A licensed guide travels with the minibus from Piazza Tasso and back, rather than meeting you at each stop.
Positano first, before the crowd
Ninety minutes in Positano, early enough that the lanes down to the beach are still walkable.
A boat leg, April to October
The transfer from Positano to Amalfi is made by water in season, which is the best view of the coast on the whole day.
Two hours in Amalfi
Long enough for the cathedral steps, the piazza and lunch without hurrying any of the three.
Ravello at 350 metres
The hill town above Amalfi, with the villa gardens and the view down the Gulf of Salerno.
A small minibus, not a coach
Capped at 21 travellers, which is what lets it use the coast road's tighter corners.
Your eight hours between three towns
This is the classic Amalfi Coast day, and it is the most-reviewed way of doing it. You meet at
the IAMME IA! office on Piazza Tasso in Sorrento, behind the statue of Torquato Tasso and
next to the Fattoria Terranova shop, fifteen minutes before departure. From there the
minibus crosses the ridge onto the coast road and works east.
What makes it different from a straight coach run is the middle of the day. From April
to October the leg between Positano and Amalfi is made by boat rather than by road, so
you see the towns from the water for the price of the transfer you were going to make
anyway. Between November and March that is replaced by an overland transfer with coastal
views, and admission to the medieval Arsenal of Amalfi is added instead.
The guide stays with the group all day and gives live commentary between the towns.
Once a party passes seven travellers an officially licensed guide is provided, which on a
minibus capped at 21 is almost always the case. Free time in each town is genuinely free
— nobody walks you round the shops — and the recommendations for lunch are
offered rather than imposed.
Lunch and drinks are not in the fare. Neither is the separate 45-minute scenic
excursion offered at Amalfi, which is a real boat trip along the cliffs and costs
€15 a head on the day. It is worth knowing about before you are standing on the
quay being asked.
Departure — Check in at the IAMME IA! office on Piazza Tasso fifteen minutes early and board the minibus.
The coast road — Over the ridge and onto the SS163, with commentary and photo stops as the road allows.
Positano, 1 hour 30 — Down through the lanes to Spiaggia Grande. There is time to swim if you have brought a costume.
Positano to Amalfi — By boat from April to October; overland with coastal views from November to March.
Amalfi, 2 hours — The Duomo di Sant'Andrea and its steps, the piazza, and lunch wherever you choose.
Ravello — Up the valley road to the hill town, its square and the villa gardens.
Back to Sorrento — Down the coast road and over the ridge, arriving late afternoon or early evening.
Who this suits, and who should take the boat instead
This suits you if it is your first time on this coast and you want all three of the
famous towns without driving, parking or reading a bus timetable. It suits anybody
travelling alone or as a couple, because it is priced per person rather than per vehicle.
And it suits people who want a guide rather than a driver, because the commentary is
what separates this from a transfer.
It is not the trip for you if you burn a lot of energy on hairpin bends. Around five of
the eight hours are spent moving, and the road is what it is. If that is you, or if you
would rather swim than shop, take
the small-group
snorkelling day instead: the same coast, from the water, with the swimming as the
point rather than an option.
It is also not sold to cruise passengers in the shared format, because a ship's window
does not fit the schedule. If you are on a ship, the
private
day collects from the terminal by arrangement.
What the fare covers, and what it does not
In the fare
Professional official guide with you for the entire day with live commentary on board.
Round-trip travel in a modern, air-conditioned minibus for ultimate comfort on coastal roads.
Enjoy an intimate atmosphere with the perfect balance of guided insights and free time in each town.
Scenic coastal boat transfer from Positano to Amalfi (Apr–Oct)
Visit and admission to the historical Arsenal of Amalfi (Nov–Mar)
Not in the fare
Lunch and drinks (free time provided to dine at your leisure)
Optional entrance fees
Optional 45min. Boat excursion to admire the Amalfi coast from the sea.
Hotel pick up and drop off (only available for Private tour options)
Where you meet, and what to look for
Piazza Torquato Tasso 16, Sorrento — the IAMME IA! office. It sits directly
behind the statue of Torquato Tasso in the middle of the square, next to the Fattoria
Terranova shop and close to Bar Fauno. Arrive fifteen minutes before the departure time
on your voucher so check-in does not hold the group up.
Piazza Tasso is five minutes' walk from Sorrento's Circumvesuviana station, which is
the train from Naples. If you are staying on the coast rather than in Sorrento, the SITA
bus or the seasonal ferry gets you there, but check the first departure of the day
carefully — it is tighter than it looks.
Know before you go
Confirmation arrives at the time of booking. Keep the voucher on your phone; the meeting point and the departure time are both on it.
The minibus is not wheelchair accessible, though strollers are carried. If steps or transfers are difficult, book a private vehicle instead — one of them states a wheelchair-accessible van.
A guide may work in more than one language on a mixed departure. Ask at check-in which languages are running that day if it matters to you.
A licensed guide with live commentary is provided for parties over seven. Below that number you travel with the driver, who still gives commentary.
The shared option is not sold to cruise passengers. If you are on a ship, take the private version, which handles terminal timings.
The 45-minute scenic boat excursion at Amalfi costs €15 a head and is not in the fare. Carry cash and decide before you reach the quay, because it leaves from there.
The tour runs at a maximum of 21 travellers. Book a few days ahead between June and September; the popular dates go first.
What travellers said about the three-town day
★★★★★
Roberto knew the coast and was funny with it, and on a very warm day he found the group an air-conditioned restaurant for lunch. My husband and I came away glad we had done it this way rather than driving. He also pointed us at the short scenic boat run out of Amalfi, which is not in the fare and is worth the extra.
Elizabeth Z. · Couple · September 2026
★★★★★
Well organised and well paced, and it covers Positano, Amalfi and Ravello without ever feeling rushed. There is time to shop, look and read in each one. Do not skip the short optional boat run from Positano — the towns seen from the water are the part everybody remembers.
Steve S. · Group · July 2026
★★★★★
We travelled in a small minibus and reached Positano early enough to miss most of the crowds. The ferry across to Amalfi and the optional coast run afterwards were the high points of the day. Ravello at the end felt peaceful after the other two.
Yes, from April to October the transfer between Positano and Amalfi is made by boat and it is inside the fare. What is not included is the separate 45-minute scenic excursion offered at Amalfi, which costs €15 a head on the day. From November to March the transfer is overland and admission to Amalfi's Arsenal is added.
How much time do I get in each town?
An hour and a half in Positano, two hours in Amalfi and time in Ravello for the square and the gardens. That is more time ashore than most road days on this coast give you, and it is the number worth comparing rather than the total length.
Is lunch included?
No. Free time in Amalfi covers the middle of the day and the guide will point you at somewhere good rather than walk you to a fixed restaurant. Budget for it separately when you are comparing this against a boat day that feeds you.
Can I do this if I am on a cruise ship?
Not in the shared format, because the timing does not fit a ship's window. The private full-day tour collects from the cruise terminal at Naples or Salerno and is built to handle re-boarding times.
What happens if I cancel?
You get a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Inside that window the money is not returned, and changes made inside 24 hours are not accepted. Cut-off times run on local time here, not on yours.
Is there much walking?
Yes, and most of it is on steps. Positano is a ravine and Ravello is up a hill, so wear something you can climb in. The minibus takes the strain between the towns; the towns themselves are on foot.
Other ways onto the coast
If this is not quite your day, these two cover the same coastline differently, and
the full list of guided Amalfi Coast tours sits on the homepage.
