Route Briefing: London to Amalfi Coast
Just three and a half hours from London, the Amalfi Coast feels like another world entirely — a place where pastel-coloured villages cling to dramatic cliffs above water so blue it almost looks painted. For a stretch of coastline this iconic, the fact that you can get there on a budget fare under £150 roundtrip makes it one of Europe's most rewarding short-haul escapes.
Flights land at Naples International Airport, which is your gateway to the whole region. From Naples, you have a few solid options for reaching the coast itself. Trains connect the city to Sorrento, which sits at the northern end of the Amalfi peninsula and makes an excellent base. From Sorrento, the famous SITA bus service winds its way along the cliff road through Positano, Amalfi town, and Ravello — a journey that's equal parts terrifying and breathtaking. Alternatively, ferries run seasonally between Naples and the coastal towns, and arriving by sea is genuinely one of the great travel moments in Europe.
The coast rewards slow exploration. Positano is the postcard village everyone pictures, with its stacked houses tumbling toward a small beach. Amalfi town itself has a magnificent cathedral and a lively piazza that buzzes well into the evening. Ravello, perched high above the water, is quieter and arguably more beautiful, with gardens that look out over the entire coastline. The food throughout is exceptional — fresh seafood, handmade pasta, local limoncello made from the enormous lemons that grow on terraced hillsides everywhere you look.
Peak season runs from June through August, when the coast is at its most vibrant but also its most crowded and expensive. If you can travel in May or September, you'll find warm weather, calmer roads, and a noticeably more relaxed atmosphere. The route operates year-round, so an off-season visit in spring is genuinely worth considering.
For the best fares from London, Ryanair out of Stansted tends to offer the most competitive prices, particularly on midweek flights. Booking six to eight weeks ahead is the sweet spot for summer travel — leave it much later and prices climb sharply. easyJet and British Airways also serve the Naples route from Heathrow and Gatwick, giving you flexibility depending on where you're based in the city.
One tip that genuinely transforms the experience: resist the urge to stay only in Positano, where accommodation prices reflect the Instagram fame. Basing yourself in Amalfi town or Sorrento gives you easier access to the whole coastline without the premium, and you can day-trip to the famous spots without the crowds that descend by midday.