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Planning the perfect 10 day escape to Italy’s Amalfi Coast

September 30, 2018Leave a Comment

I’ve just returned from a fantastic 10 day trip to Italy.  We started in Rome, made a few stops along the Amalfi Coast, and ended the trip in Umbria. September is the perfect time to visit Italy because there aren’t as many tourists and you’ll get to enjoy the sunny weather.  

Spiaggia Duoglio beach in amalfi

At Spiaggia Duoglio beach in Amalfi

Our itinerary

  • Rome: 2 nights
  • Sorrento: 3 nights
  • Ischia: 1 night (2 nights would have been better)
  • Amalfi: 2 nights
  • Orvieto: 1 night (again I wish we had stayed 2 nights here)
  • Rome: 1 night
ischia hotel

Enjoying the best views Ischia has to offer!

Best transportation options for visiting the Amalfi Coast

I’d be lying if I said we didn’t plan to enjoy a glass or two of vino at lunch and dinner…so that meant driving was not an option. We relied on public transport to get from city to city as we traveled through Italy.

  • The SITA bus is a good option for traveling between cities along the Amalfi Coast. Bus tickets are sold at “tabaccherie” (cigarette shops), newspaper stands, bars and caffés. We also purchased bus tickets at our hotel in Amalfi. Keep in mind tickets cannot be purchased on board the bus. Click here for SITA bus schedule in English.
  • My favorite way to travel along the Amalfi Coast is by ferry. Tickets are cheap and ferries are both frequent and fast. There are several different ferry operators at each port and you can find connections between Amalfi, Salerno, Sorrento, Positano, Minori, Maiori and Cetara. Ticket prices usually range from €3 to €12 and ferries run every 1 – 2 hours starting at 8am and ending around 7pm. You may be charged an extra €2 if you have large luggage. Journey durations range from 5 minutes to 70 minutes. We went to the port directly to see the ferry schedule and get our tickets. There’s no need to purchase online—just show up 30 mins beforehand.
  • We took trains from Rome to Sorrento and Salerno to Orvieto. The high-speed Italo trains run between the larger cities. I would recommend getting tickets in advance because they can sell out and you’ll be stuck paying for first class seats—buy tickets online or at the machines at the train station. It’s likely you’ll take the smaller, regional trains too (Trenitalia). You’ll have no issue getting tickets the same day for the Circumvesuviana train for example, which runs from Naples to Sorrento. This video is helpful if you’re new to using trains in Italy.
amalfi ferry sorrento to Ischia

Taking the ferry from Sorrento to Ischia

Rome to Pompeii to Sorrento

As I mentioned, we started the trip in Rome. I would suggest taking the Leonardo Express to the city center from the airport. Unfortunately I arrived at midnight so my only option was to get a taxi. Taxis from the airport normally cost €45 but at night they charge €60 (I ended up finding another traveler to split the cost with). While in Rome we did an awesome bike tour around the city—if you do the tour definitely get an electric-assist bike. 😉  

topbike tour

We loved our TopBike tour in Rome

rome Colosseum

The next day we went to Sorrento and stopped in Pompeii along the way. To get to Pompeii take the train from Rome to Naples. From Naples you can take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii. The entrance to Pompeii is located right across from the Circumvesuviana “Pompei – Villa dei Misteri” station and the entrance to Herculaneum is about a 10 minute walk from the “Ercolano Scavi” station.

pompeii tours

Keep in mind there are two train stations in Pompeii—we took the high speed train straight from Rome and ended up at the station that is farther from the entrance. There’s a shuttle from this train station and luggage storage at the entrance of the park. You can get park tickets once you arrive. Also, I wouldn’t waste your money on an audio guide in Pompeii…hire a local guide for €120 at the entrance. You can split the cost with other people.

tour guide pompeii

Definitely get a local tour guide in Pompeii

After Pompeii we grabbed our luggage and took the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento and checked-in to our Airbnb (get $30 credit) in the center of the city. We took a fantastic Italian cooking class and spent our time shopping, eating, exploring, and lounging around the *tiny* beach. My favorite meal was at Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso and we enjoyed having beers at Peter’s Beach by the water. 

sorrento italy

airbnb sorrento center

Our Airbnb was located in the heart of Sorrento

cooking class sorrento

We loved our Italian cooking class in Sorrento!

Sorrento to Ischia

We took a ferry from Sorrento to the island of Ischia. Why Ischia? Well…I read that Capri was ridiculously crowded with tourists and all the accommodation seemed to be way more expensive. I found an AMAZING hotel located within the Aragon Castle on the island. Not only was it affordable, but it was beautiful and offered the best views of Ischia. Our time at Albergo Il Monastero was one of the highlights of the trip—if you have the chance to go to Ischia try to stay there too! We also had the best spaghetti frutti di mare at a place called Ristorante da Bellezza. Mama was cooking in the kitchen and the food was on point!

ischia

The castle is the coolest thing to see in Ischia

best hotel in ischia

A quick shot from my Instagram stories

coolest hotel ischia

Lounging at our castle by the sea!

hotel ischia

Dinner at our hotel

Ischia to Amalfi

After Ischia we headed to Amalfi by ferry. Personally, I would have preferred staying in Positano or another place nearby—Amalfi is horribly touristy and everything is overpriced. Don’t get me wrong, the city is beautiful, but you could easily stay somewhere else and manage to get in a day trip here. Most of the hotels are a 10 – 15 minute walk from the center. That doesn’t sound bad but keep in mind you’re going straight up or down…if it’s hot the walk can be brutal! If you take a taxi you’re looking at around €20 (even if it’s only a 3 minute drive). You can also take the SITA bus back and forth from the center (there are lots of stops in Amalfi). Our hotel Villa Maria Luigia, was located right next to Spiaggia Duoglio, a beautiful little beach perfect for a morning swim.

amalfi by ferry

Passing Positano on our way to Amalfi

Amalfi Cathedral

Amalfi Cathedral

My favorite memory from Amalfi was attending a Limoncello Experience offered by a local family who has been producing limoncello for three generations.  

limoncello

Learning about Limoncello in Amalfi

Amalfi to Orvieto

Getting to Orvieto from Amalfi was interesting to say the least. We started off by taking a ferry from Amalfi to Salerno. From Salerno we took the high-speed train to Rome and from Rome we caught the regional train to Orvieto. Once you get to Orvieto you take a funicular (just across from the train station) up the cliff to the city. It sounds complicated but I promise it’s worth the hassle.

funicular orvieto

The crowded funicular on the way to Orvieto (lol)

orvieto attractions

Beautiful Orvieto – the view from the Torre del Moro

Orvieto is a gorgeous little city located in Italy’s Umbria region near Tuscany. We were able to see most of the Orvieto’s attractions in one day, but I wish we could have stayed at least two nights. When visiting Orvieto you should go to the tourist information center (next to the funicular station at the top of the cliff) and get “the key to the city” ticket for €20. This ticket gives you entrance to 11 attractions and includes free bus rides and a tour of the city’s underground tunnels.

orvieto

Of course I found the bar that let’s you take ‘beer to go’ 😉

We stayed at an adorable Airbnb (get $30 credit) in the center and my favorite restaurants (also popular with locals) were Osteria da Mamma Angela and il Malandrino Bistro.

orvieto restaurants

Best meals of the trip!

orvieto

We’ll be back!

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Filed Under: World Travel Tagged With: amalfi, amalfi coast, italy, orvieto, sorrento

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Originally from Florida's Forgotten Coast, I moved to Sanlúcar to teach for 'six months' in 2011 and never left! Follow my blog for global travel tips, expat life, and insider knowledge on local events and customs. Get the full story →

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