The Amalfi Coast drive

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 7 min read

The Amalfi Coast road — the SS163 Amalfitana — is one of those drives that appears on every "world's best" list, and justifiably so. It clings to a cliff face above the Tyrrhenian Sea for some 50 kilometres between Sorrento and Salerno, passing through Positano, Amalfi and Ravello along a series of sweeping curves that combine extraordinary beauty with genuine driving challenge. Here is how to approach it properly.

The road itself: what you are actually dealing with

The SS163 is a state road (strada statale), not a motorway, and it was not designed for the volume of traffic it now carries. The carriageway is single-lane in many sections, with frequent pullouts rather than continuous lanes in each direction. The road hugs the cliffside so closely that in places the rock face is inches from the passenger window on one side and a sheer drop to the sea is inches from the driver's side.

Key facts:

• Length: approximately 50 km between Sorrento and Salerno, but the total driving time varies enormously with traffic — anywhere from 90 minutes in quiet conditions to four or five hours in summer gridlock.
• It is narrow. Coaches and large vehicles share the road with cars, mopeds, delivery vans and pedestrians — particularly at Positano, where a section of the main road passes through the village on a route that is barely wider than a single bus.
• Overtaking is generally not possible. You drive at the pace the traffic allows.
• Tunnels and viaducts alternate with open cliff face; the exposure varies section by section.

East or west: which direction to drive

Both directions have their case:

• West to east (Sorrento to Salerno): You are on the inland (cliff) side of the road, which may feel safer for nervous drivers — your car is against the rock, not the drop. The views out to sea are to your left (passenger) side.
• East to west (Salerno to Sorrento): You are on the outer (sea) side, with the full drop visible from the driver's window. The views are more immediate from the driver's perspective. Many photographers prefer this direction for the light falling on Positano in the afternoon.

If you are nervous about narrow cliff roads, go west to east. If you want the most dramatic visual experience from the driver's seat, consider east to west in the afternoon.

When to go

Timing matters more on the Amalfi Coast than on almost any other drive in Europe. The contrast between peak and off-peak conditions is extreme:

• July and August: The road can be close to gridlock for hours, particularly at weekends. Coaches, tourist buses, moped hire fleets and every hotel's guest convoy converge on a road that cannot meaningfully expand. The experience can be deeply unpleasant.
• May, June and September: Substantially quieter, warm, with everything open. This is the sweet spot. Early June mornings in particular offer the road at its best — light traffic, warm air, the sea shimmering.
• October and November: Quieter still, with occasional closures for rockfall clearance (the cliffs shed material regularly). Some businesses close for winter from November onwards.
• Winter (December to March): Very quiet, some closures, limited facilities. The landscape is beautiful on clear days, but some of the drama is reduced without the full green of summer.

If you must travel in summer, drive the road early in the morning — before 9am — to get ahead of the main traffic. Return via the ferry services that connect Positano, Amalfi and Salerno — avoiding the road for the return leg entirely.

Key stops along the SS163

Positano

The most photographed village on the coast, stacked up a near-vertical hillside in tiers of pastel-coloured buildings. Parking is expensive and limited; the main road passes directly through the village on a section that is particularly tight. If you want to spend time here, park at one of the official car parks and walk down — or arrive by ferry. The road through Positano's upper section (Via Cristoforo Colombo) is where buses and private cars have their closest encounters.

Amalfi

The town that gives the coast its name is larger than Positano and has a cathedral (the Duomo di Sant'Andrea) worth at least an hour. It also has the coast's main ferry hub, useful for those combining driving with sea travel. The piazza in front of the Duomo is a natural gathering point and gets very crowded in summer.

Ravello

Perched high above Amalfi on a ridge, Ravello requires a detour up a steep access road from the SS163. The reward is a village of extraordinary calm — few coaches come this far up — with the Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone offering gardens and views that rank among the finest in Italy. Allow two to three hours.

Vietri sul Mare to Salerno

The eastern end of the route, past Cetara and into Vietri sul Mare, is less visited than the western section but has its own character — a tradition of hand-painted ceramic tiles that covers the village church dome and many of the buildings. Salerno itself is a working city and useful for accommodation and services.

Practical notes

• Large vehicles: Campervans and motorhomes are not recommended on the SS163. Height restrictions at some tunnels, the narrowness of the road through Positano, and the overall dimensions of the route make it genuinely difficult for anything larger than a standard family estate car.
• Mopeds and scooters: Popular on the coast. They are nimble and park easily, but the road is shared with tourist vehicles driven by nervous drivers — take care in both directions.
• Ferries: Seasonal ferry services (roughly April to October) link Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno. Using the ferry for one direction and the road for the other is an excellent approach, reducing stress while still seeing the coastal perspective from the sea.
• Italy's ZTL zones: Several coastal towns have limited-traffic zones that apply to non-resident vehicles. Check whether you need to register your vehicle or avoid certain hours — the low-emission zones guide covers the ZTL system in more detail.
• Tolls: The Autostrada A3 connecting Naples to Salerno is tolled; the SS163 itself is a free state road. See the motorway tolls guide for how Italian tolls work.

Getting to the Amalfi Coast

Naples is the natural gateway — the city has an international airport and high-speed rail connections from Rome (about an hour on the Frecciarossa), making it accessible by multiple modes. From Naples, the drive to Sorrento via the A3 and SS145 takes about an hour. If you are arriving by rail, the Circumvesuviana commuter train from Naples Piazza Garibaldi reaches Sorrento in about an hour — though this route is known for crowding in summer. For ideas on combining modes for the wider journey, see the European road trips overview.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Amalfi Coast drive safe?

It is not inherently dangerous if you drive carefully, stay in your lane, and go slowly around blind bends — sounding the horn on tight corners is standard practice locally. The risks come from haste, distraction (the views are genuinely distracting) and following a sat-nav blindly off the main road onto narrower alternatives. Give yourself far more time than a map suggests, and do not attempt the road in a large vehicle.

Is there a bus service along the SS163?

Yes. The SITA bus service runs between Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno several times daily. It uses the same narrow road but driven by professionals who know every centimetre of it. For those without a car, the bus and ferry combination is a perfectly good way to see the coast.

Where should I stay on the Amalfi Coast?

Positano and Amalfi are the most popular bases, with a range of accommodation. Both are expensive in peak season. Sorrento, at the western end, is a larger town with more mid-range options and a ferry to Capri. Salerno at the eastern end is substantially cheaper and less touristy — a good choice if you want to use the coast for day trips rather than as a base.

Can I drive the Amalfi Coast in winter?

Yes, though occasional road closures for rockfall or cliff maintenance do occur. Many hotels and restaurants close between November and March. The landscape is beautiful in clear winter light and the road is virtually empty, but the weather is unpredictable. Always check road status with the local municipality before a winter visit.