Positano Boat Tours: BEST Boat Tours in Positano in 2024 (Reviews, Prices & Top Tips!)

Looking for the best boat tours in Positano? You’ve come to the right place! In this article I have listed some of the best Positano boat tours for you to choose from. 

You will also find my helpful advice on how to choose the best tour for you, as well as what to take into account when reviewing them, and in general my best local advice as an Italian traveller.

Positano is one of the most magical places in Italy, if not the entire world. With its perched houses, crystal-clear waters and mountainous coastline, it’s easy to see why.

Seeing the beauty of the Amalfi Coast from the sea will make for an unforgettable day, which you are guaranteed to remember forever.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in, and find the perfect Positano boat tour for you!

How to choose the right Positano boat tour

Before we dive into my list of the best Positano boat tours, I want to give you an overview of important things to take into account when it comes to choosing the perfect boat tour in Positano for you.

Ultimately we all have different travel styles, budgets and priorities, so the best Positano boat trip for me might not be the best one for you. Here is what you need to think about when choosing your Positano boat tour.

Itinerary: Where do you actually want to go? Do you just want to cruise in front of Positano, and admire this unique town from the sea? Or do you want to go explore specific beaches and islands?

Unlike some island hopping tours you might have done in other parts of the world, where all the tours seem to follow a set itinerary (without leaving Italy, boat trips in Maddalena are like this), all the tours in Positano have different itineraries.

Obviously all tours will include more or less the same main sights, but they do tend to vary a little. If there’s something specific you want to see in the Amalfi Coast, make sure it’s included in the itinerary!

Starting point: Where do you want your Positano boat tour to start from? Do you want to make your own way to Positano with the ferry or bus and the join a boat trip once there?

Or would you prefer to get picked up at your accommodation, wherever that is in Amalfi Coast, and be taken to Positano? The starting point of your boat trip will obviously influence your itinerary, as well as price.

What’s included: Make sure to check what’s included in every boat tour before picking one! Sometimes they’ll include drinks, snacks, beach towels, or even a full lunch, and this will be reflected in the price.

Group size & boat type: Budget will be the main deciding factor here, but it’s important to look at the type of boat that you’re choosing.

Some group tours are cheap, but it often means you’ll be on one of the larger boats with loads of other people.

If you want to do a tour in a traditional wooden gozzo boat with a smaller group, or even a private boat, the price tag is obviously going to be higher.

Either way, I’m sure you will have a great time exploring the Pearl of the Amalfi Coast by sea!

It’s just good to take into account the different types of boat excursions out there, so you can pick the one that best fits your travel mood.

Best boat tours Positano

Private Boat Tour in Positano at Sunset

We did this private sunset tour in Positano and it was pretty magical. If you’re looking for romantic boat tours from Positano, look no further than this private sunset boat experience.

It’s quite short, lasting only an hour and a half, but we actually liked that, since we only had five days in Amalfi Coast, it meant we had the whole day to explore Positano and do other things.

There’s snorkelling gear, in case you want to take a dip in the sea, but otherwise, this one is all about enjoying the ambience of the coast and the spectacular views over Positano.

You’ll stop near the Li Galli islands where you can watch the sun dip below the horizon.  It’s very chill and romantic, featuring a speaker that you can play your own music on (if you want).

There’s also an optional extra of having a photographer join you to take pictures if it’s a special occasion like a wedding proposal.

There was also a bottle of champagne and some nibbles included in the price, but nothing particularly fancy.

That combined with how short this tour is makes it slightly overpriced in my opinion, but it’s still one of the nicest private Positano boat tours out there, as well as one of the best things to do in Positano.

Click here to book your private sunset boat tour in Positano, or check out prices & availability in the calendar below!

 

Boat & Snorkelling Tour with Captain to Positano & Amalfi Coast

But you don’t have to get a private boat tour, of course. Limited to just 10 people, this group tour is one of the quieter and more chill boat tours of the Amalfi Coast.

It’s all about simply soaking up the scenery along this famous coastline. And with limoncello, beer, soft drinks, prosecco and fresh fruit included in the price, it feels like a decadent way to spend a day.

Boarding the gozzo (a traditional Amalfitan boat) in Amalfi itself, the tour takes you to nearby coastal sights like Faraglioni Rocks and hidden beaches where you can swim, snorkel and sunbathe.

The tour will whisk you by the charming village of Conca dei Marini, the former villa of Sophia Loren and the storied Il Saraceno Grand Hotel.

You’ll even head to the Furore Fjord, which is famed as the only fjord in Italy — and as the location of a yearly diving competition (held in July) — before heading to Positano for more hidden beaches.

All in all, this option is super comprehensive and, for the money, easily one of the best boat tours on the Amalfi Coast. If you have a packed Italy itinerary and don’t have long in Amalfi Coast, it’s a great tour as it includes quite a few sights.

Click here to book your boat & snorkelling tour in Amalfi Coast! Or check out prices & availability in the calendar below!

 

Private Boat Tour from Positano to Capri or Amalfi

This private boat tour from Positano is a full-day experience that sees you exploring the Tyrrhenian Sea along the Amalfi Coast.

As with most private tours, you have the choice of sticking to the coast or heading over to Capri to see the sights there.

If you choose the Amalfi Coast option, you’ll stop by the Furore Fjord, sail past luxury villas and elegant hotels, and stop in Amalfi for lunch.

If you choose Capri, it’s all about rock formations, sea caves and Roman ruins, with an optional stop at Capri’s harbour (Marina Grande) for an extra fee.

Positano private boat tours with this amount of choice are ideal for those who like to do things their own way, making it great for couples or friends on a special trip.

Either way, you’ll have drinks and snacks included, a knowledgeable captain who’ll share history and anecdotes with you along the way, and spectacular scenery to lap up.

Click here to book your private boat tour from Positano to Capri or Amalfi, or check out prices & availability in the calendar below!

 

Positano to Capri Boat Tour

Boat tours from Positano to Capri don’t get much more comprehensive than this full-day trip option.

As well as taking in some of the dramatic coastline of the Sorrentine Peninsula, which is worthy of its very own boat trip I’d say, you also get to set sail across the sea to the island of Capri.

Leaving from Positano via car or minivan transfer, you’ll be whisked to Sorrento, where you’ll board an elegant boat waiting for you at the port.

The tour continues, heading onwards to Capri where you’ll see the iconic Faraglioni (a unique rock formation in the middle of the sea), an ancient Roman villa, as well as the island’s sea caves: the Green Grotto, the Marvellous Grotto and the White Grotto. The Blue Grotto isn’t included, but you can add it as extra.

Also including snacks and drinks, this Positano to Capri boat tour allows you to step off in Capri and explore for a few hours.

Then, after your own personal adventure, it’s back on the boat to Sorrento. It’s a small group tour (maximum of 12 people), so I would say it’s good for a couple or solo traveller.

Click here to book your Positano to Capri boat tour via Sorrento! Or check out prices & availability in the calendar below!

 

From Positano: Amalfi Coast Boat Tour

Amalfi Coast tours by boat are the best way to see this beautiful part of Italy. This full-day tour shows it off really well.

Starting in Positano, Praiano or Nerano, this tour sees you whisked off to see the picturesque shoreline and charming towns of the Amalfi Coast with the chance to stop off, explore and swim.

As a bonus, prosecco (as well as water and soft drinks) can be included in the price as a different option.

Otherwise, simply sit back, relax and see the Amalfi Coast the way it is best seen — from the sea, well away from the busy streets, tourists and traffic.

Click here to book your Amalfi Coast Boat Tour from Positano! Or check out prices & availability in the calendar below!

 

Amalfi Coast & Positano Boat Tour from Sorrento

For those who don’t want to stay in Positano (it’s the most expensive place to stay in Amalfi Coast after all), and choose cheaper Sorrento instead, worry not, as there are plenty of Positano boat tours setting off from here too.

Small-group tours like this one are ideal for solo travellers who want to get to know people during their Amalfi trip, or even for couples who want to socialise and chat.

This particular boat tour from Sorrento to Positano, Li Galli and Amalfi takes in the best of this coastline in a group that’s limited to a maximum of 15 people.

You’ll get a couple of hours to explore the town of Amalfi at your own pace, too.

This Amalfi Coast boat tour includes pick up and drop off (from/to your hotel in Sorrento), making it extra convenient. A light lunch is also included, as are drinks. 

Click here to see prices & availability for your Positano boat tour from Sorrento!

Full-Day Boat Tour in Positano & Amalfi

For a full day of exploration (8 to 9 hours), consider booking this Amalfi Coast boat tour. From Positano to Amalfi, you’ll get to see this stunning coastline at its best — complete with prosecco and snacks included.

Beginning either in Sorrento (the meeting point), or with a hotel pick-up available on request, you’ll board the gozzo boat (one of the traditional wooden boats of this part of Italy) and hit the high seas.

You’ll pass by Punta Campanella, which marks the beginning of the Amalfi Coast proper, sail through the lush protected Bala di Ierento, and admire the picturesque village of Nerano from the sea, before heading on to Amalfi and Positano.

You’ll get to stretch your legs and explore each one. Then it’s back to Sorrento, via stops for swimming at hidden coves and beaches, of course!

Click here to book your full-day boat tour in Positano and Amalfi!

Budget boat trip in Positano: the ferries

Let’s be realistic. Amalfi Coast is one of the most expensive parts of Italy, and all the tours I listed above are rather pricey and will likely impact your Italy travel budget quite a bit.

If you’re travelling on a budget, and don’t want to spend loads on a boat trip, but still want to experience the magic of Amalfi Coast from the sea, an affordable alternative are the ferries.

All the main towns on the Amalfi Coast are connected by a fairly efficient ferry system. If you visit Italy in summer, it can actually be the easiest way to travel between towns, so you don’t have to deal with traffic and parking.

Ferries obviously won’t stop at little coves and beaches to give you time for snorkelling, but they still allow you to see the beauty of Amalfi Coast and the perched houses of Positano from the sea.

I found this to be the case also in Lake Como. Boat tours in Lake Como are very expensive, but you can still experience the beautiful lakeside views also from the ferries.

Final thoughts on the best Italy Positano boat tours

There you have it, the ultimate compilation of best Positano boat tours! Have you been to Positano before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

Positano is one of the most magical places in Italy, which features on every Italy bucket list, and it’s easy to see why. With its distinctive houses perched on the side of the cliff, its lush vegetation and pristine beaches, it’s a gorgeous sight.

And seeing it from the sea gives you a unique perspective, which is even more impressive than on land. However, unless you do the first Positano private sunset boat tour I linked, Positano is only a small part of most boat tours.

Yes Positano is stunning, but most boat tours will also include stops at Capri, Amalfi and other beaches along the coast. In my opinion this is better, as it actually allows you to see more!

Besides doing a boat tour in Positano, if your Italy itinerary allows for it, make sure to also include a day trip to Pompeii to see the Pompeii ruins, as well as hiking the Path of the Gods!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my guide to the best boat tours from Positano, and that it helped you find the perfect Positano boat tour for you. If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!

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