europe · 3 days · 9 stops

Amalfi Coast & Naples

Naples, Pompeii and then the Amalfi Drive — 30 miles of cliff-hugging road between Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, with the ferry as the sanity-saving alternative.

Days
3
Stops
9
Driving
131 km
Behind the wheel
3h 25m

Driving figures are measured road distances between the stops listed for each day, not straight lines. The transfer from wherever you sleep to the first stop of the day is not included.

Daylight on this route, by season

The single number that decides whether a self-drive day works. Almost every guide tells you to "check the daylight hours"; here they are for this route, on the solstices and equinoxes.

Day Driving 21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar
Naples 0h 4m 15h 7m 12h 13m 9h 14m 12h 10m
Pompeii & Sorrento 2h 28m 15h 6m 12h 13m 9h 15m 12h 10m
The Amalfi Drive 0h 53m 15h 5m 12h 13m 9h 16m 12h 10m

Measured at the midpoint of each day's stops. "Midnight sun" means the sun does not set; "polar night" means it does not rise.

Day by day

Day 1: Naples

2 stops · 2 km · 0h 4m driving · 4h 30m at stops

In winter: About 0h 4m of driving inside 9h 14m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Naples Historic Centre

    Spaccanapoli, pizza, and the underworld tour if you have time.

    Allow about 3h

  2. 2

    Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea)

    Roman aqueduct and WWII shelters under the old town.

    Allow about 1h 30m

Legs and times
  • Naples Historic Centre → Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea): 2 km, 0h 4m

Day 2: Pompeii & Sorrento

3 stops · 77 km · 2h 28m driving · 7h 30m at stops

In winter: About 2h 28m of driving inside 9h 15m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Pompeii

    Three to four hours minimum; take the Forum entrance to beat the groups.

    Allow about 4h

  2. 2

    Vesuvius Crater

    Drive to 1,000 m, walk the last 20 minutes around the rim.

    Allow about 1h 30m

  3. 3

    Sorrento

    Base for the coast; lemon groves and the cliff lift to the marina.

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Pompeii → Vesuvius Crater: 27 km, 1h 1m
  • Vesuvius Crater → Sorrento: 50 km, 1h 27m

Day 3: The Amalfi Drive

4 stops · 52 km · 0h 53m driving · 9h 30m at stops

In winter: About 0h 53m of driving inside 9h 16m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Positano

    Park at the top and walk down — or arrive by ferry and skip the traffic.

    Allow about 3h

  2. 2

    Amalfi & the Cathedral

    The Duomo steps and the paper museum up the valley.

    Allow about 2h 30m

  3. 3

    Ravello

    Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo: gardens 350 metres above the sea.

    Allow about 2h 30m

  4. 4

    Salerno

    End of the coast road; the lungomare is the reward.

    Allow about 1h 30m

Legs and times
  • Positano → Amalfi & the Cathedral: 16 km, 0h 19m
  • Amalfi & the Cathedral → Ravello: 7 km, 0h 7m
  • Ravello → Salerno: 29 km, 0h 27m

When to drive it

21 Jun

15h 6m

of daylight

21 Sep

12h 13m

of daylight

21 Dec

9h 15m

of daylight

21 Mar

12h 10m

of daylight

Longest days are around 21 June, shortest around 21 December. On this route the swing is large enough that the same day's driving can be comfortable in June and entirely after dark in December — which is why the table above is per day.

Plan this route with the daylight in view

Tseril builds the multi-day route on a map, warns you about the legs you would drive at night, and shows the snow and weather at every stop. Free to use.

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