Travel on Capri and the Amalfi Coast in the spring
Last updated: March 21, 2024
The entire Amalfi Coast area, including Capri, is "reopening its doors" for the new tourist season. As always, the Easter holidays lead the way for the tourist season. Tours, boat trips and excursions start operating again in early April.
Traffic and public transportation
Let's start with the difficult news first: traffic on the Sorrento Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast reaches its highest levels in this season, and public transport is not always reliable.
The following days are ones in which you should absolutely avoid taking a car in the Sorrento/Amalfi Coast area:
Sunday, March 31 and Monday, April 1 (Easter and Easter Monday)
Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, May 5 (Liberation Day and May 1 holiday long weekends)
After May 5, traffic will continue to be intense every weekend in May and June, and then all month in July and August.
Alternate license plates on the Amalfi Coast
A system of alternating license plates to control traffic is once again planned for summer 2024 on the Amalfi Coast.
On even-numbered days, cars with an even number as the last digit on the license plate CANNOT circulate
On odd-numbered days, cars with an odd number as the last digit on the license plate CANNOT circulate
Initially the system will be in force during Holy Week (from March 25th to April 1st) and during the long weekends of April 25th and May 1st (from April 24th to May 2nd). The system goes into force every weekend (Saturdays and Sundays) starting in June.
Here are our survival tips for dealing with traffic:
Don't rent a car. The streets are curvy and crowded with trucks, speeding scooters, and stray pedestrians. Parking is scarce and expensive. You risk ruining your holiday.
Carefully consider whether to rent a scooter; even then, it's best if you have previous experience.
Book a private transfer in advance to get you from the airport to your hotel and back, especially for Positano or Amalfi. Last year it was very difficult to find last-minute transfers, so make sure you book this service as soon as possible.
To reach Sorrento from the Naples airport, an excellent and cost-effective option is the Curreri coach service.
Reaching Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast from Naples
By train: the Circumvesuviana
The Circumvesuviana that connects Naples to Sorrento is efficient and runs fairly frequently. However, bear in mind that it can be very crowded, there's no assigned seating, and there's no air conditioning on most trains. Still, it's a viable option for travel from Sorrento to Pompeii; less so for reaching Sorrento from Naples with suitcases in tow.
The tourist train service Campania Express is a better option, although it runs less frequently.
By bus: Sita buses for the Amalfi Coast
Sita buses connect Sorrento with Positano and Amalfi and the various Amalfi Coast towns between them. Given the traffic, the timetables are not always reliable and you may have problems finding a seat at the intermediate stops. The return bus from Positano to Sorrento in the afternoon is especially problematic. Long queues form at the two stops in Positano because the buses arriving in Amalfi are often already full and cannot accommodate all the passengers on board.
We recommend the afternoon ferry from Positano to Sorrento.
Catching the bus at the Sorrento terminal in the morning, however, is not a problem.
Hydrofoils and ferries
Hydrofoils and ferries have reliable timetables and offer a reasonable level of service, although crowding is often unavoidable. It's best to book tickets in advance and try to get on an early run. There can be heavy crowds at the port of Capri, so it's best to have a look at the map in advance so you know where to go.
Tips for public transport on Capri
Capri is small, the buses are small, the funicular is small; and from April onwards there are many daily visitors. Inevitably, you'll run into long lines for public transport, especially at the port to go up to the Piazzetta (Capri center).
Here are our tips to help you get around as efficiently as possible:
As soon as you arrive, if you see a long queue at the funicular, walk to the left until you reach the "Banchinella" pier (pier 22). Buses depart from here for the city centre and they usually aren't very crowded. Alternatively, you can take a taxi to the Piazzetta; the cost is around 20 euros.
According to Google Maps, the walk from the port to the Piazzetta is just 15 minutes. While that's true, you should be aware that it's 15 minutes up an extreme incline. Consider this as an option only if you're in the right physical condition to complete the walk and you don't have lots of baggage.
Walking back down to the port from the Piazzetta, as you may expect, is much easier and more pleasant than the uphill climb to reach the center.
If you need to go up to Anacapri, there are direct buses from the port of Marina Grande. During peak hours there is a bus every 10-15 minutes.
For the return trip from Anacapri, if there's a long queue at the bus stop in Piazza Vittoria, walk back along viale Tommaso de Tommaso to catch the bus at the earlier stops closer to the depot (near Piazza Caprile).
Booking restaurants and other activities
It's best to book well in advance for pretty much everything you wish to do in Capri and the Amalfi Coast.
Restaurants
In a regular restaurant, you can easily book by calling or sending a message just a few days ahead. However, in the most famous places, particularly in Capri, booking procedures are becoming increasingly complex and sometimes it's hard to even get an answer. If you encounter this situation, we suggest choosing a lesser-known alternative. We guarantee you will be treated better and have a more delicious meal. In most cases if you're booking more than one table, the restaurant will require a deposit to hold the reservation.
Boat tours
The availability of boats is limited, and from June onwards it can be difficult to find spots on boat tours, especially from Positano to Capri. If you can't find anything on your date, consider reaching Capri by hydrofoil and taking a boat ride directly from the port of Marina Grande. There's more availability, you'll pay less, and you'll also have the chance to explore on land. Even in Capri you'll need to book the boat in advance; but it's easier to find availability directly on-site for shared boats that tour the island in one or two hours.
It's generally easier to find boats available in the afternoon rather than in the morning, and sunset tours are almost always available.
Keep in mind there's a docking fee of 100 euros for private boats arriving on Capri from the mainland, and that fee is never included in tour prices.
Beaches
On the Amalfi Coast and Capri, there are few free beaches and those that do exist are small. In addition, the beach clubs have a limited capacity each day. Many bathing establishments now require reservations, which can often be made directly from their official websites.
Timetables and opening hours
On our websites we always try to keep timetables up to date, but in many cases this is quite difficult.
On Capri, Villa Jovis and Villa Lysis do not have regular opening hours and a long uphill walk is required to get there. To avoid the risk of being disappointed in front of a closed gate, it's best to check on updated opening hours with the tourist office in the Piazzetta or at the port.
Blue Grotto
Everyone who comes to Capri wants to see the Blue Grotto, but sometimes there's a long queue or it's closed due to bad weather.
The best plan for visiting it without waiting hours in line is to be in front of the entrance when it opens, around 9 am. If you're staying overnight in Capri you can get there by land, while if you're staying Sorrento you can take a morning boat tour from Sorrento that will put you at the entrance to the Grotto when it opens.
Click below for more information about opening hours and current information for the Blue Grotto.
Path of the Gods
In recent years the Path of the Gods has gone from being a path for dedicated hikers to a mass tourist destination. Despite this, it's still a mountain path, and as such, you should be prepared: wear closed-toe shoes with grip soles, bring plenty of water and a hat, don't wander off the marked route, and if possible, hike with an expert guide. Keep in mind that the summer sun is intense and stretches of the path are exposed to full sun without any shade. The trail also has many areas with unprotected precipices and there have already been two fatalities this summer. Therefore, make sure you exercise the utmost caution during your hike.