Amalfi and Atrani — Day 3 of a 6-Day Trip in Italy’s Amalfi Coast
Day 3 consisted of a visit to Amalfi and Atrani. Amalfi Coast is named after the city Amalfi, a central spot along the Amalfi Coast. The city is reachable by car, bus, or ferry. Atrani is a small fishing village right beside Amalfi. Its sandy beaches are less busy than Amalfi, offering a great alternative if you are looking to avoid the crowds.
Day 3
Amalfi and Atrani
After breakfast, we drove to the ferry pick-up spot at Vietri Sul Mare (near the beach). Note: check the TravelMar website for ferry times and fares. You can also purchase your tickets ahead of time. Once the ferry docked, we were welcomed aboard and picked seats on the upper deck. The trip to Amalfi is worth the ferry cost – a one way fare from Vietri Sul Mare to Amalfi is 14 euros/person and you will get fabulous views of the Amalfi Coast. The ferry stops at a few towns on the way to Amalfi (i.e. Cetara, Maiori and Minori) and you can also venture further past Amalfi on the ferry if you choose (i.e. Positano) at an extra cost. I would recommend bringing a sweater as it does get windy and chilly during the ferry ride.
After 45 minutes, we arrived at Amalfi. It was lunch time, so we headed straight to Ristorante L’Abside. We ordered multiple items to share (enough food for ~4 people) – mussels and clams, a three seafood appetizer, a caprese salad, the monk fish gnocchi special, and tagliatelle alla bolognese. The tagliatelle alla bolognese was my favourite out of it all. Service seemed a bit slow – I am used to the fast paced restaurants in Vancouver – but Italians enjoy taking their time during their meals.
After lunch, we headed to the Duomo di Amalfi, a medieval Roman Catholic Cathedral. The Cloister of Paradise, part of the Duomo di Amalfi, is a beautiful spot with its tall white arches and manicured greenery.
After the cathedral, we wandered the narrow alleys, stairwells, and inner city of Amalfi. The locals of Amalfi must really get their exercise because there were so many stairs and uphill slopes!
For the last part of the afternoon, we spent time at the beach in Atrani. Amalfi and Atrani are connected by the main road, but there is also a pedestrian tunnel (Tunnel Pendonale Amalfi) which felt a bit safer as it was away from the cars. At the beach, we grabbed some gelato from the cafe and lounged by the sea.
After the beach, we headed back to Amalfi to catch the ferry back to Vietri Sul Mare, then drove to our Airbnb for a home-cooked dinner.
Complete Day 3 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.
9:00am: Have breakfast.
11:00am: Take the ferry to Amalfi (45 minute ferry from Vietri Sul Mare).
12:00pm: Have lunch at Ristorante L’Abside (2 minute walk from ferry drop-off).
2:00pm: Visit the Duomo di Amalfi and the Cloister of Paradise (2 minute walk from Ristorante L’Abside).
3:00pm: Wander Amalfi.
4:00pm: Lounge at the beach in Atrani (12 minute walk from the Duomo di Amalfi).
6:00pm: Take the ferry back to Vietri Sul Mare (45 minute ferry from Amalfi).
7:00pm Have dinner.
16-Day Italy and Portugal Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 16-Day Italy and Portugal Itinerary. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip!
Travels with Carolyne 