BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
The Amalfi coast and Capri by boat: dolce vita, earned
Positano, Amalfi, Capri and its grottoes: renting a boat in Sorrento or Naples, what the day really costs, and how to dodge the August crush.
The Amalfi coast from the road is a corniche traffic jam. From the sea, it is Positano in amphitheatre, coves under lemon groves and Capri at sunset. Here more than anywhere, the boat is not an option — it is THE way to visit.
The two headline days
From Sorrento: make for Capri (40 minutes), round the island past the Faraglioni, the Green and Blue grottoes (visited by local rowing boat, queueing at anchor), swim at Marina Piccola. Or head east to Positano and Amalfi: anchor off the beaches, lunch at Nerano (spaghetti alla Nerano is earned by sea), the Furore fjord on the way home. From Naples, add colourful Procida and Ischia.
What it honestly costs
This is one of Italy's priciest stretches of water: €350-700 for a skippered day motorboat out of Sorrento (the dominant formula here — many operators offer nothing else in summer), a traditional gozzo slightly less, bareboat RIBs from €250 for license holders. Add fuel, expensive on this coast.
Dodging the crush
In August, Capri's bay at noon is a car park. The workarounds: leave at 8:30 (the Blue Grotto without the queue), aim for June or September (same colours, half the crowd), and do Positano-Amalfi in late afternoon as the tourist shuttles head home. The sea stays sailable into October.
The comparison angle
The same day gozzo shows very different prices depending on the platform — and some only reveal the skipper fee at checkout. Boat-Comparator flags 'to be confirmed' prices: always check the skipper/fuel line before paying.