Amalfi Coast Shared Small Group Tour from Sorrento
Runs from 10 March to 8 November, which is the longest season on the road.
From $112 per person
Check AvailabilityAmalfi Coast Weather Month by Month
Weather does not merely make a day on this coast more or less pleasant. It decides whether the boats are running at all — the operators publish their own seasons and every one of them stops for the winter — and it decides whether the ferries are an option or the coast road is your only way along.
What the weather does to a visit here
Three consequences, in order of how much they change the trip. First, the boats: the captured seasons run from mid-March or mid-April to somewhere between 18 October and 8 November, and outside those dates a boat day is not available at any price. Second, the ferries: seasonal, roughly April to October, and without them the SS163 carries everything. Third, the sea state: several operators state in writing that the captain may cancel for weather, in which case you are offered another date or a full refund.
Every temperature and rainfall figure below is Salerno's. The thirteen towns publish no long-run climate record of their own, and Salerno sits at the eastern end of the coast at sea level, which makes it the nearest station with published normals. Positano, forty minutes west, runs a shade warmer and drier; Ravello, 350 metres up, runs cooler.
The coast month by month
January
The quietest month on the coast. Highs sit around 13 °C and rainfall is heavy at roughly 138 mm. The ferries are stopped and most boat operators are closed for the winter. Road tours run, and Positano is emptier than you will ever see it again.
February
Marginally milder and noticeably drier than January, at about 110 mm. Still no ferries and still no boats. Hotels and restaurants in the smaller towns stay shut. If you come now, base yourself in Amalfi or Sorrento, where things are open.
March
The turn. Highs reach around 17 °C and the first operators reopen — one shared road tour runs from 10 March and one private boat charter from 11 March. The lemon harvest is at its main flush. Sea temperatures are still too cold to swim in.
April
The season proper begins. Ferries start up, and the boat operators' own published seasons open between 13 and 16 April. Highs around 20 °C and rain down to about 85 mm. Warm enough to be on deck, not yet warm enough for most people to swim.
May
One of the two best months. Rain drops sharply to around 42 mm, highs reach roughly 25 °C, and every boat is running by the middle of the month. The road is busy but still moving. Book the boat days ahead from the last week onward.
June
Hot, dry and busy: about 28 °C and only 32 mm of rain. The sea is warm enough for the swim stops to be the point of the day. Traffic on the SS163 begins to bite in the afternoons. Start early and you get an hour of quiet in Positano.
July
The driest month at roughly 24 mm, and among the hottest at around 31 °C. Everything runs at full frequency and everything is full. Alternate-plate restrictions are most likely on the busiest dates. Shade is scarce at Pompeii and in the towns alike.
August
The peak, and the hardest month to move around in. Journey times on the coast road can double. Rainfall ticks back up to about 50 mm, usually as short storms rather than steady rain, and a storm can close a boat day at short notice. Book everything before you arrive.
September
The other best month. The sea is at its warmest after a summer of heating, highs are back to around 28 °C, and the crowd thins from the first week. Rain returns to roughly 78 mm. Every boat operator is still running.
October
The season closes during this month. Boat operators finish between the 18th and the 31st depending on the company, and the ferries wind down with them. Rain jumps to about 132 mm. The first half is a genuinely good time to come; the second half is a gamble.
November
The wettest month of the year at roughly 171 mm. The last boat seasons end on the 8th. Road tours continue and the towns empty out. Landslides occasionally close a stretch of the SS163 after heavy rain, so keep a day of slack in the plan.
December
Cool, wet and quiet, at about 15 °C and 150 mm. No ferries and no boat tours. Amalfi's Christmas lights and its nativity scenes are the reason to be here. The Duomo steps look better in winter light than in July.
The seasons, and which one you want
| Season | Highs | Rain | What is running | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | 17–25 °C | 42–102 mm | Ferries and boats from April | May is close to perfect |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 28–31 °C | 24–50 mm | Everything, at full frequency | Hot, full, and slow on the road |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | 19–28 °C | 78–171 mm | Boats until late October | September is the other perfect month |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 13–15 °C | 110–150 mm | Road tours only | Quiet, cheap, and half the coast is shut |
If the choice is open to you, come in May, June, September or the first half of October. That is when the sea is warm enough to swim in, the boats are running and the road is still moving. The shoulder-season guide sets out what is open in each of those months in more detail.
Best time of day
Early. Coach tours reach Positano between 9:30 and 10:30 and the town is a different place before that. On the water, the morning sea is calmer than the afternoon almost every day of the summer, which matters if anybody aboard is prone to seasickness. The light on the towns is better late, so if you are staying on the coast rather than day-tripping, walk in the last hour before sunset.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time of year to come?
May, June, September and early October. The sea is warm enough to swim in, the boats are running, and the road has not yet reached its August crawl. July and August are the hottest and busiest, and most boat seasons close between mid-October and early November.
Do Amalfi Coast tours run in winter?
The road tours do. Most of the boats do not: the operators' own seasons begin in March or mid-April and end between mid-October and early November. From November to March you reach the coast by car, minivan or SITA bus, and the towns are quiet in a way they never are in July.
What happens if the sea is too rough for the boat?
The captain decides on the morning, and no boat leaves in unsafe conditions. Where a trip is called off for weather you are offered a different date or your money back. Once a captain has judged conditions safe the day goes ahead as booked, so read the weather note on the trip you are choosing.
Do the ferries run all year?
No. The passenger boats between Salerno, Amalfi, Positano and Sorrento are seasonal, running roughly from April to October, and while they last they are the fastest link between towns. Out of season the coast road is the only way along the coast.
Days that run outside high summer
Small Group Boat Tour: Discover the Amalfi Coast from Positano
A seven-hour boat day with a live discount at the time of capture.
From $159 per person
Check AvailabilityPositano: Amalfi Coast Small-Group Boat Tour with Swim and Drinks
Mid-April to late October, with a fixed 9:30am departure from Positano.
From $176 per person
Check AvailabilityEvery season and departure window is on the trip's own card at Amalfi Coast Italy Tours.