With kids · Amalfi Coast · Italy
Amalfi Coast with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jensens, Public domain
Quick answer
The Amalfi Coast works with children, but its endless stairs, crowded buses and small pebbly beaches make it harder than a resort. Base yourself in a flatter town such as Maiori or Minori, use boats more than buses, and mix beach days with boat trips, grottoes and short walks. Top picks: Boat trip along the coast, Emerald Grotto (Grotta dello Smeraldo) and Museo della Carta (Paper Museum). Families usually base themselves in Minori and Maiori.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Minori and Maiori
- Rainy-day options
- 1
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Experience · Positano and Amalfi harbours
1.Boat trip along the coast
Seen from the sea, the coast makes the most sense: towns, watchtowers and cliffside villas line up one after another, and boats can stop at coves, sea caves and beach restaurants unreachable by road. Shared and private trips leave from Positano, Amalfi and Praiano, and longer routes continue to Capri and its Faraglioni rocks.
A shared half-day trip on a small wooden gozzo gives swimming stops without the cost of a private charter; trips are cancelled when the sea is rough.
- Time needed
- 3–8 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Couples
- Views
- Outdoors
- Iconic
Nature · Conca dei Marini
2.Emerald Grotto (Grotta dello Smeraldo)
This sea cave at Conca dei Marini glows green when sunlight filters in through an underwater opening. Visitors descend by lift or stairs from the coast road, or arrive by boat from Amalfi, then tour the cave in rowing boats past stalactites and a ceramic nativity scene set below the water's surface.
The colour is strongest around midday on sunny days; on rough-sea days, visits can be suspended.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Photo spot
Museum · Amalfi
3.Museo della Carta (Paper Museum)
Housed in a medieval paper mill in Amalfi's Valle dei Mulini, the paper museum shows how the town produced bambagina, a heavy handmade paper of cotton and linen rags, using water-powered hammers that still work. Guided visits demonstrate the process from pulp to finished sheet.
Ask about the hands-on paper-making session, which children enjoy, and buy Amalfi paper in the shop.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
Nature · Minori and Maiori
4.Path of the Lemons (Sentiero dei Limoni)
This old mule track between Minori and Maiori climbs through terraced groves of sfusato amalfitano, the coast's large, fragrant lemon, passing the hamlet of Torre with views over both towns. It takes about an hour and a half one way, with steps but no serious climbing.
Start in Minori, have lunch in Maiori and return by ferry or bus.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Free
- Active
- Food
Religious site · Amalfi
5.Amalfi Cathedral and Cloister of Paradise
A broad flight of steps leads up to the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, whose striped facade and bronze doors cast in Constantinople in the 11th century dominate Amalfi's main square. The visit includes the Cloister of Paradise, a 13th-century burial cloister with interlaced Arab-style arches, a museum and the crypt said to hold relics of the apostle Andrew.
Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon, before and after the day-trip boats and buses.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
Rainy-day ideas
- Museo della Carta (Paper Museum) — Ask about the hands-on paper-making session, which children enjoy, and buy Amalfi paper in the shop.
Where families should stay
$$ · 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
Family travel tips
- Pushchairs are almost useless in Positano and Ravello; bring a baby carrier.
- Maiori's long sandy beach and flat promenade are the easiest for small children.
- Ferries are often more comfortable than the winding coast road for children prone to car sickness.
- Book family rooms early; many hotels are small, with few rooms that sleep four.
- The Paper Museum's demonstration and the Emerald Grotto boat ride are good short outings for younger children.
Day trips for families
- Pompeii (About 1–1.5 hours by bus and train) — The Roman city buried by Vesuvius in 79 AD preserves streets, houses, frescoes and plaster casts of victims across a vast site that needs at least half a day.
- Sorrento (About 1 hour from Positano by bus) — Sorrento, on the cliffs of the peninsula's northern side, has an old town of lemon shops and inlaid-wood workshops, Piazza Tasso and views across the Bay of Naples to Vesuvius, and is the coast's rail link to Pompeii and Naples.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September–October. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Amalfi Coast good for kids?
The Amalfi Coast works with children, but its endless stairs, crowded buses and small pebbly beaches make it harder than a resort. Base yourself in a flatter town such as Maiori or Minori, use boats more than buses, and mix beach days with boat trips, grottoes and short walks.
+What can kids do in Amalfi Coast?
Boat trip along the coast, Emerald Grotto (Grotta dello Smeraldo), Museo della Carta (Paper Museum), Path of the Lemons (Sentiero dei Limoni) and Amalfi Cathedral and Cloister of Paradise.
+Where should families stay in Amalfi Coast?
Minori and Maiori: Neighbouring family-friendly towns with the coast's longest beach.