Can you walk from Amalfi to Positano? No, not directly, and I think this is one of the most useful things to clear up before you plan a day around it. There’s no coastal footpath that links the two towns along the water the way a lot of first-time visitors picture it. Here’s what I’d actually do instead: treat the two towns as a boat or bus trip apart, and save your hiking energy for the Path of the Gods, which is a genuinely different route with a different starting point entirely.
I’ll explain exactly why this mix-up happens, where the famous trail actually starts, and the realistic way to connect these two towns in a single day. For the full budget and logistics picture these two towns fit into, my Amalfi Coast trip cost guide is the right next stop.
Why Do People Think You Can Walk from Amalfi to Positano?
The confusion almost always comes from the Path of the Gods, a famous hiking trail that runs along this stretch of coast and gets associated with both towns in search results and travel blogs. The trail is real and spectacular, but it doesn’t run between Amalfi and Positano themselves; it sits higher up the mountainside, connecting a different set of villages.
My honest take: I understand the mix-up completely, since both towns sit on the same coastline and the trail genuinely overlooks both from a distance. But conflating “a trail near this coast” with “a trail between these two specific towns” sets up a plan that doesn’t actually work on the ground.
Where Does the Path of the Gods Actually Start and End?
The trail runs primarily between Bomerano, a hamlet above Agerola, and Nocelle, a small hillside settlement above Positano. From Nocelle, a long staircase descends down into Positano itself, so the trail does technically end near Positano, just not starting from Amalfi at all.
I’d plan this as its own dedicated hiking day rather than something you casually do en route between the two main towns, since getting to the Bomerano trailhead itself requires a bus ride up into the hills first.
Is There Any Walking Path Directly Along the Coast Between the Two Towns?
No, and this is the part that surprises people most. The coastline between Amalfi and Positano is dominated by steep cliffs with the main road cut into the rock face, and there’s no continuous pedestrian path running along the water connecting the two town centers.
My honest read: don’t plan a “walk along the coast” day expecting to stroll between these towns. The terrain simply doesn’t allow for it outside the designated trail network higher up the mountainside.
So How Do You Actually Get Between Amalfi and Positano?
Realistically, you’ve got three options: the seasonal ferry, the SITA bus along the coastal road, or a boat tour that stops in both towns as part of a longer day. I’d pick based on your schedule and what else you want out of the day, not just the shortest route on a map.
The bus is the cheapest and runs year round but gets genuinely crowded in peak season. The ferry is faster and far more scenic when it’s running, though it’s seasonal. A boat tour costs more but builds in swimming, free time in both towns, and removes the transport question entirely. My ferry and boat transport guide covers exactly which scheduled routes connect these towns and when they actually run.
Is the Path of the Gods Worth Doing If You’re Staying in Positano or Amalfi?
Yes, I think it’s genuinely one of the best hikes on this whole coast, but I’d treat it as a separate excursion rather than a transport option between your two base towns. The trail itself takes a good few hours one way, and getting to and from the trailheads adds bus time on both ends.
My honest advice: if hiking is a priority for your trip, give it its own full day with an early start, comfortable shoes and plenty of water. Don’t try to squeeze it in as a shortcut on a day you’re also trying to see both towns properly.
What’s the Realistic Way to See Both Towns in One Day?
A boat tour, honestly. This is the one option that actually delivers “see Amalfi and Positano in a single outing” without a bus transfer or a long hike eating most of your day. My boat from Sorrento to Positano guide and the flexible-port Amalfi Coast boat tour both cover routes that typically stop in both towns along the coast.
I’d pick this over trying to bus between them and walk around each one separately, since the boat day usually includes a swimming stop that a land-based transfer never gives you. This question comes up a lot from cruise passengers specifically, trying to fit both towns into one fixed port call; my Amalfi Coast boat tours for cruise ship passengers guide covers what realistically fits in that kind of tighter schedule.
Does Walking Between Towns Save You Money Over a Boat or Bus?
Not in any practical sense, because it isn’t an available option for this specific route. If cost is your real concern rather than the walking itself, my is the Amalfi Coast expensive guide covers where the genuine savings levers are, and a shared boat tour over a private charter is usually the bigger one.
My take: don’t let the idea of “free” walking factor into your transport budget here, since the terrain rules it out as a realistic connector between these two towns.
How Many Days Should You Budget If You Want Both the Towns and the Trail?
I’d budget at least 4 to 5 days total if you want to properly see Amalfi and Positano and also fit in a Path of the Gods hike without rushing any of it. My how many days do you need on the Amalfi Coast guide breaks this down further by what you’re actually trying to fit in.
Could You Add a Capri Day to the Same Trip?
Yes, and plenty of readers asking about walking between these two towns are also weighing trips from Amalfi to Capri as part of the same visit. Capri is a separate island reached by its own boat crossing, not a walking or coastal-path destination at all, so I’d treat it as its own dedicated day rather than something that competes with your Amalfi-Positano planning.
My honest read: if your trip already includes both towns plus a hiking day, I’d only add Capri if you’ve got 5 or more days total, since trying to layer all three onto a shorter trip tends to leave everything feeling rushed.
My Honest Recommendation
Drop the idea of walking directly between Amalfi and Positano from your plan entirely, since the terrain simply doesn’t support it. If hiking is what drew you to this idea, book the Path of the Gods as its own day from the Bomerano trailhead instead, and I’d treat it as one of the highlights of your trip rather than a shortcut. If you just want to see both towns without the hike, a boat tour is the easier, more scenic choice over a bus transfer.
For every departure option that links these towns by water, see every Amalfi Coast boat tour and charter compared side by side before picking which one fits your day best.
Walking the Amalfi Coast at the right elevation, on the right trail, is one of my favorite ways to recommend seeing this region, so I wouldn’t let this one mix-up put you off hiking here altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you walk from Amalfi to Positano along the coast?
No, there’s no direct coastal footpath between the two towns. The terrain between them is dominated by steep cliffs with the main road cut into the rock.
Where does the Path of the Gods trail actually start?
From Bomerano, above Agerola, ending near Nocelle above Positano, not from Amalfi itself.
What’s the best way to get between Amalfi and Positano?
A seasonal ferry, the SITA bus, or a boat tour that stops in both towns. I’d lean toward a boat tour if you also want a swimming stop built into the day.
Is the Path of the Gods hike difficult?
It’s a moderate, multi-hour hike best done as its own day with an early start, comfortable shoes and water, not as a quick connector between towns.
Can you combine a Capri day trip with Amalfi and Positano?
Yes, but I’d treat it as its own separate day using a dedicated boat crossing, and only add it if your trip is 5 days or longer.
