Last update: 12 Dec, 2022
After two quiet years on the coast and islands, visitors from across the globe are once again choosing to spend their holidays soaking in a bit of “la dolce vita” on Capri and the Amalfi Coast. The area is still quite visited in the winter months, but this is the season of unpredictable weather so make sure you have a backup plan just in case the skies turn dark.
We’ve put together some tips and suggestions for planning your vacation on Capri and the Amalfi Coast for fall so your time here is seamless and stress-free.
One of the biggest inconveniences during a fall visit is getting around by sea when the weather conditions are wet and the water is choppy, causing many ferry routes to be canceled. Here are our tips, honed from years of getting to and from the island in all seasons:
Traffic on the Sorrentine Coast and the Amalfi Coast is always a bit tricky and public transportation is often unreliable and running behind schedule. Heavy rains in the winter months only make this situation worse and the coastal road is often closed after storms due to falling rocks and landslides.
Here are some tips:
The Circumvesuviana is a local commuter rail line that connects Naples and Sorrento; it generally runs on time and there are frequent departures. Keep in mind, however, that it is often overcrowded so you may have to stand much of the way (about an hour). It’s an easy way to make the shorter trip between Sorrento and Pompeii, but is not a great option to travel between Sorrento and Naples, especially if you have bags with you. Opt instead for the Campania Express, the tourist train that runs on the same line but is faster and less crowded. There are fewer departures during the winter season, however.
Circumvesuviana and Campania Express Train Schedules
Sita buses run between Sorrento and Positano, Amalfi, and the smaller villages located between the two. Since traffic is often snarled along the single coastal road, buses often run behind schedule and all seats are usually filled at the departure location, so those boarding afterwards must ride standing up. This is particularly true of buses departing from Positano in the afternoon to return to Sorrento. Long lines to board often form at the two Positano bus stops, and buses pulling in from Amalfi are already full and not boarding additional passengers.
Skip the bus and take the ferry from Positano to Sorrento in the afternoon; in the morning, you can easily find room on the buses departing from Sorrento and heading to the coast.
Amalfi Coast Bus Schedules
Capri is small, so the buses are small and the funicular is small. The crowds visiting the island, on the other hand, are huge and overwhelm the limited public transport available on the island…especially when trying to reach the Piazzetta (the heart of Capri town) from the port.
Tips for getting around Capri hassle-free:
Most hotels and restaurants on Capri and the Amalfi Coast remain open through October, then close for the winter and reopen around April. A handful of businesses do remain open all year round, however. In Sorrento, most hotels and restaurants stay open through the winter holidays and close the first week of January. Here is additional information about visiting Capri in the fall and winter. If you do decide to visit during this quiet winter season, we suggest using Sorrento or Naples as your base.