Which is Better: The Amalfi Coast or Sicily?
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Let’s get this out of the way – if you’re at the point of making a choice between the Amalfi Coast or Sicily, you are in a good place.
Regarding which Italian destination is better, there are a few things to consider in your decision – primarily the amount of time you have, your budget, and the vibe you’re going for.
I’ll be upfront in saying that Sicily stole my heart from the start – from the people I met, the history and culture I learned about, and the massive amounts of fresh orange and lemon granita I consumed – Sicily is just unique (even for Italy) and a gem of a destination.
HIDDEN GEM: And if you’re really going for the win, Sardinia is one of the best islands Italy has to offer. Less popular than Sicily and Amalfi, but where all the Italians go to vacation.
That said, I intend to fully outline how I arrived with Sicily as my choice while trying not to inundate you with the prettiest pictures from my adventures in both locations!
How to Decide: Which is Better?
If you have 2 weeks to wander through Italy and are keen on getting the best of both worlds, check out my Road Trip from Naples to Sicily, including a Sicily and Amalfi Coast itinerary as part of the trip. One of my favorite trips to date!
How much time do you have?
✅ The Amalfi Coast is best for a long weekend trip with a partner.
The cute little towns of Positano, Ravello, Sorrento, and Amalfi are full of restaurants and shops, but not much more. The best way to explore the Amalfi Coast (and of course, the island of Capri) is by sea, so a lot of the itinerary on the
Amalfi will revolve around water and boating activities, shopping, and wine and dine date nights. This makes this a great spot for a relaxing and romantic weekend getaway!
✅ Sicily is a great destination for a week or two, especially with family and friends, but even SOLO!
The island itself is large and diverse, with plenty of cultural activities and natural beauty to explore. There are hiking, boating, swimming, and volcanoes to visit, not to mention big city life and small fisherman villages to explore.
Sicily is the birthplace of the most notorious mafias in history, flaunts the best south Italian food in the world (and lets you know it!), and is home to some of the most lively and dynamic people. You can really feel the spirit of South Italy in every conversation. Prego!
What is your budget?
✅ If you want more of a luxurious holiday, the Amalfi Coast will be a better choice.
Accommodations and restaurants are definitely priced higher and cater to a more upscale vibe.
Think boutique hotels and dinners under the lemon trees of Positano at some of the most highly-rated restaurants on the coast. Think $200 a day for lodging on average and about $150 for dinner for 2 people.
✅ For a more budget-friendly option, Sicily is the better choice.
Because there are so many more options on where to stay and what to eat, the prices are also lower. Think $125 a day for lodging on average and about $75 for dinner for 2 people.
Don’t take this as an indicator of quality – you don’t need a silver spoon to eat good food! I had the best Italian meal of my life in Palermo without breaking the bank!
What is the vibe you’re going for?
Here are a few things to do and see in both the Amalfi Coast and Sicily so you can get a good idea of the highlights and vibe of each spot.
Things To Do on the Amalfi Coast
✔️ Rent a Boat and see the Amalfi Coast from the Sea
The best way to see the Amalfi Coast is from the sea. We rented a boat for the afternoon, brought along some snacks and wine, our bathing suits, and took our time along the coast from Amalfi to Positano and all the little stop-overs for swimming and sunbathing along the way.
I particularly loved this tour because it was just us, we were able to manage the boat with no issue, and we made our own schedule!
✔️ Explore the Amalfi with a Day trip to the Island of Capri
Capri is one of the islands off the Amalfi Coast and one of the top destination spots. I loved this day trip because you get to circle the island by boat and go under the famous Faraglioni Rocks as well as get an afternoon to explore Capri freely. A little structure and a whole lot of freedom is my kind of tour!
✔️ Positano: If you thought Amalfi was great, Positano is extravagant. It really does feel like you’re walking into an Instagram picture where the flowers are always in bloom, everywhere you look is colorful homes, perfectly manicured lemon trees, love is in the air, and everything costs 10x what it should. But the views. The views are breathtaking!
✔️ Ravello: A hidden gem tucked further into the mountains, this town is a little quieter but equally as beautiful as the rest. One stunning spot to visit in Ravello is Villa Rufolo, from which you can see all of the stunning cliffside gardens. In the summertime, be on the lookout for concerts at this venue – would be a treat!
✔️ Amalfi: The town where the coastline gets its name, be prepared for winding streets, adorable shops, restaurants tucked into little offshoot roads, and sites like the Piazza Duomo.
✔️ Path of the Gods Hike: This 5-hour hike offers the absolute best panoramic views of the Amalfi Coast and I would label it a medium hike simply because there are a lot of stairs and there is very little shade. That said, it was one of my favorite adventures on the trip!
Things To Do in Sicily
✔️ Explore Taormina – The Gem of Sicily
This is the gem of Sicily! The city sits on top of a hill overlooking the Ioan Sea and is quintessential in the most Italian way, complete with full-on flower power in the streets, twinkling lights above the winding cobblestone streets, and a specific island vibe like no other Italian city I’ve been to.
When I think between Sicily and the Amalfi Coast, what I’m actually thinking is Taormina or the Amalfi Coast. And that says a lot about this gorgeous piece of paradise in Sicily.
✔️ Visit Siracusa & Isola di Ortigia
Indirect competition with Taormina, Siracusa is a slightly bigger city and full of sass. The little island of Ortigia that is connected by a tiny bridge is where you want to be for your trip.
✔️ A Day in Cefalu
An hour from Palermo, this is the perfect small town to escape the madness. Lots of lovely beaches, restaurants in the old town, and Sicilian to the end.
✔️ Palermo – The Capitol of Sicily
This is Sicily’s cultural and economic capital, and when Sicily was an independent entity, this was its capital. From the Cattedrale di Palermo to the Massimo Theater, this city is grungy in the best way, unapologetically loud, a whole world of fun at night, and absolutely magical.
✔️ Escape to Isola di Favignana
Venture to the city of Trapani and take a boat to the Isola di Favignana for a couple of days. No need for a car on the island because the best way to navigate it is by e-bike! This island is all about taking it easy in the sun and starting happy hour at noon.
Travel Tips: Amalfi Coast and Sicily
Below are some of the logistical tips and tricks I learned when visiting both areas, mostly on transportation.
Which is easier to get around, Amalfi Coast or Sicily?
Because you get the freedom to explore at your own leisure and are not dependent on public transportation/ferry times, I would say that Sicily is far easier to get around because you will have your own rental car.
PRO TIP: You won’t need a car to get around the Amalfi Coast, and in fact, it may cost you more in parking fees and headaches if you decide to go with a rental – trust me, I tried this on one of the trips (big fail).
The Amalfi Coast is best explored with public transportation. But because of this, you are tied to a schedule. To get around the Amalfi Coast (like from Sorrento to Positano or from Amalfi Town to the Island of Capri), you’ll be relying on ferries, each costing $30-50 a pop. Local buses are also available on the Amalfi Coast, but they take a lot of time and are not always prompt.
Sicily is a big island, and so you will need a car to get around, but the roads are great, and parking is easy and readily available. I loved the parts of my road trip when I would just drive along the coast to little hidden gem fisherman towns like Cefalu and lay on the beach for a few hours.
Check Prices for Rental Cars in Sicily
➡️ DISCOVER CARS ⬅️
Before you hit the road, make sure you review Renting a Car in Italy: Common Mistakes & Tips, where I go into a few unique road rules, documentation requirements, and experience driving through the land of La Dolce Vita.
How do you get FROM Sicily TO the Amalfi Coast?
The fastest way to get from Sicily to the Amalfi Coast is to take a 1-hour flight from one of the airports in Sicily (Palermo or Catania) to the city of Napoli on mainland Italy.
From the airport, take the shuttle bus to Napoli Centrale Train Station, then the 2-hour local train from Napoli Centrale to Sorrento for about $5.
How do you get TO Sicily FROM the Amalfi Coast?
Another way to go between the Amalfi Coast to Sicily is via train – the slightly slower scenic route.
TRAVEL TIP: There is a direct train from Naples to Sicily along the coast of southern Italy, which also stops along the way in the town of Salerno (near Amalfi). All you would need to do is get from the Amalfi Coast to the town of Salerno (easily done by bus, ferry, or taxi) and jump on that train.
Compared to flying, the best thing about this train is that it can drop you off directly at your destination in Sicily because it serves almost all coastal towns, including Taormina and Cefalù. The train’s coastal views are also amazing, and usually, it doesn’t cost more than 20€, including the ferry, as it’s automatically included in the train fare.
The total ride from Salerno to Taormina takes about 6 hours, so it takes a while, but it also adds some kind of adventure because the entire train is going onto a ferry!
Yes, you read it right, the ferry has tracks, and you don’t need to get off the carriage! That said, I recommend getting off the train while on the ferry to walk around and enjoy the view of crossing the Strait of Messina.
Is Sicily close to the Amalfi Coast?
Not really, but close enough to get from one destination to the other in a day if you plan your flight and train/ferry logistics effectively.
That said, it’s a big travel day because you have to go from the Italian mainland (Amalfi) to the island of Sicily way down in South Italy, and there are a few transfers to navigate.
They say you can see Sicily from the Amalfi Coast on a clear day. While technically, the distance between the Amalfi Coast and Sicily is 345 km… distance is just a number to a motivated traveler! 🙂
How do you get from Rome to the Amalfi Coast or Sicily?
Public transportation is the best way to get to the Amalfi Coast from Rome. This means you would need to take the fast train from Roma Termini Station to Napoli Centrale (1.5 hrs, $30) and then grab the local train to Sorrento (2 hrs, $5) the rest of the way. (Tickets Here)
I usually take this route because Uber in Rome is too expensive and Uber in the rest of Italy is just as unreliable.
▶️ ROME TO AMALFI PRIVATE TRANSFER ◀️
This is the quickest, most comfortable option from Rome (Airport included) to Amalfi, taking about 3 hours with optional quicky stops in Napoli or Pompeii.
The best way to get from Rome to Sicily is to fly. This means grabbing a connecting flight from Rome either to Catania Airport (southeast Sicily) or to Palermo (northwest Sicily). There are daily flights for about $50-100. The flight will take about 4 hours.
Is the Amalfi Coast worth the trip?
Absolutely yes. The Amalfi Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and as such, it is a stunningly beautiful stretch of coastline.
If you’re into brilliantly blue waters, picturesque multicolored villages tucked into seaside cliffs, and gardens full of flowers, lemon trees, and fresh air… then the very popular Amalfi Coast is worth the trip.
Is Sicily worth visiting?
It feels like an undiscovered gem by tourists, so my answer is 100% YES!
If you’re up for an adventure road trip off the beaten Italian path, this is where you will find it because this part of Italy has the least in common with Italy than any other region.
The Sicilians are incredibly friendly, Sicilian food and granita are incredibly delicious (don’t forget to tip), and the ruggedness and beauty of Sicilian beaches are unmatched.
So… Which is Better, Amalfi Coast or Sicily?
You can’t go wrong with either one, but my heart and vote are with Sicily because I’m more of a “hidden gems” girl. And while the Amalfi is gorgeous, it can be exhausting because it is over-touristed and a logistical cluster fuck to get from one town to another via ferry boats!
Now that we’ve put that question to rest, you can start thinking with an abundance mindset and go all out on an Italy road trip that hits all the highlights!
