The Best Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast in 2023

Are you planning to take that long-awaited trip to Italy soon? And where are you planning to go? Are you planning to see the scenic Amalfi Coast in the south? If you said yes, you’ve come to the right place.

The Amalfi Coast offers scenery unlike anywhere else on the planet. But with such beauty comes crowds, resort tax, and weather changes. If you want to spare yourself those crowds, an inclement climate, and high tourist season prices, just a bit of research goes a long way.

And you don’t have to go far to complete that research. This article will give you all the information you need to know right here. There is a perfect time to visit the Amalfi Coast.

So, you can go when you’re sure to find the cheapest accommodation and flights and when you can have the charming beach towns and mountains to yourself. There’s also information on when you should avoid the Amalfi Coast and how to best enjoy your trip!

Why You Should Visit the Amalfi Coast

Italy is notorious for attracting hordes of tourists because it’s spectacular. The hill towns, cities, and seasides are a unique beauty within Europe, and no part of Italy is more part of this country than the Amalfi Coast.

Centered on the gorgeous town of Amalfi, this stretch of the seaside offers unbelievable views of the Tyrrhenian sea, beautiful historic towns, and delicious food.

If you’re seeking to experience the wonder of Italy and get a feel for the character of the Italians as a people, you can choose a few better destinations than the Amalfi Coast.

Overall Best Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast

There are two best times to visit the Amalfi Coast: the shoulder season. In other words, May and September are the overall best times to visit this part of Italy.

May and September bring warmth between about 20 to 25 degrees Celsius or 70 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. So, it’s nice and warm, permitting swimming and water activities. But it’s not unbearably hot yet like it will be in June, July, and August.

And because it’s warm and restaurants, museums, and tour agencies are preparing for tourist season—they will all be open. So, unlike in winter, you do not need to search far and wide for things to do, nor will you deal with the cutting coastal wind that blows into the hills.

Hotels, B&Bs, and many other accommodation options will be open and have plenty of space. So, your choices of places to stay will be wide open. You can book them for a fraction of the price that they cost during the high tourist season.

Cheapest Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast

Though it may not be the best time to visit the Amalfi Coast, the months from January to March are usually the cheapest months to visit the Amalfi Coast.

But for the cheapest month period, February is typically the cheapest month to see the delights of this region. This time is the cheapest because the average temperature ranges between 14 and 9 degrees Celsius, or 57 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unfortunately, this temperature means it is not warm enough to swim, and many tour agencies, restaurants, hotels, and resorts are not open. Hence, this is the “locals only” season on the Amalfi Coast, and prices go down to accommodate the locals.

While the area is still beautiful at any time of year, you’ll not have as much to do during the winter on the Amalfi Coast. The weather will be much colder, as the wind from the ocean will chill the air and potentially bring rain.

If you want to visit this part of Italy at the absolute cheapest time of the year, the best way to do so is to fly into Naples International Airport and travel southward. You’ll score deals on flights into Southern Italy, which places you closer to your destination.

Least Busy Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast

Winter is not only the cheapest time to visit the Amalfi Coast. It is also the least busy time to visit this legendary region of Italy.

Crowds flock to the Amalfi Coast in the summer and take up space in the hotels and resorts. But these resorts are practically empty in the winter—even though the weather is relatively warm compared to the rest of Europe.

So, though accommodation options will be more limited, winter means that the open places to stay have more room. You can also enjoy luxury hotels for a lower cost, especially in February.

Make sure you’re aware that even though it will be less busy and perhaps more peaceful, there will be fewer things to do. Many cafes, restaurants, and other local businesses close for the winter, as their income is highly seasonal.

So, if you visit during the quiet season, do not expect to engage in summertime activities, as many famed locales will not operate during your visit.

But, if you want to visit on a budget and enjoy entire towns to yourself, and enjoy peace in a warmer climate than the rest of Europe, winter can be a good time to visit the Amalfi Coast.

Worst Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast

While it is the season many people visit the Amalfi Coast, June, July, and August are the worst times to visit this beautiful stretch of coastline.

Though foreigners compose the majority of visitors, the Amalfi Coast is not only crowded with foreign visitors during these months; Italian tourists also flock from the north to enjoy their summer.

Crowds are not the only reason it’s advised you not to visit during these months. In southern Italy, summers can get extremely hot. June ranges between 27 and 22 degrees Celsius, July between 29 and 25, and August between 30 and 24 — meaning the average temperature is almost always around 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Crowds also add to the heat and can make the experience unpleasant as you navigate through them to get to restaurants, bars, museums, or beaches.

Additionally, their presence drives prices at resorts and hotels up, as they take up huge amounts of space at all of these accommodation options. Prices at restaurants, cafes, and tour agencies also change considerably due to the presence of these crowds.

Avoiding visiting the Amalfi Coast in the middle of summer is highly recommended, as it is a popular tourist season. And high tourist season means harsh weather, expensive hotels, expensive food, and constant crowds.

Instead, it’s recommended to plan a visit for May or September, when the crowds have died down, the weather has become milder, the prices have dropped, and there’s plenty of space at hotels.

Things to Consider

If you want to make sure your trip to the Amalfi Coast is nothing short of fantastic — be sure to follow these tips!

• Book hotels, tours, taxis, etc., far in advance. If you visit during the high tourist season, following this tip will make your trip a smooth process. Restaurants, hotels, boat tours, and many other amenities of the Amalfi Coast sell out quickly. Thus, if you book them far in advance, you’ll have no worries.
• Compare prices as much as possible. The Amalfi Coast, unfortunately, reflects this simple reality as a major tourist destination: many companies will try to get as much money as they can out of visitors. So, search far and wide for transportation services, hotels, tours, taxis, transfers, and other such amenities before you book anything.
• Pay close attention to the location of your accommodation. As most towns are built into hillsides or mountains, getting to accommodation is often a bit of a workout. Check reviews to make sure that the walk to your hotel or resort is not too taxing.
• Avoid renting a car. Laws in Italy prevent rental cars from entering “local traffic only” zones. Thus, to avoid incurring fines or dealing with the chaotic traffic of Italy, it’s recommended that you do not rent a car.
• Consider staying in Salerno or Sorrento. Both cities have much to see and do on their own, in addition to accessible, budget-friendly accommodation. Prices, even in the shoulder season, are higher on the Amalfi Coast, and if you want to spend your money on activities rather than a place to stay, then these two locations can offer you a great base.
• A little bit of Italian goes a long way. Italians are friendly, to begin with — but they will be even friendlier if you show you’ve made an effort to appreciate their culture. Thus, learning just a few words in Italian will get you quite far in interactions with locals and tour leaders.

Frequently Asked Questions

While this article aimed to anticipate as many questions as possible about visiting the Amalfi Coast, there are still some remaining. But don’t worry — you don’t need to go looking elsewhere for them. Here are the most frequently asked questions about visiting the Amalfi Coast!

So, What’s the Best Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast?

While each season has its advantages when visiting the Amalfi Coast, the best time to enjoy this part of Italy is in September or May.

Both months allow you to enjoy the region at a lively time where there is plenty to do, see, and eat — all without the overwhelming crowds, artificially high prices, and overbearing heat.

But as this article has demonstrated — the Amalfi Coast is always a good place to visit — and all you have to do to make the best of your trip is follow the tips in this article and find a way to get there. Happy travels!