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So you want to go to the Amalfi Coast but don’t want to spend your entire life savings?
You have come to the right place. Here is a quick easy guide on how we visited the Amalfi Coast on a backpackers budget.
Location Location Location
Stay on the outskirts of the Coast – we stayed in the port town of Salerno. This was an easy 1hr train ride from Naples. The town is the gateway to the Amalfi Coast for many cruise ships and boat tour company’s. The town is lively full of great shops and restaurants with a nice boardwalk and evening atmosphere. There is a variety of airbnbs and hostels within many different price ranges that you can stay in. We stayed at Barone Bed and Breakfast for a total of 6 nights.
Buses
Use the buses – there is a great transport network set up to get you around the Amalfi Coast. If you are like us and want to spend as little money as possible the buses are the way to go. The buses that run around the Amalfi Coast are called the Sita buses. Click here to see the current timetable. We found they ran on time when leaving the depot so don’t be late. HOT TIP: to get tickets you need to go to a Tabacchi store and purchase in advance. They will not let you purchase the tickets on the buses.
I’ve got to be honest with you the roads around the coast are extremely windy so if you get travel sick like me be prepared.
Ferries
If you have a bit more cash in your budget you can also take the ferries which leave from the port of Salerno and will take you to all the major destinations (Positano, Amalfi etc) these are pricier than the bus but if you want to save time and see the coast line from the water this is a great option. (We bussed one way and then took the ferry back) would definitely recommend taking the ferry at least once to see those stunning views that are all over instagram. I would recommend using the Omino to look at and compare prices and modes of transport.
Free Activities
Make use of the free things to do: we did the Walk of the Gods. This easy hike takes you from Bomerano to Nocelle then you take the steps down to get to Positano. It is a great walk which enables you to get an amazing perspective of the coast whilst walking through little villages along the way.
To get there from Salerno you will need to take two buses so we recommend trying to get one of the earlier morning buses out of Salerno to make the most of the day and to avoid the crowds and mid day sun. If travelling from Salerno you will need to bus from Salerno to Amalfi. Then change buses at the Amalfi bus station to catch the Agerola Bomerano bus. (Remember to buy a ticket from the Tabacchi when you get to Amalfi for the next bus) Don’t worry about getting off at the wrong stop on the Agerola Bomerano bus, we found there were a lot of other hikers on the bus heading to the same place. The locals were also very helpful in steering you in the right direction.
Overall travelling the Amalfi coast on a budget is possible. Stay at the base of the coast, use public transport and explore and you will have a great time and not break the bank.
Relevant as of October 2023.
