The Ultimate Luxury 7-Day Amalfi Coast Itinerary

Few stretches of coastline anywhere in the world carry quite the same weight of romance, drama, and sheer visual excess as the Amalfi Coast. Draped along the southern edge of the Sorrentine Peninsula in Campania, just an hour or so south of Naples and roughly three hours from Rome, this celebrated sliver of southern Italy has long inspired poets, composers, and sun-seekers in equal measure. Steep limestone cliffs tumble dramatically into the Tyrrhenian Sea, whilst colourful villages like Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Praiano cling to the mountainsides. 

Yet the Amalfi Coast is far more than a pretty backdrop. Long before the luxury hotels and scenic drives made it one of Europe's most coveted holiday destinations, the town of Amalfi itself stood alongside Venice, Genoa, and Pisa as one of Italy's four great Maritime Republics, commanding the Mediterranean trade routes between the 9th and 11th centuries. That history lingers in the details: in ancient handcrafted paper, fragrant terraced lemons, and gardens that once inspired Wagner.

Today, visitors come to row along the coast, dine on fresh seafood at water's edge, and watch the sun sink slowly over the Mediterranean. With seven days at your disposal, there is ample time to do all of that and a great deal more. Here’s the only Amalfi Coast itinerary you will need. 

Where to Stay

Choose Positano — most photogenic and alive — for iconic views, a sense of glamour, and the full, immersive Amalfi experience. Pick Sorrento if you value logistical ease, a slightly steadier pace, and a little more room to breathe. Choose Ravello for romance, elevation, and the kind of refined quiet that the waterfront towns cannot quite offer.

Where to Go

Arrive In Style At Sea

Your introduction to the Amalfi Coast should begin the moment you land. From Naples, resist the road and arrange a private boat transfer to Positano instead. Once ashore, check into one of the legendary properties here. Check into Le Sirenuse — the jewel-red palazzo with its pool terrace and flower-draped balconies — or Il San Pietro di Positano, built into the cliff face and accessible by private lift. Aperitivos overlooking the sea, Michelin-level dinners, sunset cocktails facing due west are non-negotiables.

Rise early. Before the ferries dock, Positano belongs to you: softer light, quieter streets, richer colour. Visit a cobbler for bespoke sandals, browse linen and ceramics boutiques, and lunch at a cliffside restaurant with panoramic views.

A Day on the Water

This is where a luxury Amalfi Coast itinerary decisively separates itself from any other kind. Charter a private yacht for the day and set course for Capri, hidden grottos, and secret swimming coves that no road can reach. Swim directly from the boat in water of startling clarity, take a champagne lunch on deck as the coastline drifts past, and drop anchor in secluded bays where the only sound is the sea. The Faraglioni rocks near Capri, photographed from the water, are among the most arresting sights on the entire Mediterranean. By day's end, you will understand why the boat transfer from Naples was so important.

Capri, The Glamorous Way

Engage a private guide, reserve your beach club, and arrange a scenic convertible ride around the island for the classic Capri experience.

The must-sees are well known for good reason: the Faraglioni, soaring from the sea in three great limestone arches; the vertiginous ride to Monte Solaro, the island's highest point; and the Blue Grotto, that famous sea cave where the light enters beneath the waterline and turns the water an electric, otherworldly blue. Designers and serious shoppers will find plenty to occupy whatever hours remain. Return to Positano in the early evening.

Alongside, when in Capri, don’t forget Ischia, which is a beautiful volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, located about 30 km (19 miles) from Naples. It is the largest island in the Gulf of Naples, celebrated for its mineral-rich thermal hot springs, rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, and sweeping views of the medieval Aragonese Castle.

Ravello, The Most Sophisticated Address on the Coast

Move to Ravello. Perched high above the sea, away from the bustle of the waterfront towns, Ravello is where seasoned Amalfi Coast travellers tend to end up. Check out hotels like the Belmond Hotel Caruso, a converted 11th-century palazzo set within terraced gardens, whose infinity pool appears to float over the entire Tyrrhenian Sea. It is, quite simply, one of the great hotel views on earth.

Spend the day taking private garden tours through Villa Cimbrone and its celebrated Terrace of Infinity, a belvedere lined with classical busts where the cliff drops away, and the sea stretches to the horizon. In the evening, attend a classical music performance held in the gardens of Villa Rufolo.

Access Over Extravagance 

The most experienced luxury travellers will tell you that the Amalfi Coast's most memorable moments are not the five-star restaurants or the yacht decks, though those have their own particular pleasures. They are the access moments, the ones that require local knowledge, careful arrangement, and a willingness to look beyond the well-worn tourist circuit.

Arrange a private tour of a working lemon grove, where the Sfusato Amalfitano lemons grow on those ancient terraced slopes, and the scent of citrus hangs heavy in the warm air. Book a hands-on cooking lesson with a local chef, someone who sources from the market that morning and teaches not just technique but a whole way of understanding the region through its food. Visit an Amalfi papermaking workshop, where artisans still work by hand using methods unchanged for centuries, producing sheets that feel more like a small piece of history.

The Departure

How you leave is, in its own way, as important as how you arrived. For those for whom budget is truly no consideration, a helicopter transfer from the coast to Rome, Florence, or Milan transforms the departure into a final, sweeping act of spectacle — the whole extraordinary geography of the coast laid out below as you lift away from it. For the classic luxury option, a private vehicle back to Naples, unhurried and well provisioned, closes the week with the proper sense of occasion.

Either way, linger over breakfast. The view from the terrace earns one more quiet, unhurried look before you go. The Amalfi Coast offers a standard of beauty against which every journey afterwards is quietly measured. Come prepared, travel slowly, and it will spoil you for life.

Rules For the Road 

The do’s and don’ts are simple: travel by boat, wake early, book ahead, and carry cash. Pack comfortable shoes, the steps are relentless. Trust a good concierge over viral hotspots, slow down, and venture beyond Positano. If time allows, add a ceramics masterclass in Vietri sul Mare to your itinerary; the town is the handicraft capital of the coast and an experience well worth the detour. The best meals are often lunches, when the light is at its peak. Skip the hire car unless cliff roads don't faze you. And remember, the coast rewards the prepared and punishes the spontaneous.