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Trip Report
6 Day Girls Trip to Amalfi Coast in May: Pompeii, Capri, Positano, Ravello, Amalfi
6 days exploring the stunning Amalfi Coast.
+ 24
EuropeItaly5 days / May 2025
Highs & Lows
A boat tour around Capri.
Capri and the Amalfi coast are expensive.
Itinerary Overview
Each year I take a girls' trip and this year we picked the Amalfi Coast and Capri. Coming from Philadelphia, it's an easy direct flight to Naples. The goal for the trip was to explore the beautiful area, learn the history, swim in the Mediterranean Sea, and eating great food with a scenic view.
Pompei Visiting the ancient city buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvious
1+We hired a guide for a 2 hour tour of the incredibly well preserved ancient city of Pompeii. Just about 30 minutes from Naples, this ancient city is certainly worth a visit. Buried under ash for approximately 1,500 years before it was discovered.
Capri Touring the island, boat tour, history
7+We left Pompeii and drove about 30 minutes to Sorrento to catch the 20 minute ferry to Capri. On our first morning in Capri we had a 2 hour guided tour where we learned about the history of the island, and visited gardens, and walked through the main town of Capri. In the afternoon we took a 5 minute boat ride over to the beach club, La Fontelina where we had lunch and enjoyed the views. It was a bit too chilly to go swimming, but relaxing nonetheless. To walk back to the main square, be prepared for a serious 15-minute hike up a steep hill.
The next day we took a taxi to the other part of the island, Ana Capri, where we took a chair lift up to the top of the mountain for views of the island (note, sometimes in the morning views may be fogged in). We then walked over to Villa San Michele which is a stunning villa built high in Capri by a Swedish doctor and author. The villa features incredible views and a charming garden. Ana Capri is small, but very busy village. Be prepared for crowds of tourists in both the village of Capri and Ana Capri. Lots of day trippers come over to the island - I'm glad we decided to spend a few nights as it's much quieter later in the day.
Later that afternoon we chartered a boat for a 4 hour tour of the island where we visited the Blue Grotto (totally worth the chaos of getting a smaller boat to get us into the cave), and swam in the gorgeous blue water. We found a few coves that had little to no other boats. The water was chilly, but after a minute was tolerable. Seeing the island by boat is totally worth it.
Positano To explore the Amalfi Coast
10+We took a 30 minute ferry from Capri to Positano. Positano is a vertical, mostly pedestrian-only village. Be prepared for steep walks and stairs. It was very busy with tourists during the day, and while there are spectacular views, beautiful hotels and restaurants, they do have their fair share of tourist trinket shops and a busy beach area.
We made a dinner reservation at the famous hotel, Le Sirenuse. The main restaurant was booked (I tried 30 days in advance and wasn't available) so we booked for their other restaurant, Aldo. We sat outside and had the perfect spot to view the sunset with views of Positano. The menu was more casual (food was very good) and the service was top notch.
The next day we hired a driver to give a tour of the villages of the Amalfi Coast. We stopped in Amalfi for about an hour and visited Cathedral of St Andrew Apostle, which was well preserved and beautiful. We then drove 30 minutes up into the hills to the village of Ravello which is about 1,200 feet above sea level. We visited the gardens Villa Rufolo, which have cinematic views of the coast. They hold classical music concerts with a stage overlooking the sea and gardens.
Ravello is quieter and has fewer tourist trinket shops than Positano and would be a great option as a base for the area.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
I would consider staying in Ravello as it has fewer tourists, and then do a sunset dinner in Positano.
Restaurant recommendations?
Tomatoes, eggplant, pasta, seafood, pizza, and lemons! The food was very good at most places we ate. I strongly recommend that reservations made at least one month in advance. Here are some of the standouts:
Pompeii
Mercato Pompeiano: a small locals restaurant with excellent pasta and meats.
Capri
La Fontelina: The restaurant at the beach club was quite good. Try the eggplant parmesan and pasta with clams.
Vico Pizza and Wine: We planned for a more formal evening but as soon as we saw we needed to take the funicular back down to the marina, we decided a last minuteFun patio seating, good pizza, and selection of wine and cocktails. The fried squash blossoms, and pizza margarita were delicious.
Positano
Al Palazzo, located at the Hotel Murat: Pretty garden setting, high-quality food for a leisurely long lunch.
Aldo's, located at the hotel Le Sirenuse: We sat on the patio next to their formal restaurant and enjoyed a perfect view of Positano and the sunset. Efficient service, and a bar menu with lots of options to make a full dinner meal.
Next2: Located near the top of Positano (skip the 300 steps straight up through town and walk the road instead). Even locals enjoy this busy restaurant. Sit on the patio, which has walls covered with jasmine flowers.
Ravello
Terrazza Maraviglia, located at the Palozzo Avino hotel: We sat outside on the covered patio which had incredible views of the Amalfi Coast.
Tips you would give a friend?
Be prepared to walk a lot steep hills and steps.
Packing tips?
We dressed up for dinner / drinks (do not pack any heels, and make sure your shoes have a rubber sole as it can be slippery on the stone streets). Sneakers or comfortable shoes are a must for touring during the day. In May it got a touch chilly at night.
Transportation Tips?
We hired a car service for some of the transfers and took the ferry from Sorrento to Capri, then Capri to Positano. Many of the towns are pedestrian-only only so be prepared to walk. Capri also has a funicular that runs from the marina to the center of town. Taxis are very expensive, but the lines and wait for the bus on Capri was long so it was worth the time savings.
Any surprises?
Plan on expanding your budget. The Amalfi Coast and Capri hotels and restaurants are very, very expensive.
Booking details?
We hired travel advisor Kelli Radcliffe from Radcliffe Travel and she worked with Absolute Italy to organize the transfers, tours, hotel etc. We booked directly with Magia Boats for the Capri boat tour.
Lodging
Capri Tiberio Palace Excellent location- just a 5 minute walk from the main square in Capri. My room (#401) had incredible views, a large terrace, and a spacious closet and bathroom. The hotel will arrange for someone to meet you at the ferry terminal and have your bags transported to the hotel. To reach the hotel, we took a 5-minute ride on the funicular (free tickets given to us by the hotel) and then a short walk to the hotel through the pedestrian area. It was pretty smooth and easy, and it's a nice touch to have a staff member guide us.
Palazzo Murat Hotel This beautiful boutique hotel is perfectly located less than a 10-minute walk from the marina and just a few minutes from the church. My room (#25) was large, with a tub, shower, small deck with a perfect view of Positano, the church, and a peek of the Mediterranean. The staff was very friendly and offered a complimentary nightly sunset boat cruise. They also had porters to help with bags from the ferry. While it was expensive (all of Positano is expensive), I highly recommend staying at Palazzo Murat.