Late July is peak season on the Amalfi Coast, and for good reason: the water is at its warmest, the lemon groves are heavy with fruit, and every terrace restaurant is open late. Yes, it's busy. Book ahead, move early in the day, and you'll still get the version of this coastline that put it on every summer bucket list.
Day 1: Positano
Base yourself in Positano for the classic postcard views. Spend the morning wandering the vertical town, then head down to Spiaggia Grande for a swim before the day-trippers arrive on the midday ferries. In the evening, catch sunset from one of the terrace bars above the marina, then walk down for dinner by the water.
Day 2: Path of the Gods and Praiano
Start early, before the July heat sets in, for the Sentiero degli Dei, the Path of the Gods hiking trail between Bomerano and Nocelle. The views over the coastline from up here are better than anything you'll see from sea level. Descend into Praiano for a quieter lunch spot than Positano, then spend the afternoon at Marina di Praia, a small pebble cove that's easy to miss and rarely crowded.
Day 3: Amalfi Town and Ravello
Take the ferry to Amalfi town itself to see the striped cathedral and wander the old paper-making district, then catch a bus up into the hills to Ravello. The gardens at Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone have some of the best views on the entire coast, and it's noticeably cooler and quieter up there in the summer heat.
Day 4: Capri Day Trip
Catch an early ferry to Capri before the cruise crowds land. Ride the chairlift up Monte Solaro for the best view on the island, then spend the afternoon swimming near the Faraglioni rock stacks. Skip the Blue Grotto line in July unless you're prepared to wait; the water around the island is clear enough everywhere else.
Practical notes: Book accommodation and the Path of the Gods logistics months ahead if traveling in July or August; this is the busiest window of the year. Ferries between towns are faster and less stressful than the coastal road, which can gridlock in summer. Bring cash for smaller trattorias and count on hot, dry weather with water as your best cooldown option.
Where to Stay
Budget: Look at guesthouses in Praiano or Minori rather than Positano itself; you'll pay a fraction of the price for a short bus or ferry ride into the more famous towns, from around $90 a night.
Mid-range: Family-run hotels in Positano or Amalfi town with a sea-view terrace generally run $250-400 a night in peak summer; book as early as you can.
Splurge: Le Sirenuse in Positano and Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello are two of the coast's most storied properties, both with pools carved into the cliffside and service to match, from $800 a night and climbing fast in July.
Where to Eat
Da Adolfo: A boat-access-only beach restaurant just outside Positano, reachable by a free wooden boat from the marina. Grilled fish and mozzarella wrapped in lemon leaves, eaten with your feet basically in the sand.
Trattoria da Ciccio in Praiano: A cliffside family spot with home-style Amalfi cooking, scialatielli ai frutti di mare, and prices well below what you'd pay in Positano for the same view.
Any granita or lemon gelato stand along the coast road: this is peak lemon season, and the sfusato amalfitano lemons here are genuinely a different fruit than what you get at home.
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