Is the Amalfi Coast expensive?
Recently named one of the most expensive summer holiday destinations in Europe, here are a few tips to make your Amalfi Coast vacation a little easier on the purse strings
Picture yourself amidst a rocky coastland, with sapphire waters, pastel-coloured buildings, and brilliant greenery spotted around you. This sprawling, sun-drenched, seaside area is one of Italy’s most tranquil holiday spots you can pick. Offering guests life’s little luxuries throughout their stay. But with luxury comes expense, and Amalfi Coast defiantly runs on the expensive side.
The Season
During the high tourism season, Amalfi Coast’s restaurants, tours, and hotels can skyrocket in price. With the hotter months bringing in the swarms of crowds. Typically, the high season runs from April to the month of September, however, each month can vary in price. July and August are by far the most expensive periods, with the hottest days and busiest crowds. May and June usually have a smaller crowd, with prices generally the lowest of high season. However, if you really want to save your pocket money, travelling in the winter time from November to March is cheap as chips.
Be Prepared
When booking any trip away, no matter the season, it’s always best to book in advance! So, find out when you want to go, and where and book your flights accordingly. Sometimes flight prices drop last minute, but this isn’t always the case and we wouldn’t recommend taking the risk. Instead, try to book your flights at least 3 months in advance (more if you can) to get the best deals. The same for your accommodation, maybe book this after the flights so you can take the cheapest option for both. This same policy applies when you come to book activities. On your first day, try to see what’s there or what you might want to do and book away! That way you don’t miss out. Or better still, book yourself onto a tour and let us do the hard work, such as our Capri Day Tour.
Where to Stay
Once you’ve decided where you’re going, it’s also a good idea to decide which town you want to settle for on your Amalfi Coast getaway. There are plenty to choose from, but if you’ve got money on your mind, we recommend sticking to Ravello or Minori and avoiding Positano. Whilst absolutely gorgeous, Positano is both crowded and expensive, even by Airbnb standards. Instead, Ravello and Minori, which are only an hour away from Positano, are a little quieter and demand a much smaller price tag. Ravello is perched in the hills offering stunning views of the sea and surrounding towns, which are easily accessible by bus. Minori, whilst being less visited than most towns on the coast is popular with the locals and therefore less touristy and pricey.
The Food
Keep eating out to a minimum and head to one of the local supermarkets instead to find fresh, cheap and ready ingredients for you to cook up a storm in the comfort of your own home-away-from-home. If you are going to eat out, however, skip the overpriced restaurants and eat away from the main square. This way you’re likely to avoid any tourist traps and find some local gems instead. Give yourself a little extra time in the evening and take a stroll down the many cobblestone laneways to work up your appetite and find some truly delicious local cuisine. The stroll and the discovery will add to the charm of your evening and means you get to know Amalfi that little bit more. Offering better food, prices, atmosphere, all away from the swarms of tourists and closer to the local lifestyle of Italy.
The Accommodation
Usually, the cheaper places that are on offer within the coast are further out from the city’s centre. So, if you are going to travel on a budget, be aware that it’ll take you a lot longer to get to the popular restaurants, beaches, and shops. However, the upside this is that these cheaper hotels are away from the hustle and bustle, offering a quiet tranqulity in which to enjoy the coastal scenery. And you never know, you might find a new favourite spot or hike off the beaten track. Another bonus is that the accommodation is usually more spaced out, giving you more privacy and space for a truly tranquil trip. If this isn’t appealing to you, taking a simple day trip to the coast can be the perfect substitute.
The Beaches
The Amalfi Coast takes their beaches seriously, offering guests not just the beach, but umbrellas, loungers, and drink service all for a hefty sum. Indulging in these services may seem like a great option but it can add up to costing you an arm and a leg. Instead, why not avoid these beaches all together? Working out where the locals go swimming will let you immerse in the back areas of the coast, by hiking through thick bushland to arrive at these quiet (and free!) public beach spots typically off most tourist’s radars.
Related article: How far from Rome is the Amalfi Coast?
