Escape to the Amalfi Coast: Weekend Away

Rome is gorgeous of course, but sometimes, especially now that Summer is coming, it's nice to escape the city and head to the sea in seek of new landscapes and adventures in Italy. And guess what? Just a few hours away from Rome, there is one of the best places in the world: the Amalfi Coast.

How to reach the Amalfi Coast from Rome

First thing first, transports.

By Car

It won’t be a long trip: without much traffic you will be able to reach Amalfi in about 3h40m from Rome. Drive in the direction of Naples, following the signs for Autostrada A1 and get out at Caserta Exit, then follow Autostrada A2 up to Naples. After that it’s time to follow Autostrada A3 and get out at Vietri sul Mare exit.

Photo Credits: Sabrina Andrea Sachs

Vietri sul Mare is the southernmost town of the Costiera Amalfitana and from there you can slowly make your way back north while exploring all the little gems of the famous coast.

By Train

Bad news. It’s actually not possible to travel completely by train to reach the Amalfi Coast from Rome.
You will have to complete the last part of the trip either by bus or by ferry.
From Roma Termini Train Station, you can either get a train to Salerno or Napoli. If you have time, I'd suggest to stop in Naples (it's magical!) if you are in a rush, then head to Salerno. From here, you will be able to reach any of the towns of the Costiera either by bus (see below) or by fast ferries.

By Bus

The last alternative to reach the Amalfi Coast is by bus. While not very quick, it's surely the cheapest option. As I am writing this article, there is only one company offering a direct bus from Rome Tiburtina to Amalfi. The journey time is approximately 5 hours and it includes stops in: Pompei, Herculaneum, Castellammare di Stabia, Vico Equense, Sorrento, Positano, Praiano and Amalfi.
The other option is to reach Salerno and then get a bus to your final town: it's definitely a viable option but it will take at least a couple of hours more compared to the other options above.

What to see on the Amalfi Coast

Ideally, you will pick a long weekend for your Amalfi Coast trip, but if you don't have five days, you can still see a lot if you plan well.
Depending on your available time, consider a night (or two) on the volcanic island of Ischia, and then spend the other nights at one of the coastal gems – Sorrento, Positano or Amalfi – with day trips to explore the others and Pompeii.

Capri

Jackie O's beloved white island is a dream coming true. Forget Santorini and come here for a deep into La Dolce Vita.

Photo Credits: Ihor Malytskyi on Unsplash

Positano

Positano is probably the most beautiful coastal town in Italy (the world?) with its colourful houses and steep streets.

Photo Credits: Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Sorrento

Perching on a cliff, Sorrento looks out to the Vesuvius, the famous volcano. Don't miss the old fishing village down below.

Photo Credits: Alicia Steels on Unsplash

Ravello

Probably my favourite town, Ravello sits, with its lush gardens, on hilltop which offers great views of the rest of the coast.

Pompeii

The story of Pompeii will leave you simply speechless. A hint: this ancient Roman town survived to today because of the volcano ash which totally covered and incredibly preserved its architecture.

Photo Credits: Sabrina Andrea Sachs

What to eat on the Amalfi Coast

Photo Credits: Adrien Sala on Unsplash

Spaghetti alle vongole (with fresh clams) is a must while on the Amalfi Coast and it won't be hard to find on basically every menu. If you prefer tuna, then head to Cetara where there is a tuna festival every year.
If fish is not your cup of tea (pun-intended), then you can opt for pizza (this is still Pizzaland), several types of mean or vegetarian options before finishing off with a Sfogliatella, Babà al Rhum and Limoncello.