Amalfi Coast Self-Launched (Rome, Naples, Capri & Positano)
6 days · Italy — Rome, Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast
Contiki charges £1,015
No-markup version: ~£475 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Contiki's 6-day "Amalfi Coast (Summer, Classic)" group tour, covering the same loop — Rome → Naples → Capri → Amalfi Coast → Rome — but booked independently. You'll use Italy's excellent trains and ferries instead of a coach, stay in hostels and budget guesthouses instead of tour hotels, and self-book the same optional experiences (Pompeii, Capri boat trip, Naples pizza-making, limoncello farm visit, pasta class) through GetYourGuide, Klook or directly with local operators. Because you skip the guide, the fixed group itinerary and the 18–35 age restriction, you have total flexibility — and you can do it for well under half the tour price. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP at summer backpacker rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Rome — Trastevere & evening passeggiata
Rome
Fly or train into Rome (Fiumicino FCO is the main airport). Take the Leonardo Express train from FCO to Termini (~€14 / £12, 32 mins) or the cheaper FL1 regional + metro combo (~€8). Check into a hostel in the Termini/Monti area or a budget guesthouse in Trastevere. Spend the afternoon doing a free self-guided walk: Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori, then cross into Trastevere for the evening. Grab a slice of pizza al taglio and a gelato rather than a sit-down dinner, then do a free walking tour (tip-based, ~£5 tip) if timing works — most leave around 4–5pm from near Piazza Venezia.
🚌Leonardo Express train FCO → Termini, ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm in Monti/Termini or Trastevere guesthouse (~£30–40)
- →Self-guided Pantheon & Piazza Navona walk
- →Trastevere evening stroll
- →Tip-based free walking tour (optional)
Rome to Naples — Pompeii & pizza
Naples / Pompeii
Take an early Frecciarossa or Italo high-speed train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale (~1h10, book 3–4 weeks ahead on Trenitalia or Italo for £18–30). Drop bags at a hostel near the station or in Chiaia. Head to Pompeii via the Circumvesuviana local train from Napoli Porta Nolana/Piazza Garibaldi (~€3.30, 35 mins) or the faster Campania Express. Buy a Pompeii skip-the-line entry plus audio guide via GetYourGuide (~£20) — a small-group guided tour is ~£35 if you want context. Back in Naples in the evening, do a self-booked pizza-making class in the historic centre (~£30–35, book a day or two ahead) — or simply hunt down a proper margherita at a pizzeria (€6–8) and walk Spaccanapoli.
🚌High-speed train Rome→Naples ~£22; Circumvesuviana Naples→Pompeii ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or budget B&B near Napoli Centrale (~£28–35)
- →Pompeii archaeological site entry + audio guide
- →Naples pizza-making class (self-booked)
- →Spaccanapoli & historic centre walk
Naples to Capri — boat trip & swim stops
Capri / Salerno
Leave your main bag at the Naples hostel or take it with you. Hop the ferry from Molo Beverello to Capri (~50 mins, £18–22 each way; book on NLG or Caremar). Book a shared boat tour around the island with swim stops at the Faraglioni and the Blue Grotto via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£30–45, 2–3 hours). Alternatively, do it cheaply: take the public bus up to Anacapri, walk to the Belvedere, and swim at Marina Piccola. In the late afternoon, ferry from Capri to Salerno (~1h20, £16–20) — this puts you on the Amalfi Coast side for cheaper accommodation than Positano or Amalfi. Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel in Salerno's old town.
🚌Ferry Naples→Capri→Salerno ~£40 total
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Salerno old town (~£35–45)
- →Capri shared boat tour with swim stops (self-booked)
- →Anacapri & Belvedere walk
- →Salerno lungomare evening
Amalfi Coast — Positano, Amalfi & a lemon farm
Positano / Amalfi / Salerno
Explore the coast by public transport. Take the SITA Sud bus from Salerno to Amalfi (~€3, 1h — buy tickets at a tabacchi), then the local bus onward to Positano (~€2.20). Wander Positano's lanes and swim at Fornillo beach (free, and far less crowded than Spiaggia Grande). In Amalfi, self-book a lemon farm visit with limoncello tasting — small family farms around Amalfi and Minori run 1-hour tours for ~£18–25 (book direct or via GetYourGuide). For dinner, skip the pricey seafront restaurants and eat in Salerno or Minori where a plate of pasta runs €10–13. A ferry back from Amalfi to Salerno (~€9) is faster and more scenic than the bus.
🚌SITA buses Salerno–Amalfi–Positano ~£6; ferry back ~£8
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Salerno old town (~£35–45)
- →Positano & Fornillo beach
- →Amalfi lemon farm tour + limoncello tasting (self-booked)
- →Amalfi Duomo & paper museum
Coast to Rome — pasta class or Colosseum
Salerno → Rome
Morning swim or a slow breakfast, then take the high-speed train from Salerno back to Rome (~2h, £25–35 if booked ahead). Check into your Rome hostel. In the afternoon, self-book a pasta-making class in central Rome (~£35–45 via GetYourGuide or Klook — book at least 3–4 days ahead in summer). If you'd rather do the Colosseum, book a skip-the-line entry ticket directly on the official CoopCulture site (~£17) or a guided tour (~£35) — again, well in advance, as summer slots sell out. Evening: cheap aperitivo in Monti, then a final wander past the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps after dark.
🚌High-speed train Salerno→Rome ~£30
🛏Hostel dorm in Monti/Termini (~£30–40)
- →Rome pasta-making class (self-booked)
- →or Colosseum skip-the-line entry
- →Trevi Fountain & Monti evening walk
Rome — final morning & departure
Rome
The Contiki tour officially ends at 8am on day 6, so there's nothing extra to chase. Use the morning for anything you missed — the Pantheon interior (€5), the Vatican Museums if you pre-booked (official site ~£18, book weeks ahead), or a last coffee and cornetto standing at the bar (€1.50) in a local caffè. Then take the Leonardo Express back to Fiumicino for your flight home, or extend your stay a night or two (hostels are cheaper midweek).
🚌Leonardo Express Termini → FCO ~£12
🛏Check out (optional extra night ~£30–40)
- →Pantheon interior
- →Vatican Museums (if pre-booked)
- →Final Italian coffee stop
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£475 | £1,015 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £540 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£475
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 Amalfi Coast Self-Launched (Rome, Naples, Capri & Positano) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £475 per person for 6 days in Italy — Rome, Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast. 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 Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £1,015 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £475 — a saving of roughly £540 (53%) per person.
How long is the Italy — Rome, Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Italy — Rome, Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast.
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, foodie, beaches trip through Italy — Rome, Naples, Capri & the Amalfi Coast, 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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