Where to stay · Amalfi Coast · Italy
Where to stay in Amalfi Coast
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Donar Reiskoffer, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Amalfi. Historic maritime republic and transport hub around a cathedral square. Best alternatives — budget: Atrani.
Key facts
- First visit
- Amalfi
- Families
- Amalfi
- Budget
- Atrani
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Amalfi | Historic maritime republic and transport hub around a cathedral square |
| Families | Amalfi | Historic maritime republic and transport hub around a cathedral square |
| Couples | Positano | Pastel houses stacked down a steep ravine to a dark-sand beach |
| Budget | Atrani | Tiny fishing village a five-minute walk from Amalfi |
| Luxury | Positano | Pastel houses stacked down a steep ravine to a dark-sand beach |
| Food lovers | Agerola | Mountain plateau above the coast, home of the Path of the Gods and fior di latte |
| Quiet stays | Ravello | Quiet hilltop town of villas, gardens and summer concerts above Amalfi |
| Beach | Positano | Pastel houses stacked down a steep ravine to a dark-sand beach |
Amalfi Coast neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury and beach
Positano
Positano is the coast's most photographed town, its houses tumbling down to Spiaggia Grande and the majolica-tiled dome of Santa Maria Assunta. Boutiques selling linen and made-to-measure sandals line the lanes, and ferries leave from the beach. Almost every street is a staircase, and hotels range from simple guesthouses to some of Italy's most celebrated luxury properties.
- Good
- Iconic views from almost every terrace; Beaches and boat departures in town; Excellent restaurants
- Watch out
- Very expensive in summer; Hundreds of steps and steep lanes; Crowded with day-trippers
- Nearby
- Spiaggia Grande, Fornillo, Nocelle, Santa Maria Assunta
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and culture
Amalfi
Amalfi was the capital of a medieval sea republic, and its Piazza del Duomo below the striped cathedral is the coast's natural meeting point. It is the hub for SITA buses and ferries, with Ravello, Atrani and the Valle delle Ferriere walk close by. The main street climbs inland past pastry shops and lemon-product stores towards the old paper mills.
- Good
- The best transport connections on the coast; Fewer stairs than most towns here; Sights and restaurants on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Very crowded at midday when buses and boats arrive; Small town beach
- Nearby
- Amalfi Cathedral, Paper Museum, Atrani, Valle delle Ferriere
$$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, luxury and culture
Ravello
Ravello sits about 350 metres above the sea on a ridge between two valleys, with the gardens of Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone looking down over the coast. It is calmer than the seaside towns, especially in the evening after day-trippers leave, and the Ravello Festival stages concerts on a terrace above the sea in summer.
- Good
- Peaceful evenings and sweeping views; Elegant hotels; Concerts in summer
- Watch out
- No beach; you need a bus or taxi down to the sea; Few budget options
- Nearby
- Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone, Ravello Cathedral, Scala
$$$ · Best for couples and quiet stays
Praiano
Praiano stretches along the cliffs between Positano and Amalfi, facing west so it catches long sunsets towards Capri. It has fewer sights and crowds than its neighbours, the small cove of Marina di Praia and the rocky swimming platforms of La Gavitella, and is a quieter, slightly better-value base for the Path of the Gods.
- Good
- Sunsets and calm; Better value than Positano; Close to the Path of the Gods
- Watch out
- Spread out along the main road; Limited shops and evening life
- Nearby
- Marina di Praia, Path of the Gods, Fiordo di Furore, Positano
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and budget
Atrani
Atrani, one of the smallest municipalities in Italy by area, packs a whitewashed piazza, a small beach and arched alleys into a narrow ravine just east of Amalfi, reached on foot through a short tunnel or along the seafront. It feels like Amalfi without the crowds, with a handful of trattorie around Piazza Umberto I.
- Good
- Village atmosphere next door to Amalfi; Small beach and quiet evenings
- Watch out
- Few hotels, mostly rooms and apartments; Steep stairs to many lodgings
- Nearby
- Amalfi, Atrani beach, Ravello
$$ · Best for families, budget and beach
Minori and Maiori
East of Amalfi, Minori has a Roman villa, a pleasant seafront and well-known pastry shops, while Maiori next door has the longest sandy beach on the coast and a flat promenade. The two are linked by the Path of the Lemons through terraced groves, and accommodation is generally cheaper than in Positano or Amalfi.
- Good
- Flat seafronts and easy beaches; Lower prices; Ferries to Amalfi and Salerno
- Watch out
- Less dramatic scenery; More modern buildings in Maiori
- Nearby
- Villa Romana di Minori, Path of the Lemons, Maiori beach
$ · Best for budget, quiet stays and food lovers
Agerola
Agerola lies on a green upland roughly 600 metres above sea level in the Lattari mountains, and its hamlet of Bomerano is the start of the Path of the Gods. It is known for dairy products such as fior di latte and provolone del monaco, has cooler summer nights and is one of the most affordable bases in the area, with buses down to Amalfi.
- Good
- Low prices and cool summer nights; Trailheads on the doorstep; Excellent cheese and simple trattorie
- Watch out
- Not on the sea; Bus journeys down to the coast take time
- Nearby
- Bomerano, Path of the Gods, Furore
$$ · Best for food lovers and quiet stays
Cetara
Cetara, between Maiori and Vietri sul Mare, is still a working fishing port whose fleet is known for bluefin tuna, and it is the home of colatura di alici, a clear anchovy extract descended from Roman garum. Its harbour, small beach and seafood trattorie draw food lovers from across Campania.
- Good
- Real fishing-village life; Outstanding seafood; Few crowds
- Watch out
- Limited accommodation; Far from Positano
- Nearby
- Cetara harbour, Vietri sul Mare, Salerno
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Positano | $$$$ | Spiaggia Grande, Fornillo, Nocelle, Santa Maria Assunta |
| Amalfi | $$$ | Amalfi Cathedral, Paper Museum, Atrani, Valle delle Ferriere |
| Ravello | $$$$ | Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone, Ravello Cathedral, Scala |
| Praiano | $$$ | Marina di Praia, Path of the Gods, Fiordo di Furore, Positano |
| Atrani | $$$ | Amalfi, Atrani beach, Ravello |
| Minori and Maiori | $$ | Villa Romana di Minori, Path of the Lemons, Maiori beach |
| Agerola | $ | Bomerano, Path of the Gods, Furore |
| Cetara | $$ | Cetara harbour, Vietri sul Mare, Salerno |
Getting to your hotel
Naples International Airport (NAP) is the main gateway, about 60 km from Positano and Amalfi: allow about 1.5–2 hours by private transfer, or travel by bus or train to Sorrento or Salerno and continue by SITA bus or ferry. Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport (QSR), which reopened to scheduled flights in 2024, is about 35 km from Amalfi.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Amalfi Coast for first-time visitors?
Amalfi. Amalfi was the capital of a medieval sea republic, and its Piazza del Duomo below the striped cathedral is the coast's natural meeting point.
+Where should families stay in Amalfi Coast?
Amalfi: The best transport connections on the coast.
+Which area of Amalfi Coast is best for a budget stay?
Atrani ($$$): Tiny fishing village a five-minute walk from Amalfi.