Positano is the town everyone photographs from the water, and the view earns the reputation, but the real experience happens on foot once the day-trip boats pull out. Start at the top near the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, whose majolica-tiled dome anchors the skyline, then let the Via Positanesi d'America path pull you downhill past bougainvillea and boutique doorways toward Spiaggia Grande.

The beach itself is mostly gray volcanic sand with a mix of free and paid sections; a lounger and umbrella at a beach club like La Scogliera runs roughly EUR 25-35 a day depending on season. Come back after 18:00, when the day-trippers from Naples have gone and the town's own rhythm returns to the piazzas along the water.

The Sentiero degli Dei traces the limestone ridge above the coast between Bomerano and Nocelle, and it is the single best free thing to do here. Most hikers start in Bomerano (reachable by SITA bus from Amalfi, about 40 minutes) and finish in Nocelle above Positano, a route that takes roughly 3 to 4 hours at an easy pace with plenty of stops for photos.

The trail is largely flat until the final descent into Nocelle, which drops steeply via stone stairs; trekking poles help. Bring at least a liter of water per person, since shade is scarce and there's no reliable water source along the way. Finish with a granita in Nocelle before catching the local bus or a taxi down to Positano proper.

Ravello sits about 1,100 feet above the sea, high enough to escape the coastal crowds entirely, and its two great gardens justify the climb. Villa Rufolo, where composer Richard Wagner reportedly found inspiration for Parsifal, charges roughly EUR 7-8 for entry and opens most mornings by 9:00. Its terraced gardens frame a sightline straight down to the water that's hard to beat anywhere on this coast.

Villa Cimbrone's garden walk ends at the Terrazza dell'Infinito, the Terrace of Infinity, a balustraded overlook that lives up to its name. If you can time a visit to the Ravello Festival, which runs concerts and performances through the summer months in the Villa Rufolo gardens, do it; check current-season dates before you go, since the program shifts year to year.

Amalfi gave this coast its name, and its cathedral, the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, gives the town its skyline. The striped facade and bronze doors date back to the 11th century, when Amalfi was a maritime republic trading with Byzantium and North Africa. Entry to the cathedral complex, including the Cloister of Paradise, runs roughly EUR 3-4 and takes about 30 minutes to see properly.

A five-minute walk up the Valle dei Mulini leads to the Museo della Carta, the paper museum, where you can watch demonstrations of the centuries-old process that made Amalfi's handmade paper famous across Europe. Entry runs roughly EUR 4-5. The town itself is compact enough to see in half a day, which makes it an easy pairing with a ferry ride up the coast.

Renting a small motorboat or booking a shared coastal tour out of Amalfi or Positano is the fastest way to understand why this coast looks the way it does. A half-day boat trip, typically 3-4 hours and priced around EUR 60-100 per person on a shared tour, usually stops at the Grotta dello Smeraldo, the Emerald Grotto, near Conca dei Marini, where sunlight through an underwater opening turns the cave water a startling green. Entry to the grotto itself runs roughly EUR 6.

From there, most routes swing past the Fiordo di Furore, a narrow fjord-like inlet with a single arched bridge overhead, before looping back with a swim stop in a quiet cove. If you'd rather skipper yourself, a license-free boat rental in Positano or Amalfi runs roughly EUR 150-250 for a half day depending on the boat.

Capri isn't technically part of the Amalfi Coast, but it's close enough, and popular enough among people already here, that skipping it feels like an oversight. Hydrofoils run from Positano and Amalfi in season, taking roughly 30-50 minutes each way and costing around EUR 20-25 one way per person. Land in Marina Grande, then take the funicular up to Capri town, about EUR 2 and 5 minutes, for views over the Faraglioni sea stacks.

Skip the Blue Grotto unless you're willing to queue; the line for the small rowboats that ferry visitors inside can run well over an hour in July and August. A better use of a single day is the walk along Via Krupp toward Marina Piccola, or lunch at one of the trattorias in Anacapri away from the marina crowds.

Praiano sits between Positano and Amalfi, and locals treat it as the coast's best-kept secret for a reason: fewer crowds, lower prices, and some of the best sunset views anywhere on this stretch of coastline. The tiny cove of Marina di Praia, tucked below the main road, has a rocky beach, a couple of simple seafood restaurants, and clear water good for snorkeling right off the rocks.

At night, the cove transforms; the Africana Famous Club, built directly into the cliffside cave, has drawn a late-night crowd since the 1960s, with cover charges that vary by event and season. Praiano makes a smart base if you want Amalfi Coast access without Positano prices; a comparable hotel room here often runs 20-30% less than an equivalent in Positano proper.

Nerano and Marina del Cantone sit past Positano, on the quieter Sorrento side of the peninsula, and they're worth the extra drive for two reasons. First is Lo Scoglio, a family-run restaurant on the water credited with popularizing the local pasta dish spaghetti alle zucchine; a meal here runs roughly EUR 60-90 per person and reservations matter, especially for lunch in July and August.

Second is Ieranto Bay, reached by a roughly 40-minute walk from Nerano through Punta Campanella nature reserve, ending at a secluded cove with some of the clearest water on the coast and none of the beach-club chaos. Bring water shoes; the entry into the bay is rocky, not sandy.