans, the front desk staff went out of their way to help us rebook our ferry tickets.
Our stay at the Tasso Suites included a daily buffet breakfast with a good selection of high-quality choices. We were very happy with our stay and would readily stay there again.
If you’re considering staying in Sorrento as a base for your visit to the Amalfi Coast area, read our full Tasso Suites & Spa review for a closer look at the rooms, breakfast, location and what it was like to stay there.
More From Our Italy Trip
We began our 8-day trip through Italy with 24 hours in Rome. From Rome, we then visited several places connected with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, including Herculaneum and Pompeii.
We then headed out to a beautiful nearby island and spent three days on Ischia. We had chosen Ischia over Capri because it suited our preference for outdoor activities, and while we were there we went kayaking, visited thermal beaches and completed a hike around the top of the volcano.
We concluded our short trip to Italy with three nights in Sorrento, using it as our base to explore the Amalfi Coast.
