What to Wear on the Amalfi Coast in Summer: Detailed List!

For some reason, I always feel pressured to buy a whole new wardrobe leading up to vacation. Before our trip to the Amalfi Coast, the urge was extra strong!

The Amalfi Coast has become an Instagram hot spot, thanks to its pastel towns perched above the sea, ceramic blue tiles, and lemon-inspired everythingggg.

So it makes sense that you’d want to dress picture-perfect when visiting!

But visiting the Amalfi Coast in summer also means sunny days, hot weather, and hopefully lots of boat days, all of which require a very specific wardrobe!

In this packing guide, I’m sharing everything I wore during our trip to the Amalfi Coast at the beginning of September (which is still very much summer there), plus some tips on what to skip and how to save money!

Quick Packing List for the Amalfi Coast

This was my exact packing list for 5 days (and 4 nights) on the Amalfi Coast!

You can also check out my full Italy Essentials Amazon page for the links to my fav products from this trip🫶🏼

Weather on the Amalfi Coast in Summer

Depending on what exact month you are visiting the Amalfi Coast, the weather may vary slightly. But in general, summer on the Amalfi Coast is typically warm and dry!

Below is a table that shows the average highs and lows by month in Positano, one of the most popular cities on the Amalfi Coast!

Month	Average High	Average Low
May	78°F	64°F
June	86°F	72°F
July	91°F	76°F
August	92°F	77°F
September	85°F	72°F

We personally spent 5 days on the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento at the very beginning of September, and it was definitely hot, but not unbearable! However, I am from Florida, so I’m used to heat and humidity!

The only day of our trip where I was truly sweaty and uncomfortable was our day trip to Pompeii, thanks to the stone ground and very little shade at the ruins (you’ll want a hat for sure!).

In the summer evenings, you’ll get a slight reprieve from the heat, but it was not cool enough to need a jacket or anything like that.

If you’re looking to avoid the worst of the heat, May is a great time to visit for slightly cooler temps. This is also before the worst of the crowds arrive; however, the sea is noticeably colder in May than later in the summer!

Packing Tips for the Amalfi Coast

Pack light! Visiting the Amalfi Coast means lots of stairs and possibly trains, ferries, and buses. A giant suitcase becomes a real problem the moment you’re trying to squeeze it under a train seat (like we did on our way from Naples to Sorrento) or haul it up 500 steps.

Comfortable shoes are non-negotiable. Again, places like Positano and Sorrento both involve serious stairs. In general, you’ll be walking a lot on cobblestone streets and unforgiving surfaces! None of those are heels-friendly. I much prefer either sneakers or comfy sandals, and then platform sandals for nicer evenings.

Skip the jeans. No need for denim here!! Linen or lightweight cotton will make the heat so much more bearable. I love my long linen pants for boat days to protect from the sun but stay cool.

Watch your bags. Italy is notorious for pickpockets, especially on the trains! Do not wear a backpack on your back while in busy touristy areas. I prefer a cross-body bag that I can wear in front of me!

Renting Clothes with Nuuly

In the rest of this blog post, I’m going to share a few recommendations for new clothes you can buy for your trip. However, there is another option!

I personally didn’t buy a bunch of new clothes for our trip to Italy. Instead, I rented clothes through Nuuly!

Nuuly is a clothing rental service that I’m obsessed with for travel. For less than $100, you can pick out 6 new pieces and keep them for one month. It is a monthly subscription, but you can pause it without limits!

I only unpause when I’m going on a big trip, but you could use it every month if you want to!

Boat Day Outfits

If you’re visiting the Amalfi Coast, you absolutely MUST get out on the water and explore via boat.

If you’re staying in Positano, this half-day boat tour looks dreamy with snorkeling, sea caves, hidden beaches, and more.

We actually based ourselves in Sorrento on our trip and then explored Amalfi, Positano, and Ravello on a full-day boat tour. (Read more about our boat day experience here!)

Regardless of which type of boat tour you book, your base for a boat day will of course be a bathing suit!

I always opt for a one-piece on boat days since they can double as a tank top under my clothes!

In terms of clothing, my standard boat day attire is white linen pants and a matching linen long-sleeve shirt.

You might be thinking, pants?! Long-sleeve shirt?? In summer?!

Hear me out! Both of those are lightweight enough to still be cool in summer, but you’ll be thankful for the sun protection they provide after a looong day on the boat!

Also, don’t forget to pack waterproof sandals! My go-to are my Reef Water Vista sandals, which are 100% waterproof AND comfy enough to wear walking around European cities. I’ve worn them in Greece, Croatia, Italy, France, and more!!!

Lastly, you’ll want a sun hat – I bought this floppy hat that you can actually fold/roll before our trip and loved it!

Beach Club Outfits

There are plenty of beaches along the Amalfi Coast, but the most popular beaches are dominated by fancy beach clubs (where you have to pay for a chair/umbrella to access!).

We personally didn’t have time to visit any of these, but I had my eye on renting chairs at the famous Positano beach club – next time!!

If you’re planning to hit any of the beach clubs along the Amalfi Coast, you may want a slightly more elevated look than what you’d wear on the boat.

Personally, I’d wear a cute set like this one, or even just a lightweight dress coverup!

Exploring town (day and Night)

There is so much more to do on the Amalfi Coast than just the beaches and the water!

Whether you’re wandering Sorrento’s main square, climbing up to see the cliffs of Positano, or exploring Amalfi’s cathedral steps, the towns along this coast all have one thing in common: a lot of walking on stairs and cobblestone!!

For daytime exploring, breathable, casual outfits work best here – something you can walk comfortably in for hours in the summer heat.

I typically wear a lightweight comfy dress like this or even a comfy linen set!

In terms of footwear, I switch between my Reef Water Vista sandals or these cute Dr. Scholl sneakers that are sooo comfy!

For evenings in town, you will want slightly elevated outfits, but nothing overly fancy (depending on where you are going).

I always opt for dresses at night, either short or long, because they are easy to pack and style! For a casual dinner in Sorrento down by the water, I wore this linen striped dress with flat sandals.

For our cooking class in Sorrento, I wore a maxi denim dress from Nuuly that was honestly a little too heavy for summer in Italy!

During our fancy night in Positano, we had sunset drinks at El Tridente followed by an incredible dinner at Hotel Miramar, both with incredible clifftop views over the water!!

For dinners like this, I’d pack a few dressier outfits, like a more upscale dress or a nice top. I paired my mini dress (that had adorable blue tiles on it – so Italy!!) with these Steve Madden platform sandals that I am officially obsessed with!!!

Day Trips From the Amalfi Coast

Besides exploring the actual Amalfi Coast, you may be taking some day trips to other areas in the Campania region.

For us, we did both a day trip to the ruins of Pompeii as well as a day trip to Capri, so I wanted to cover what I wore on those two days!

Pompeii Ruins

While I was on the fence about visiting Pompeii before our trip to the Amalfi Coast, it ended up being one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited. (Read more about our trip to Pompeii here!).

Coolest meaning I enjoyed the experience and learning about the history – it was QUITE hot!! Haha.

In fact, I drastically underestimated how much hotter it would be in Pompeii compared to our days on the water and definitely forgot to bring some items that would’ve made the day more enjoyable.

First, the Pompeii ruins are massive, and you’ll be exploring them on foot, so plan for lots of walking!

I wore my Reef sandals that day, and they were fine, but I think I would’ve been more comfortable in my sneakers. The ruins are all pavement and cobblestones, which means lots of uneven surfaces and steps.

In addition, you’ll definitely want to wear a hat at Pompeii. I forgot to bring mine and immediately regretted it!

There is little to no shade throughout the ruins, and I ended up using the map to block the sun from my face throughout the day. Don’t forget sunglasses too!

Our guide was actually carrying an umbrella the whole time to block the sun, which was a great move!

Lastly, in terms of actual outfits, choose something light and breathable that is comfy to walk a lot in. I wore this athletic dress with built-in shorts that has become a staple in my Europe wardrobe!

Day Trip to Capri

Another one of my favorite days in Italy was our day trip to Capri from Sorrento!

We caught the earliest ferry from Sorrento and had a full day of exploring Capri, including riding the Mount Solaro chairlift, lunch in Anacapri town, walking the Augustus Gardens, and hiking down to Marina Piccola beach for a full beach day!

This was an action-packed and versatile day for us, so I had to dress accordingly. I started the day in my white linen pants (same ones from the boat day) and a cute flowery tank top!

Before making the hike down to the beach, I changed into my bathing suit and a striped romper from Nuuly that I wore as a bathing suit cover-up!

I wore my Reef sandals the whole day, even for the hike down to the beach! They are truly the best sandals ever.

Depending on what your day in Capri looks like, you may not need to do an outfit change! You may not even need a swimsuit, unless you are hitting the beach or going on a boat tour around Capri, which is also very popular!

Either way, you’ll want similar clothing items to the rest of this list: comfy, breathable fabric while still looking cute!

Electronics and Travel Accessories

When it comes to electronics, most of these will be for your hotel, the plane ride, or other transportation throughout Italy, since your days will be spent out exploring the beautiful Amalfi Coast!

I can’t live without my noise-cancelling headphones for international flights. I normally read my Kindle or watch movies on my iPad on overnight flights since I really struggle with sleeping on planes.

Don’t forget a reusable water bottle as well to stay hydrated on the plane and throughout your trip.

Once you arrive in Italy, you’ll need a travel adapter if you are traveling from the USA, since Italy uses Type C and F plugs like the rest of Europe. I love this Universal travel adapter because it works for Europe, UK, and Australia!

Another must-have electronic in my opinion is a portable charger. Between taking photos, using Google Maps, and checking ferry schedules, my phone battery could not keep up! I always have a portable charger in case we are out all day, and I can’t charge my phone in the room.

Read more blog posts about the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento below! ⬇️🇮🇹🍋
Why Sorrento Is the Perfect Base for Your Amalfi Coast Trip!
How to Get From Naples to Sorrento (5 Best Options)
15 BEST Things to Do on the Amalfi Coast & Sorrento, Italy
How to Visit Pompeii from Sorrento (And Why Book a Tour!)
The Perfect Capri Day Trip from Sorrento (What to Do + Skip)
What to Wear on the Amalfi Coast in Summer: Detailed List!