Discovering the Amalfi Coast — Self-Launched
4 days · Amalfi Coast, Italy
TUI Italia charges £1,140
No-markup version: ~£365 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 4-day DIY version of TUI Italia's Amalfi Coast tour, based in Maiori with public transport, ferries and self-booked small-group tours instead of a coach-and-guide package. You'll still see the highlights of the original — Pompeii and Herculaneum with an archaeologist guide, a boat day to Capri and the Faraglioni, and slow mornings on the Amalfi Coast — but you arrange it yourself, on your own timetable, for a fraction of the package price. Distances are short but the coastal roads are slow: budget patience and use ferries wherever possible. Costs below are rough per-person estimates for a solo traveller sharing where possible.
Day-by-day
Arrive Naples → Maiori (or Amalfi): settle into the coast
Maiori / Amalfi
Land at Naples Capodistrias airport or arrive at Napoli Centrale by train. Instead of a private transfer, take the Alibus shuttle from the airport to Napoli Centrale (~€5, 20 min), then the Circumvesuviana or Trenitalia regional train to Salerno (~€6–8, 45–55 min), and finally the SITA Sud bus from Salerno to Amalfi/Maiori (~€2.90, 60–75 min). Alternatively, in season (roughly April–October) ferries run Salerno–Amalfi–Maiori for ~€10–14 and are far more pleasant. Check in to a guesthouse or budget hotel in Maiori, which is cheaper and flatter than Amalfi town and mirrors the original tour's base. Spend the late afternoon walking the seafront and the lemon-scented lanes, grab a pizza or a plate of spaghetti alle vongole, and buy a SITA bus day ticket for tomorrow if you'd rather not drive. Note: the coastal road (SS163) is winding and slow — don't plan tight connections.
🚌Alibus airport shuttle to Napoli Centrale ~£4.50; regional train to Salerno ~£6; SITA bus or ferry to Amalfi/Maiori ~£2.50–12
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Maiori (private room, ~£45–65/night; hostel dorm in Salerno or Amalfi from ~£25)
- →Walk Maiori seafront and historic centre
- →Amalfi Cathedral and Piazza Duomo (if based in Amalfi)
- →Buy SITA bus tickets / day pass
- →Lemon granita and seafood dinner on the promenade
Pompeii and Herculaneum with an archaeologist guide
Pompeii & Herculaneum
Recreate the tour's big archaeology day using public transport and a self-booked small-group tour. Get up early: take the SITA bus from Amalfi/Maiori to Salerno (~45–60 min), then Trenitalia regional to Pompeii Scavi (~€3–4, 30 min), or in season catch the direct Amalfi–Pompeii bus if running. Pre-book a 2-hour guided Pompeii tour through GetYourGuide or directly with a local cooperative (~£25–40 including skip-the-line entry; official site entry is ~€18). After Pompeii, take the Circumvesuviana one stop or the local train to Ercolano Scavi (~€2) for a 1.5–2-hour Herculaneum visit — smaller, better preserved, and much quieter than Pompeii. If you want the cameo-atelier stop from the original itinerary, Torre del Greco's coral and cameo workshops are right by the Ercolano station and free to browse. Return to the coast via Salerno in the evening. Bring water, sun hat and decent shoes — the site is exposed and huge.
🚌SITA bus to Salerno ~£2.50; regional train Salerno–Pompei ~£3; Circumvesuviana/local train Pompei–Ercolano ~£2; return legs ~£6
🛏Same Maiori / Amalfi guesthouse
- →2-hour guided Pompeii tour (GetYourGuide / local cooperative, ~£25–40 incl. entry)
- →Self-guided or guided Herculaneum visit (entry ~£16)
- →Cameo and coral atelier browse in Torre del Greco
- →Evening return via Salerno
Capri by ferry — Faraglioni, Piazzetta and a swim stop
Capri
The original uses a Gozzo boat shuttle and cruise; you can replicate the whole day using public ferries and a shared boat tour. Take the early SITA bus or ferry from Maiori/Amalfi to Amalfi or Salerno, then the ferry to Capri (Amalfi–Capri ~€23–26 each way in season, 1h20; Salerno–Capri similar). On arrival, book a shared island boat tour (giro dell'isola) at Marina Grande — 1.5–2 hours around the Faraglioni, the Natural Arch and the Green, White and Coral grottoes, ~£20–28 per person, with the Blue Grotto rowboat charged separately (~€18). Then take the funicular up to Capri town and wander to Piazza Umberto I (the Piazzetta), the Gardens of Augustus (~€2) for the classic Faraglioni view, and if you have energy walk the Via Tragara path. On the return ferry, ask about a swim stop near Nerano or Positano — some seasonal services include one; otherwise simply hop off in Positano for a swim and a spritz before the last bus back. Ferries are weather-dependent — keep the previous day as a buffer if Capri is the priority.
🚌Bus/ferry to Amalfi ~£3–12; return ferry Amalfi–Capri ~£42–48; funicular ~£2
🛏Same Maiori / Amalfi guesthouse
- →Shared island boat tour around Capri (~£20–28)
- →Blue Grotto rowboat (optional, ~£15)
- →Piazzetta and Capri town wander
- →Gardens of Augustus viewpoint (~£2)
- →Swim stop in Positano or Nerano on the way back
Coast slow morning and departure to Naples
Maiori / Amalfi → Naples
Use the final morning the way the original leaves it — optional and leisurely. Swim at Maiori's long sandy beach (the coast's best budget beach), walk the Sentiero dei Limoni lemon path between Maiori and Minori (~1h, free), or take the short ferry to Amalfi for the cathedral and paper museum (~£5) and a proper sit-down lunch. If you have a late flight and want the tour's optional 'Amalfi Coast drive', a shared or private driver for Positano–Amalfi–Ravello runs ~£70–120 per car half-day, or take the SITA bus to Ravello (~£2) for Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone gardens (~£7 each) and come back down. For departure, reverse the Day 1 route: bus or ferry to Salerno, train to Napoli Centrale (~£6), Alibus to the airport (~£4.50). Allow 3.5–4 hours door-to-door to the airport and don't book a flight before early evening.
🚌SITA bus/ferry to Salerno ~£2.50–12; train to Napoli Centrale ~£6; Alibus to airport ~£4.50
🛏None (checkout) — or add a cheap extra night in Salerno/Naples if flying early
- →Swim at Maiori beach
- →Sentiero dei Limoni walk to Minori (free)
- →Amalfi paper museum and cathedral
- →Optional Ravello: Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone gardens (~£14 total)
Self-launched vs. TUI Italia
| This itinerary (self-launched) | TUI Italia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£365 | £1,140 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £775 per person (68%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more TUI Italia-style trips? Check them out here.~£365
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Discovering the Amalfi Coast — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £365 per person for 4 days in Amalfi Coast, Italy. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with TUI Italia?+
Yes — TUI Italia charges around £1,140 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £365 — a saving of roughly £775 (68%) per person.
How long is the Amalfi Coast, Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Amalfi Coast, Italy.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, beaches, foodie trip through Amalfi Coast, Italy, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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