What to see (and enjoy) in Amalfi and Atrani in 1 day

Steps to the Amalfi Cathedral, Amalfi Coast.

Want to discover the wonders of Amalfi and its surroundings in 24 hours?

A marble cathedral.
Mouth-watering gelato.
A hidden turquoise cove at the bottom of the stairs.

Even if you only have one day to experience it, you'll leave a little piece of yourself in Amalfi (and a little bit in Atrani, you'll see).

Things to see in Amalfi

After an earthquake submerged much of the city in the 14th century, Amalfi's size was drastically reduced. However, this little town hides real gems:

Piazza del Duomo, packed with restaurants, gelato shops, and cafes with views.
Duomo or Cathedral of Saint Andrew, an imposing building with an interior that rivals the beauty of its stone staircase and facade of marble and mosaics (free).
Cloister of Paradise, truly living up to its name, which in turn connects to the original basilica (of the Crucifix) and a gorgeous crypt with the relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle (entrance fee €3/person).
Piazza dei Dogi… could it be any more charming?
The views of Amalfi from several points around the port, with the Lattari mountains as a backdrop.

Beautiful Atrani

This small town just a few meters from Amalfi is famous for its picturesque beach. And, since a picture is worth a thousand words, here it is:

Pretty cool, right?

We reached Atrani on foot in just a few minutes from Amalfi. That said, we had to walk right along the edge of the road. Not only is it too narrow for two lanes, but on top of that, they drive like crazy! And honestly, the poor visibility around the bends doesn't help much either. 🙂

Though instead of stopping at Atrani beach, we kept going all the way to the wonderful Spiaggia di Castiglione.

Castiglione Beach

I couldn't tell you what it's like in high season, but in early June it was idyllic.

It is a small cove at the foot of the cliff. You have to climb down a fairly long flight of stairs to reach it, and it's split in two by a sunbed rental business, the Lido di Ravello (yep, Ravello's beach!).

On either side of the business, there's plenty of public space with free access. And the cliff walls provide natural shade (you'll need it, trust me).

Turquoise sea, sun, a pebble footbath underfoot, and a sense of exclusivity and seclusion unheard of for a tourist hotspot like the Amalfi Coast…

What more could you ask for? A freshly made buffalo mozzarella and fresh tomato sandwich? Coming right up!

Where to sleep

You'll find many more options for staying overnight in Amalfi compared to Atrani.

For me, one of the essential factors to keep in mind was parking availability and whether or not it was included in the price.

This was one of the many reasons why we picked Hotel Floridiana:

Columns of the Cloister of Paradise, Amalfi.

Parking included in the price.
Delicious breakfast.
Amazing reviews on Booking.
Right in the heart of downtown Amalfi.
Modern bathroom and comfy bed.

All for €125/night, 2 people (+€3 taxes). In short, 100% recommended.

How to get there

By car

Parking along the narrow road that runs through the Amalfi Coast is very limited and pretty expensive. Expect to spend around €20-30 a day.

If you're only visiting Amalfi or Atrani for the day, you can leave your car in the Luna Rossa underground paid parking lot, located between both towns. However, if you're going during high season, you'd better cross your fingers and hope to find an empty spot.

Classic Fiat 600 waiting for the traffic light to turn green in central Amalfi.

Next to the port of Atrani there are also a few parking spots, but they usually fill up quickly.

If you're spending the night in Amalfi or Atrani and arriving by car, book a parking space through your accommodation, just like we did.

Heads up:
Driving in central Amalfi is limited to residents. It only has a single lane, so narrow that a traffic light manages alternating flow. Plus, it's always packed with pedestrians strolling around, window shopping, or blissfully savoring the umpteenth gelato of the day…
So, if your parking is located inside the town, make sure you've received the proper instructions from your accommodation or agency (and carry them printed on paper), or they won't let you drive into downtown Amalfi.

In this regard, Hotel Floridiana made it super easy for us. They sent us all the necessary info, timetables, a map, and various tips, like bringing the booking in physical format to show the police at the entrance (good thing we listened to them!).

By bus

Without a doubt, Amalfi is the best-connected town on this coast via the Sita bus company.

By boat

Panoramic view of Amalfi from the road, Italy.

You'll find quite a few companies running routes several times a day between the main towns along the Amalfi Coast.

What's more, you can reach Amalfi directly from Salerno or the island of Capri.

Where to Eat

In less than 24 hours, it's impossible to do a proper restaurant tasting. Luckily, we hit the jackpot with our choice: L'Abside; where we had two dishes (each more delicious than the other) of seafood pasta, a tiramisu, and half a liter of house white wine for 55€.

On the other hand, since we spent midday at Castiglione beach, we had to find a takeout option. We bought some insanely good fresh tomato and mozzarella sandwiches at Bar Birecto in Atrani for just 10€. And, right on the other side of the square, we found a small shop where we stocked up on cold drinks for the whole day.

And, as you'd expect during our vacation in southern Italy, we tried a couple of gelato shops: Pasticceria Savoia and Caffe Royal, both in Amalfi.

The best? No clue, there are so many! What I can promise you, though, is that they were super tasty.

When to go

Views of Atrani from the road to Amalfi.

The same rule I mention in the post about Positano, for example, applies to the entire Amalfi Coast:

If you want to make the most of the beach, July, August, and most of June and September are your months. But keep in mind that, being high season, you'll find high prices and lots of tourists. Opting for June and September is always a bit quieter. Specifically, we visited the Amalfi Coast in early June 2017.

In low season, the weather is worse and the days are short, though you'll encounter fewer crowds.