The problem
Why generic AI gets the Amalfi Coast wrong
Ask AI to plan the Amalfi Coast and it will tell you to rent a car and drive the SS163 — one of the most dramatic coastal roads in Europe. What it won't mention: the road is a single lane shared by cars, buses, and scooters in both directions, parking is essentially nonexistent in July and August, and the entire coast comes to a standstill in high season.
The Amalfi Coast works best when you pick one base and use ferries and local buses to explore. Driving is optional and often counterproductive. AI sends everyone to drive. Locals take the boat.
🚗
Car rental advice is wrong. The SS163 is genuinely dangerous for inexperienced drivers in high season. AI recommends renting a car as the default without ever mentioning the ferry alternative.
🏨
Base logic missing. Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello are 3 completely different experiences. Picking the wrong base means daily commutes on the world's most stressful road.
📅
July–August reality check. In peak summer the coast is overwhelmed. AI doesn't flag that shoulder season (May, June, September) is dramatically better, or that certain hikes are closed in heat.
The fix
The structured Amalfi prompt — copy and paste
This prompt forces the AI to plan with real constraints — geography, transport, pace, and local specificity — instead of defaulting to a highlights reel.
Act as an expert southern Italy travel planner with specific Amalfi Coast experience. Plan a 6-day Amalfi Coast trip for a couple.
HARD CONSTRAINTS — follow these exactly:
- Base selection: Pick ONE town as the base for the whole trip and explain why (consider: Amalfi for transport access, Positano for aesthetics, Ravello for quiet). Do not suggest moving between bases.
- Transport: Default to ferries and SITA buses, not rental car. If a car is mentioned, flag the road conditions and parking reality explicitly.
- Day structure: Each day = one town or hike as the focus. Include ferry times where relevant (ferries stop running around 6–7pm — flag this).
- Hiking: Include the Path of the Gods hike (Sentiero degli Dei). Specify the trailhead, direction, difficulty, and whether a guide is needed.
- Crowds: If travelling June–September, recommend early starts (before 9am) for all major spots. Flag which days to avoid Positano entirely.
- Food: One specific named restaurant per day. At least one must be a family-run trattoria with no online presence — ask locals for this one.
FORMAT:
Day-by-day with base town and focus destination. Ferry or bus times where needed. One named restaurant per day. Advance booking flags.
💡 Pro tip: Add one line at the end with your specific situation — group size, travel dates, any constraints. The more specific, the better the output.
Going further
Where this prompt still falls short
This template is a strong starting point, but a static prompt can't account for your specific trip. Here are three scenarios where you'll still get a mediocre result:
🌧️
Shoulder season (Oct–Apr)
Many restaurants close, ferries run reduced schedules, and the Path of the Gods can be slippery. The itinerary structure changes significantly.
🏄
Swimming focus
If beach and sea are the priority, the base logic and daily rhythm change completely — you want proximity to water, not transport hubs.
💍
Honeymoon / special occasion
Amalfi honeymoon trips need a completely different lens — the right terrace for dinner, the right boat for a private swim stop, the right hotel for the view.
Zippy asks you the right questions first, then builds the prompt — and the full itinerary — around your exact situation.
Free · No sign-up · 60 seconds
Get your personalised Amalfi Coast itinerary
Answer 6 quick questions. Zippy builds the plan — right base, ferry logic, real restaurant picks — for your exact trip.
Build my Amalfi trip →