Hidden amongst the mountains, on the eastern coast of Italy, sits one of the most spectacular sights that you will find anywhere in Europe. Nestled between the towering volcanic mountains you will find the beautifully integrated towns that make up the Amalfi Coast. This is an area of Italy that simply cannot be missed, however, is it possible on a budget? It most certainly is!

 

 

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Salerno to Amalfi – Amalfi Coast on a Budget

 

Accommodation in Amalfi

When it comes to keeping the cost of a trip low, your budget will hang on what accommodation you can find. Throughout our trip around Europe, we have spent the vast majority of our nights in a tent, with a mixture of Airbnb and Booking.com mixed throughout.

This choice has saved us an unimaginable amount of dough, given that we (rather stupidly) decide to hit up Europe right in the middle of peak season. Yes, fine camping does have some downsides! However, this choice is one we absolutely do not regret and will scream it from the rooftops for eternity.

Anyway, all preaching aside let’s chat accommodation!

 

 

Camping Lido di Salerno

Sitting just south of the Amalfi coast is the busy port town of Salerno. This is the only area of the Amalfi coast that is easily accessible by train and is, therefore, the best place to aim for. Just a short bike ride from this town you will find the Camping Lido di Salerno, our top recommendation for your trip!

This campsite is easily accessible by bus from the city centre, has an onsite supermarket, bar and restaurant and even a beach hut to watch the sunset. You will also find superb onsite facilities, such as hot showers, clean toilets and wifi that covers the majority of the area!

Saving the best till last, your tent will be less than a minute walk from the sea! The campsite has a private entrance onto the beach, with stunning views of the mountains of Amalfi to enjoy while the sun sets over the sea. Absolute perfection!

You can check out all the prices of this on their website here.

 

 

 

Transport to the Amalfi Coast

As I said before, buses leave quite frequently from outside the campsite, offering an easy way to get into the city centre. If you are like us and are using pedal power to tour, then Salerno sits a very easy 40-minute cycle along the coast.

Once you are into Salerno, you can head to the port to catch your tour guide to Amalfi. Running frequently along the coastline is the TravelMar ferry service, offering fantastic views of the mountains and the towns hidden amongst them for a very reasonable price.

Check out their prices and timetables right here.

 

There are also bus services that run you into Amalfi as well, however, after the quick ride up the mountain to Revello, we were glad we had chosen the comfortable route instead.. But more on that later!

 

 

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Preparing for Your Tour of Amalfi

One of the best day trips from the region of Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful sights in Italy. For your day trip along the stunning coastline, we cannot state the importance of a packed lunch enough. if you aren’t wanting to spend a fortune. Food and drink out of restaurants in the towns you are about to visit are very expensive, with no real reason other than the privilege of sitting in at them.

There are plenty of water fountains spread throughout the area to top up water bottles, so there is no need to buy bottled water. Stock up on sandwich ingredients, snacks and drinks, and head on over to the ferry for one hell of a cruise!

 

 

 

The Best Locations on the Amalfi Coast

Try and get into town for the first ferry, or even the second at 9am, as this will get you to the towns before they start to wake up too much. The first ferry to Amalfi leaves at 0840, with boarding commencing 20 minutes before departure, so get there in plenty of time!

During our day out, we missed the first ferry and got the 0900 one to Maori instead, exploring the neighbouring town of Minori as well before heading on to Amalfi. We would recommend you don’t do this as by the time we got the Amalfi is was HEAVING with tourists, as in we could barely even move from the boat onto the harbour.

Get to Amalfi early and get the best scenes before it gets busy!

 

 

 

Stop No.1 – Amalfi

A 35-minute ferry ride past some of the most stunning cliff views we have ever seen will land you at the tiny port of Amalfi. Disembark and snap some photos at the harbour and the surroundings before heading into town. The narrow, winding lanes will lead you through a variety of squares full of cafes and restaurants, perfect for some breakfast.

If you are doing an Amalfi Coast itinerary with Kids , you must try one of the fancy lemon sorbets!

Spend a little time exploring around the area and enjoy the ambiance echoing along the cobbled streets. Once you are ready, head back down to the port to catch a bus to your next destination.

 

 

 

Stop No.2 – Ravello

Overlooking the port towns, nestled high up in the hills is the small town of Ravello. A short, albeit terrifying, bus journey will take you up the hill, via 20 minutes of winding spaghetti roads and sheer cliff drops. This bus journey confirmed to us that the ferry was the better choice for getting to Amalfi.. You can buy your ticket for this bus at the tobacco shop across from the bus shelter, where tickets are €1.50 each way.

However, despite how white-knuckle the ride may be, the views from the top are absolutely worth it! Leave the bus and head through the tunnel into the town square, which will already be bustling with life. The square is surrounded once again by a huge variety of cafes and restaurants, however, these all charge an eye-watering amount for even the simplest items.

A can of coke here will cost you €4! Forget about that! Head to the local shop, which is further round to the right of entering the square and buy a cold drink there.

 

 

 

If you head up the hill from the shop, follow the stairs all the way up and head to the left, you will find a beautiful, peaceful garden, Giardini Principessa di Piemonte. This makes the perfect spot to enjoy your packed lunch!

Walk back to the bus stop and catch the next rollercoaster ride back down the hill into Amalfi. It’s time to head to Minori!

 

 

Stop No.3 – Minori

Catch the ferry back towards Salerno, stopping off as the quiet town of Minori along the way. This ferry ride will cost about €3 and only takes 10 minutes, so is well worth the stop off. We found this port and Maori to be much quieter and less touristy, making them our preferred stops along this route. Head off the ferry and take a wander along the harbourside to enjoy the stunning views.

When your feet begin to tire, head to the Slow Food Bar on the waterfront for a refreshing drink. This is also the perfect place to try some of the famous Lemoncello! Just make sure to ask for it served with a mixer, or you will be getting a long shot of the stuff (not so refreshing when it is 11am and I thought Lemoncello was non-alcoholic..).

 

 

 

Stop No.4 – Maori

Just enough time for one more stop, the small town of Maori (pronounced My-ori). Head along the beach, away from Amalfi, and follow the narrow road around the cliff. Be careful as you head along this road as cars tend to fly along its winding path.

Once you reach the bottom of the hill you are now I Maori, our favourite spot along this coast. There are not a lot of sights or as many people, but that is why we loved it so much!

Finish off the day with some authentic Italian gelato from one of the small cafes along the harbourside and relax with the crashing of the waves. One more spot to see before we head back to Salerno.

 

 

 

If you head up the main street away from the water, you will find a small garden on your left-hand side. Head up the stairs to find one of the more peaceful areas we have ever discovered on our travels. It is a small garden, protected by trees and surrounded by the mountainside buildings.

As you walk around the statues and monuments, take a glance into the pools to discover the hidden, underwater world beneath your feet. Beneath the surface of the water, you will find columns and statues, making it look like an ancient, flooded building. Very cool!

 

 

 

Where to Eat in Salerno

With the trip along the coast now complete, it is time to head back into Salerno for some much-needed grub, Italian style! Catch the ferry from Maori port for only €7 and enjoy the views of the coast as the sun sets over the ocean.

Once you arrive into Salerno, head left from the port and walk along the seaside for about 15 minutes. Take a right and head into the town centre to find some cheap, delicious food. Our choice for the evening was at Donna Margherita Pizzeria e Cucina. Good choice! Cheap, cheerful, quiet and delicious, this place ticked all of our boxes!

The carbonara is to die for and the calzone comes deep-fried (if you want), which was an eye-opening experience for us Scots. Glasgow will have to up its game!

If you are planning to visit Sicily whilst you are in Italy, you can get the ferry from Salerno. There are many great places to visit in Sicily so we would really recommend a trip.

 

 

How to Prepare for Your Visit to Italy

Before you set off on your trip to Amalfi, there are a number of things you will need to organise to ensure a smooth and successful trip. These include what to pack for Italy and what is the best travel insurance for your trip. Both of these will be discussed in the following section.

 

What is the Best Travel Insurance for Italy

Regardless of what type of trip you are heading on, one thing that is essential for everybody is good travel insurance. Accidents can happen anywhere and at anytime and unexpected hospital bills will ruin a holiday. Remove the stress from your next adventure and get covered for the worst.

World Nomads Travel Insurance provides budget reliable travel insurance that will keep you covered for any level of adventure.

You can get your quote before you leave on your trip right here.

 

 

What Should You Pack for Amalfi?

What you need to pack for Amalfi will rely highly on when you make your trip to Italy. During the Spring and Autumn months, temperatures and weather patterns vary wildly between beautiful sunny skies and rainy days. During the Summer, you are pretty much guaranteed nice weather with temperatures ranging from 20-35 oC. The hottest months are July and August, so these will be the most popular for a Summer holiday.

During the Winter months in Amalfi, the weather can go as low as freezing, so make sure you wrap up warm if you are coming between October and April. If you need more inspiration on what to pack for your trip, check out our full packing guides for all-weather conditions over here.

 

When it comes to toiletries, we recommend that you don’t forget to pack sunscreen. The sun in Italy is very strong, especially during the summer months. Apply a lot of cream regularly to prevent a nasty burn from ruining your trip. We use this specific sunscreen to protect us as it is not as oily and irritating as other sunscreens.

 

Given the beautiful sights and scenery that you will see in Italy, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.

You can read what else we keep in our camera bag over here.

 

 

 

With this, we come to the end of this guide to the Amalfi Coast. Doesn’t matter whether you have 2 days or a week in Amalfi, the fact is, some things might be left as unexplored (considering the compelling charm of the city) on your day trip of Amalfi.

But that’s the life of a globetrotter, right? Well, with that being said, wherever you go or whatever you do in Amalfi, make sure to make the most out of it in order to create memories to cherish for a long time. 

If you have visited Italy, let us know what you thought of the sights listed above, or if you have any suggestions let us know in the comments below.

 

As always, sharing is caring so make sure to share this travel itinerary with your family and friends and inspire them to head off on their own Italian adventure. If you are planning the trip for yourself, make sure you have a look at the rest of our Italy content for more inspiration to our beautiful home country.

When you set off on your own adventure, be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram and we will share them with the rest of our community. In the meantime, why not follow us over there to see what we are currently up to and keep up with us on our Instagram Stories.

 

 

Now Read:

• The Complete Florence 2-Day Itinerary – Detailed, Fun, and FREE
• Bari, Italy: The Perfect City for a Budget Break
• How to Spend 10 Days in Puglia – Full Itinerary to Southern Italy

 

 

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