The short version: three days is enough to eat the Amalfi Coast properly — a first day settling into Sorrento with a food tour and limoncello, a second cooking pasta and mozzarella at a farm or in a cliffside kitchen, and a third out on the water between Positano, Amalfi and Ravello for seafood and coastal wine. Below is a loose, food-first shape for the trip, not a fixed schedule — bend it around the ferries and your own pace.
A note on how to use this: these are suggestions and options, not a minute-by-minute plan. Ferry timetables, cooking-class and restaurant hours and tour availability all change with the season, so treat the days as a flexible outline and confirm anything time-sensitive directly with the operator before you go.
At a glance
| Day | The idea |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Sorrento — a food tour, gnocchi alla sorrentina, limoncello |
| Day 2 | A cooking class: fresh pasta and mozzarella at a farm or cliffside kitchen |
| Day 3 | On the water — Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, seafood and coastal wine |
| Best base | Sorrento (easiest transport) or Positano (most scenic) |
| Getting around | Ferries and the SITA bus; boat trips for the coast |
Day one — settle into Sorrento
Base yourself in Sorrento, the coast’s most connected town, and start slow. A food tour is the easiest way in — gnocchi alla sorrentina, provolone del monaco cheese, Gragnano pasta, and the famous lemons that flavour everything from granita to limoncello (see how limoncello works). Wander the lemon groves and the old town, and finish with a delizia al limone, the lemon-cream dome that is Sorrento’s signature dessert. Our what to eat in Sorrento guide has the full list, and Sorrento or Positano helps you choose a base.
Day two — a cooking class in the hills or on the cliffs
Give the second day to cooking. The coast’s classes are a highlight — many are on family farms up in Agerola and Furore, where you make fresh pasta and mozzarella (sometimes milking the cow first), or in cliffside kitchens in Positano and Sorrento with a sea view. You’ll typically cook pasta or gnocchi, mozzarella and tiramisù, then eat it with local wine. Browse the options by town — Positano, Sorrento and the wider Amalfi Coast cooking classes — and see our cooking-class guide for what to expect.
Day three — the coast by boat
Spend the last day on the water — the only way to see the coast at its best. Hop the ferries or take a boat trip between Positano, Amalfi and up to Ravello, stopping for a long seafood lunch (spaghetti alle vongole, fritto misto, grilled catch of the day). This is also wine country most people miss: the steep Furore and Tramonti vineyards make distinctive Amalfi Coast whites and reds — a coastal wine tasting is a lovely detour. For the dishes to look for all trip, keep what to eat on the Amalfi Coast handy.
Where to base yourself, and practical notes
Stay in Sorrento for the easiest transport (train to Naples, ferries everywhere) or Positano for the drama, accepting its steps and steeper prices. The coast road is slow and winding, so lean on ferries and the SITA bus rather than a car, and let boat operators do the driving on the water. Book cooking classes and boat trips ahead in summer, when the coast is packed, and mention dietary needs when you reserve. Keep it loose — a long lunch over the sea is the whole point. Plan from the Amalfi Coast hub.
Frequently asked questions
Is three days enough for the Amalfi Coast?
Yes — three days lets you settle into Sorrento, do a cooking class, and spend a day on the water between Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. It’s a comfortable amount of time to eat and drink well without rushing the winding coast.
What food is the Amalfi Coast known for?
Fresh seafood and pasta (spaghetti alle vongole), gnocchi alla sorrentina, buffalo mozzarella, the Sfusato lemons behind limoncello and delizia al limone, and the coastal wines of Furore and Tramonti.
Should I base in Sorrento or Positano?
Sorrento is better connected and better value, with easy trains and ferries; Positano is more scenic and romantic but steep and pricier. Many people base in Sorrento and day-trip along the coast.
Plan your Amalfi Coast food trip
Book a cooking class, a coastal wine tasting, or explore the towns from the Amalfi Coast hub.
