Its easy to plan a Budget Amalfi Coast with Kids vacation. This Budget Amalfi Coast with Kids Itinerary and planning Guide will help you plan the best budget Italy vacation with your family ever. Many may think Amalfi Coast with kids would be challenging but it turns out it can be the best family vacation and a budget Italy trip. It is a well-balanced: fun, relaxing and good food. We love Italy and this was our second visit with kids. It truly was the perfect balanced trip with kids to Italy.
Maiori, Italy on the Amalfi Coast with Kids
We stayed in Maiori Italy on the Amalfi Coast and were able to visit many villages along the coast such as Amalfi, Minori, Positano, Cetara, and Atrani. We didn’t make it to Ravello but there is a bus you can take to get there as did some guests at our party.
Tips for Amalfi Coast with Kids
- Easter Break was a great time to go. The Amalfi coast was filled with more Italians, fewer tourists and was not super crowded. It was not warm enough to swim through some Italians did, but could wade in the water.
- The Ferry is seasonal so plan to go when it’s in operation for an easier way to travel between towns. It’s great for day trips from Positano or any of the other villages on the route. you can check the schedule here.
- A Balcony overlooking the coast provides not only scenic views but a great place for the kids to sit and draw or color.
Overview of the Amalfi Coast with Kids
We would never have thought of the Amalfi Coast as a family-friendly destination, especially with younger kids. However, we all enjoyed exploring the little towns and taking a couple of excursions.
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Who will Enjoy the Amalfi Coast with Kids?
Good for: Those looking for a nice place to walk around and explore without full days of planned activities. Great Italian Food and Wine.
Not Ideal for: Those who want to have a stroller and those who want constant fast paced tourist attractions and/or kid specific activities.
Amalfi Coast Flights with Kids
We were very excited to find such affordable flights to Europe for the 4 of us. It was our first time Flying out of Newark and it was a lot easier than JFK for us. Our seats assignments were included in the price. We had a layover in Munich which is a very clear airport but we were told the lounge would take 45 min to get to so we waited in our terminal. The Art & Lounge at Newark Airport was our first ever lounge experience. I was very excited but disappointed when I was told they would be having breakfast all day till 5pm when dinner would start since it was a holiday. So while the rest of the family got situated in a comfy spot and ipads set up I went to check out the food. I returned with bagels chips and cookies.
As I arrived and explained to my husband that we would need to grab lunch inside security, the kids looked up and said this place has everything we love. My husband and I and enjoyed a glass of wine and realized we loved the lounge life. The next lounges we would visit in Italy would far exceed the quality of Art & Lounge, but the first visit is a constant reminder that comfort, wifi and a glass of wine is luxury to us and anything else is a bonus. Lounge Access is provided for us by our Priority Pass membership included with our Chase Saphire Reserve Credit Card, and American Express Platinum Membership which also provides additional lounge access.
Hotel Club Du Torre: Best Amalfi Coast Hotel with Kids
This hotel was on Amalfi drive just outside of Miaori. It was a 5 min walk to town. Beautiful views from our oversize balcony. I was a little nervous about walking on the main road with no sidewalks just a small wed wide enough for a child to walk on, especially with younger kids and sometimes at night but I immediately felt more comfortable as cars don’t speed by, we simply kept the kids on the inside and we always walked beside them.
This hotel is in a great location with beautiful views. My son would spend every morning drawing on the balcony.
The Amalfi Coast Villages
From spring till fall there is a ferry that takes you between 5 villages on the Amalfi coast. Positano, Amalfi (can walk to Atrani), Minori (can walk to Miaori), Miaori, Cetera, Salerno (2 stops).
- Positano was fun to walk through the shops and had a decent sized beach with nice sand.it is full of restaurants and shops.
- Salerno was a big city and felt that way but had a nice promenade that included an open walkway on the waterfront with a tree-lined walkway running along the coast as well. There was a kids carnival set up that wasn’t open when we were visiting.
- Amalfi’s Cathedral is beautiful and the steps are a great way to get the kids energy out.
- Atrani is an easy walk to the right of Amalfi. It is tiny, but my kids really enjoyed exploring this area walking up the steps of the walkways running around the court yard and sampled water from the fountain.
- Minori has free ruins to explore.
- Miaori has the largest beach on the Amalfi coast. We enjoyed our stay at Hotel Club Due Torre and would recommend as a great location to explore the Amalfi coast.
- Cetera is a small village where we found lots of seaglass.
- Revello- not accessible by ferry but is by bus service. we didn’t make it here.
Where ever you stay you will likely have stunning views and can easily visit all the other villages so I recommend comparing accommodations and possibly avoiding Positano simply because it has the most touristy feel. I would avoid Salerno because its a city.
GETTING AROUND the Amalfi Coast with Kids
Ferry prices range from $3-$12 one way We spent $22, $35 and $14 for ferry rickets for each leg we took for 4 of us. Total $71. The prices are based on distance so traveling one way with stops is the best way to keep the cost down. You can also opt to take the bus service which I wouldn’t recommend. It is never on time and could arrive full meaning you have to wait even longer for the next to arrive. Basically, everyone just jumps on board and squeezes in till they realize the doors won’t close and then people sticking out are forced to get off. However, I would take the bus service to Revello as there isn’t a ferry option. Schedule and prices for the Amalfi Ferry. https://www.travelmar.it/en/hours
I personally wouldn’t rent a car here only because of how traffic is getting around. It you need to rent a car to get to and from the aiport or other destinations or for day trips I would make sure there is adequate parking at the hotel you are staying at and leave it parked while using the ferry to navigate coastal towns.
EXCURSIONS from the Amalfi Coast with Kids:
From the Amalfi coast there are many options for tours. My sister put together 2 tours one to Herculaneum and Vesuvius Winery Lunch and the other an Amalfi Coast Boat Tour with Emerald Grotto and stop in Positano. These 2 tours were a nice balance with our independent day trips along the coast.
Besides these if you have additional time I would recommend a trip to Capri especially 1 or 2 nights and to Sorrento. We have visited Capri on previous trips and for families a private boat ride around the island can be a lot of fun. The cost of a private boat ride for 3 hours for our family of 4 was only 150 euro through Capri Whale. Experiencing Capri at night is a very different experience then a day trip when the villages are packed with tourists.
What and Where to eat on the Amalfi Coast with Kids
As mentioned this Trip was for my twin sister’s wedding and we were very lucky to have some wonderful meals included. This kept our out of pocket cost for food low. We had a welcome reception on our third night at Hotel Club due Torre, rehearsal dinner at Torre Normanna Restaurant across the street and the Wedding Reception at Hotel Club Due Torre. This meant we only had lunches and 2 Dinners to cover and lots of Gelato. This included buying olive oil and wine from Cantina Del Vesuvio and some food items in Cetera. We also treated my mother and niece to lunch at Chez Black. The following restaurants.I would recommend Torre Normanna Restaurant, Hotel Club Due Torre, Ristorante Dedalo, Chez Black
The Local Prosciutto di Parma:
I love Prosciutto de Parma. If you ask for prosciutto in Italy, you will get ham. This would confuse me because If I say Prosciutto de Parma they look at me like Parma no not from Parma. What I am looking for is the local cured meat similar to Proscuitto de Parma. Needless to say, I simply pointed at what I would like and asked for 5euros worth. I ate Prosciutto from almost every town on the Amalfi coast. My favorite was from the town of Atrani. The market was located on the right side if you walk under the clock. What I believe to be the son of the owner explained to me it was their local one and they were very proud, as they should be this was the bets I had ever tasted.
Amalfi Coast with Kids Itinerary
Day 1: Maori
We arrived at Naples Airport at 12:15pm. We waited about 30 min for our shuttle including making a call to see what was going on (thankfully we had no other issues nor did anyone else in our party the rest or the trip. The tour company, Campania Conceirge, was great). After checking into our hotel, though we had planned to head to one of the other towns, we decided to go into Maori for an early dinner then call it a night.
Day 2: Cetera, Salerno, Amalfi and Atrani
We got an early start and headed to Cetera first. When we arrived we realized, were so early ferry was not running yet so we decided to take the bus. We waited a while when a bus finally came it was too full so we had to wait again. We only saved about 30 min by taking the bus instead of waiting for the ferry. In Cetera, walked along the water’s edge and found sea glass and terracotta. There was a small playground by the water front. I snuck into a small shop to get some Cetera specialties.
We then headed to Salerno on the ferry. This provided stunning views of the coast. We walked along the giant promenade in Salerno and headed to lunch. After lunch we took the ferry to Amalfi. From Amalfi we walked to Atrani to explore the tiny village.
When my daughter decided she needed to use a restroom we decided to sit at a little restaurant with outdoor seating and have a glass of wine and a snack. While we drank our wine, the kids enjoyed running around the court yard and we all sampled the wonderful water from the fountain. We stopped quickly at the market for prosciutto de Parma and headed on our way back to our hotel. We walked 8 miles this day. I was very impressed with my 4.5-year-old. It never felt like an effort either just casual exploring.
Day 3: Herculaneum Tour
My sister had made arrangements for a private tour to Herculaneum with guide and a stop at for Lunch and wine tasting at the Cantina del Vesuvio. The tour was from 8:30 – 3:30pm if you aren’t familiar Herculaneum is similar to Pompei in that it was destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption of ad 79.
My son absolutely LOVED the tour and tour guide. We all enjoyed it even my daughter despite her meltdown and subsequent nap.
Here she is being stubborn and finally falling asleep -The reality of traveling with kids is that they don’t want to miss out and often refuse to take naps when it’s an ideal time to.
The only warning I do need to give is that at the entrance when you go to the lower level, there are piles of skeletons. We didn’t think much of it, but it upset my daughter and we later had to talk her through understanding why they were there and how something like that could never happen because of the early warning systems we now have.
After our tour concluded we had a short ride to Cantina del Vesuvio. Lunch at the Winery was Great. Several courses including antipasto of salami, provolone cheese, casatiello (a savory bread) and brochette with heirloom pinnolo tomatoes, entrée of Pomodoro with basilico along with wine for each course. It was a fun relaxing meal and a great way to spend the afternoon.
We all headed back to the hotel to relax before the welcome reception at the hotel. It was a great evening of visiting with family and drinking Italian wine with Cicchetti or stuzzichini (Italian tapas)
Day 4: Amalfi Coast
by Boat, Emerald Grotto and Positano
After Breakfast the wedding group met on the Maiori pier for am Amalfi coast boat tour. The tour was described as “See the core of the coast from the sea within a half day: 4-5 hour tour, 10 villages of the Amalfi coast, a visit to the Emerald grotto, a visit to Positano. From Maiori/Minori/Amalfi passing by Atrani, Ravello, Conca dei Marini, there you land to visit the Emerald Grotto. Then you go to see the Furore Fiord, Praiano and Positano. There you stop and land for 1 or 2 hours to visit Positano (Lunch not included in price.)”
We were lucky enough to see dolphins on our boat ride. The tour guide herself seemed surprised as she had to put her microphone down to snap a photo.
Emerald Grotto
The emerald grotto was a fun experience as the children had never been to the blue grotto.
The emerald colors were magnificent. My husband was particularly impressed with the experience. When we arrived in Positano we were taken on a short tour including entrance to the Church. We opted to skip the remaining part of the tour and head to lunch early.
Lunch was on our own. Many from our group chose Chez Black which was also our first choice. I wanted to try the sea urchin pasta. My husband decided on calamari and we got ravioli for the kids to share (there were no children’s; menu). My niece ordered an eggplant dish; that was the best of all and my mother ordered eggplant parm which was also good. The sea urchin pasta was just ok. Looking around at others from our group who were sitting at other tables, had ordered the same thing. We agreed we could have all ordered one just to taste as it wasn’t spectacular
Dinner at Toree Normanna Restauarant
The tour took most of the day. We had enough time to get ready for the rehearsal dinner at Torre Normanna Restaurant. The food was absolutely wonderful course after course. I was extremely impressed at how the restaurant handled my cousin’s nut allergy especially not being told in advance. They assured her anything put in front of her would-be nut-free and they made her dishes separately when possible if they couldn’t make it nut free. They substituted with something that I would consider equivalent or better. I of course made sure our family ordered various entrees, so we could all sample the variety. The meal consisted of Buffalo Mozzarella & Bruschetta appetizer, Main Course options of Seafood risotto, Scialatielli* pasta with seafood or Pennone” pasta filled with beef and dessert choices of Cannoli, Limoncello Ice Cream Or Sfogliatelle ricce (ricotta filling).
Day 5: Minori and Wedding Day
After breakfast, we decided to head to Maiori with my cousins, niece, and aunt. They had arrived just in time for the rehearsal dinner the night before and hadn’t had a chance to explore. The ferry to Minori wasn’t running so we took the 20-minute walk along Amalfi drive over to Minori. We stopped at the visitor’s center, on the right when you get into town, and a brief stop at the beach because as a family you can’t walk by a beach without stepping foot on the sands. We then walked over to Villa Romana ruins. They have a small information center and we enjoyed a brief walk around the ruins.
We arrived back in Maori with time to grab some items from the grocery store for a light lunch while we all got ready. My husband stayed back to order a pizza for him and the kids. The Wedding and Reception were magnificent as you can imagine. The dinner felt like course after course was being served and it was. The meal consisted of an aperitif Mixed fry fish, Pizzella fried with parmesan cheese, and tomato, Prosecco. Next appetizers included Small Caprese with buffalo mozzarella, Julienne squid grilled on endive bed followed by Capricious Salad and then Homemade pasta “Scialatielli ” with eggplant and mozzarella. Entrée choices were Sea bream with seafood or green pepper beef medallion. And the children had gnocchi with filet & fries. The wedding cake was a delicious Tiramisù. Assuming the restaurant food is equivalent in quality I would recommend eating here.
Day 6: Departure Day
We decided to extend our trip adding on Venice , a 7 Day Greek Island Cruise and ending in Rome. Even if we hadn’t this would have been a wonderful trip. Knowing what I know now, I would have been happy to extend our stay on the Amalfi coast for another 2+ days. If you want to see where our adventures took us next Check out our Trip Report From our Greek Cruise with stays in Venice and Rome.
Cost of a Budget Trip to Amalfi Coast with Kids
Flights: $2040 Total $530A/$490C, seat selection included.
Hotel: $960 with all fees for 5 nights in a 2 Bedroom with large balcony.
Entertainment: $460 for our family of 4 for (2) excursions via private group tour.
Food: $500 Including a meal for 6 at Chez Black
Taxi Service: $310 Total $120 each way from the airport for party of 4 and $70 on Ferry tickets
Airport Parking: $5 a day economy parking for 6 days it would have been $30
Hotel: $960 with all fees for 5 nights in a 2 Bedroom with large balcony.
Entertainment: $460 for our family of 4 for (2) excursions via private group tour. Food: $500 Including a meal for 6 at Chez Black Taxi Service: $310 Total $120 each way from the airport for a party of 4 and $70 on Ferry tickets Airport Parking: $5 a day economy parking for 6 days it would have been $30
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Budget Amalfi Coast with Kids Itinerary & Planning Guide Summary
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