Starting in 2025, all U.S. citizens HAVE to apply for an online European Travel authorization “visa” called an ETIAS (European Travel Information & Authorization System) in order to fly to Italy.

This form can be completed online and costs 7 Euros. This form must be completed within a minimum of a month in advance of travel. We recommend applying no later than May 1st, 2025. Applications typically are approved within 96 hours. Here are more details and link to apply.

When do I need to order my passport by?

No later than first week of March to come in time. You need your passport in hand in order to apply for your ETIAS (Euro visa). Please see above.

Please also note, your passport cannot expire prior to end of September 2025 in order to be valid for your travel with new Euro regulations.

Do we have to stay in Ravello for the wedding or can we stay in another town June 17th-19th?

We highly, highly recommend staying in Ravello for the evenings of June 17th-June 19th for the welcome event, beach day and wedding. With each event at night, the ferries and most buses will not be running in the evenings and it will be near impossible to get back to Positano/Praino (can be up to a 2hr car ride and taxis refuse at night).

If you need to stay in another town, the only one close enough we would recommend would be Amalfi. It is a 15 min bus ride and taxis may be another option to get home, but note it will be a very high fee (we have been charged upwards of $120-$150 at night).

In Ravello, you can walk to all locations we have listed in our accommodations tab.

Are the couple and guests arriving before the wedding events (June 17th) or exploring the coast together?

YES! Caroline and Jase are going to arrive to Positano no later than June 13th and spend 3-4 days there exploring and hanging out with family and friends. Everyone invited to the wedding is invited to join us in Positano if they would like for a true vacation experience all together in the lead up to the big day. We may rent a boat and go explore the beaches and towns together! Please let us know if you plan to arrive early and want to join in on the fun. This is very casual and not required!

Click HERE for Positano accommodation recommendations!

Travel Assistance with Hotels and Airport Transfers to and from are offered by our wedding planners, free of charge as a part of their services.

Please feel free to email: info@theamalfiexperience.com with the subject line “Caroline and Jase Renneke wedding” with assistance booking both hotel accommodations and transport.

Get a taxi, take the ferry, or get a boat taxi?

Ferries and buses run throughout the day, but they do typically stop when it gets dark out. Taxis at night can be hit or miss depending on how far you are going, so don’t rely on it if you are heading longer than 20-30 min drive away.

Don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant or hotel your options. Traveling by water can save a ton of time and give a much more pleasurable way to see the coast. Ask your waiter if they can call a water taxi for you + cost if traveling town to town and no close ferries are nearby. Water taxis can be same price as taxis and a third of the time to travel.

Here are the best routes and ways to travel town to town:

• Amalfi to Ravello or Ravello to Amalfi= take bus (15 min ride and they come every 30 mins or so before nightfall)

• Ravello to Positano = bus or taxi to Amalfi (15 min ride), then ferry to Positano (35 min ride)

• Positano to Ravello= Ferry to Amafli (35 min ride), bus ride from Amalfi to Ravello (15 min ride)

• Positano to Amalfi or Amalfi to Positano = take ferry if before nightfall (35 min ride and they come every 30 mins or so until 5 or 6pm)

• Positano to Praino or Praino to Positano = take bus or taxi (20 min ride)

• Ravello to Maiori or Maiori to Ravello = take bus or taxi (15-20 min ride)

• Capri = take ferry from Positano or hire private boat service. To get to Positano from another town- see above.

Which towns should we go to on the coast? Which to skip?

If it is your first time on the coast, we would recommend skipping Sorrento, Praino, Minori, Maiori and focusing on Positano as the main destination to see outside of Ravello- the wedding location and recommended place to stay June 17th -19th- with Amalfi as a close second. If you have time, do both.

Note: we may go explore Amalfi together as a group on June 18th during our beach day.

Capri is another top recommendation, but it is a further journey, with about a 50 min ferry ride and requires a day trip. However, you can get a private boat tour with friends or groups and go explore blue grottos on the way.

Transportation and getting from town to town is a day trip adventure and quite the journey, it can also get costly quickly. Convenience comes at a cost. Due to this, we recommend paying a bit more to stay in the town you plan to be exploring in vs. staying in a cheaper town and commuting in. You will end up paying just as much in transport and missing a ton of time, plus headaches and stress getting around.

Carrying my bags is a LOT with the steps/streets. Is there an easier way to get luggage to my hotel?

Absolutely. There are porter services offered in most towns and by most hotels. When you arrive at a major ferry port, you can often find these porter services waiting there. You can pay them Euros to deliver your luggage to your hotel. It is not a scam, just make sure to get a business card and phone number. Most hotels can also send porters to you to pick up luggage, call ahead and see your options.

Luggage Tip:

Just in case god forbid your luggage gets lost or doesn’t make it to Naples when you arrive (speaking from experience here), Italy can be a bit slower than America to get it to your hotel. We recommend packing some essential items and clothing in your carry on to get you by for a few days just in case this happens. Tooth brush, sandals, change of clothes, undergarments, bathing suit, dress, would be our recos!

Where else would you recommend we travel before or after in Italy?

Naples is near the southernmost point of Italy, so our list of recommendations is going to flow south to north in as close of geographical order as possible for proximity purposes.

If you have never been to Italy, Rome is an easy, bucket list one you should check off as it is only an 1 hour train ride or 2.5 drive time from Naples.

We love Florence (we actually preferred it to Rome outside the historic, iconography of Rome), and it is a 2.5 hour train ride or 4.5 hour drive from Naples. The best part of seeing Florence is you’re also near the Tuscan region and can spend a day or two in Florence then go explore Tuscany for a few days- which we highly recommend.

Tuscany is a massive region and there are tons of beautiful places to explore. We loved exploring wineries near the city of Siena and also getting a chance to see another city during our adventures. Some of our favorite places we have stayed in Tuscany are Borgo Scopeto Relais and an old monastery turned hotel, Certosa di Maggiano.

Cinque Terre is a wonderful, smaller coastal town in northern Italy we highly recommend looking into. It will give you that true Euro/Italian Summer feel. We took a train from Rome there one year and enjoyed a magical two days there. You can explore the 5 colorful villages in one day by their local train. (2 hr drive or train from Florence/4 hour train from Rome or 5 hr drive/ 3 hour drive from Milan (4 from Lake Como))

If you have time, we cannot recommend Lake Como enough. It is a 45 min drive from Milan and a great place to fly out of with many cheaper flight options back to the U.S.. If you travel north to Florence or Tuscany and would like a few more days of vacation, consider ending your trip here. (4.5 hr drive from Florence/ 2.5 hr train). Jase and I got engaged at Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como and in our opinions, it is the most magical place on earth.

Outside of these well-known places, Sicily, Puglia, Venice, are all on our list to see one day and we have heard great things!

Villas, Hotel or Airbnb?

You can’t go wrong with either. If you have a large group, look into villas. There are a ton of luxury villas in Positano, Ravello, Amalfi, etc. with steep price tags but when split amongst the 10-20 people they house, they can end up equaling out to the equivalent of most hotel stays and much, much nicer with better amenities. I have linked some finds below:

Note: some require a minimum amount of night stays. We would not recommend staying outside of Ravello during June 17-19th.

Praino

• Villa Costantina

Positano

• Villa Paesana

• Villa dei Fisici

• Palazzo Santa Croce

• Villa Petit Syrene

• Villa Laurito

• Villa Oliviero

Anything we should we pack we wouldn’t normally think of?

Don’t forget your passport!

International/European charger adapter and check your wattage as I have toasted a few hair curlers in my time! Convert U.S. cash to Euros before leaving the airport. Flat sandals and walking shoes that are broken in and it’s also helpful to have sandals that can handle rocky beaches. Sunscreen. Advil/Tylenol as it is hard to come by. Breathable clothes that can handle lots of stair climbing. Lots of linen, but there is plenty you can buy there however it will cost ya!

Nicer dinner outfits if you plan on dining out in Positano, some places don’t allow beach attire. Ladies- I’ve found it helpful to pack coverups that can also doable as outfits so when walking home after the beach/ocean I can wear my coverup home or to eat as an outfit since sometimes it’s a hike home.

Beach bag if you plan on doing a boat day trip or beach club. Hiking shoes/sneakers if you want to do the Path of the Gods hike. Portable fan. It is hot hot hot in the summer.