Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast Without a Car

Visiting the Amalfi Coast without a car is not only possible — for many travellers, it’s the smarter choice. The challenge isn’t getting around, but choosing the right base. Some towns are flat, ferry-connected, and easy with luggage. Others are beautiful but punishing without wheels.

This guide helps you decide where to stay on the Amalfi Coast without a car, based on walkability, transport links, and what it’s actually like moving around day to day. Use the quick picks if you want an instant answer, or read on for the trade-offs that really matter before you book.

Best Towns to Stay on the Amalfi Coast Without a Car

Sorrento: The Easiest Base Without a Car

Sorrento is the least stressful choice if you’re travelling without a car. It’s flat, compact, and built around transport. You can walk most of the centre with ease, roll luggage without drama, and reach trains, ferries, and buses from one place.

Sorrento works brilliantly if you’re planning day trips — Pompeii, Capri, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast itself are all straightforward from here. It’s less dramatic than Positano, but far more practical.t. It’s also the easiest option if you’re arriving late into Naples or want a calm first day before tackling buses and boats. If you’re weighing up the best way to get there, How to Get from Naples to Sorrento (Train, Ferry, Bus & Transfer Compared) breaks down the options clearly so you can choose what suits your timing and comfort level.

What really sets Sorrento apart without a car is transport. It’s the only base with direct train connections to Naples and Pompeii, plus frequent ferries to Capri and the Amalfi Coast. You can plan most onward travel in one place, which is why Sorrento consistently feels easier than staying further along the coast — especially if you’re arriving with luggage or moving on every few days.

If Sorrento feels like the right base, this round-up of Boutique Hotels in Sorrento focuses on smaller, well-located stays that work especially well if you’re travelling without a car.

Best for: first-time visitors, shorter stays, easy logistics
Skip if: you want postcard cliffside views outside your hotel door

✅ If you want to book train or ferry tickets ahead of time — especially in summer — using a single booking platform like Omnio keeps everything in one place and avoids last-minute scrambles.

Positano: Iconic, Doable — but Choose Carefully

Positano is absolutely possible without a car, but it’s the most physically demanding base. Everything involves stairs. Hotel location matters more here than anywhere else.

If you stay near the ferry dock or lower town, getting around is manageable and ferries make day trips easy. Stay higher up, and you’ll feel every outing. Views are spectacular, but convenience comes at a price — sometimes literally.

In Positano, hotel location matters more than anywhere else on the coast — staying near the ferry dock or lower town makes a huge difference if you’re not driving. If you want to see which areas actually work without a car (and which to avoid), this guide to Where to Stay in Positano: Best Hotels, Views & Neighbourhoods breaks it down clearly.

Best for: views, romance, ferry-based exploring
Skip if: stairs, steep climbs, or heavy luggage are deal-breakers

Ravello: Beautiful but Bus-Dependent

Ravello is calm, elegant, and perched high above the coast. Without a car, you’ll rely on buses to reach Amalfi for ferries and onward travel.

This works well if you’re happy staying put, enjoying gardens, views, and slower days. It’s less suited to frequent hopping between towns, especially in peak season when buses queue.

Best for: slow travel, scenery, quieter stays
Skip if: you want flexibility and easy day trips

Minori & Maiori: Flat Alternatives Worth Considering

Minori and Maiori are flatter than most Amalfi Coast towns and easier to manage without a car. Both have long promenades, fewer stairs, and bus connections to Amalfi.

They lack the drama of Positano, but for car-free travellers who value walkability and a calmer base, they’re practical alternatives.

Best for: budget-friendlier stays, easy walking
Skip if: iconic views are non-negotiable

Amalfi: The Best All-Round Base Without a Car

Staying in Amalfi is one of the easiest ways to experience the Amalfi Coast without a car. The historic centre is compact and mostly flat, with hotels, restaurants, cafés, and the ferry port clustered close together — a big advantage if you’re arriving with luggage or planning day trips.

Amalfi is also one of the best-connected towns on the coast by boat. From here, ferries run frequently to Positano, Capri, and Salerno, which means you can explore without relying heavily on buses. Compared to Positano, moving around feels less physically demanding day to day, while still delivering classic coastal scenery.

The trade-off is atmosphere. Amalfi is busy during the middle of the day when tour groups arrive, but evenings are calmer once the ferries thin out. It suits travellers who want a balance of beauty and practicality rather than nightlife or total seclusion.

If this is your first time on the coast, it’s also worth knowing the common pitfalls — from underestimating stairs to overloading your itinerary. This guide to Amalfi Coast Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make (And How to Avoid Them) covers the things that trip people up most often.

Best for: ferry-based exploring, flatter walking, a central base
Skip if: you want a quieter village feel or dramatic cliffside views right outside your door

FAQs

Can you visit the Amalfi Coast without a car?
Yes. You can visit the Amalfi Coast without a car using trains, ferries, and buses, and many travellers find it less stressful than driving.

What is the best base for the Amalfi Coast without a car?
Sorrento is usually the best base without a car because it’s flat and well-connected, with direct train links to Naples and Pompeii plus frequent ferries.

How do you get around the Amalfi Coast without a car?
Use ferries between towns in the main season and buses for routes ferries don’t cover. Ferries are generally faster and less stressful in peak summer.

Is Positano difficult without a car?
Positano is doable without a car, but it involves a lot of stairs. Staying near the ferry dock or lower town makes getting around much easier.

Do you need to change hotels to explore the Amalfi Coast without a car?
No. Staying in one well-connected base and using ferries and buses is usually easier than moving hotels with luggage.

Staying on the Amalfi Coast without a car isn’t about compromise — it’s about choosing the right base. Choose a town that matches how much walking, transferring, and day-tripping you actually want to do, and the coast becomes far more enjoyable.

If you want the smoothest experience, start with Sorrento or Amalfi — then plan the rest around that decision.

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