'My number one tip for Europe travel that saved me hundreds'

Why is the Amalfi Coast so famous? Just speaking its name conjures mental pictures of colourful cliffside villages, pebbled beaches, bright orange cocktails, and people jumping from rocks into bright blue water.

But there's also something that you might forget about: the crowds.

In the peak of summer, Italy's Amalfi Coast is overrun with people trying to experience La Dolce Vita. So that's why I decided to visit in October.

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I'd always wanted to experience the Amalfi Coast that I'd seen on Instagram, but when I looked at prices to stay there in July or August, it was way out of my budget.

Adjusting my dates slightly, I booked a stay in an Airbnb in a small town for a few nights in October, and the price immediately dropped a few hundred Euros.

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These hidden places in Italy offer an escape without the crowds

But that wasn't the only upside - when I arrived, I was greeted with quiet streets, empty beaches, and barely any of the traffic that tourists complain about in the summer.

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Sure, it wasn't 30 degrees and sunny, and I couldn't sip cocktails at a beach club. But I didn't have to worry about getting sunburnt, getting pickpocketed, or spending hundreds of Euros to hang out with sweaty tourists all day.

I did the famous Hike of the Gods and probably saw fewer than twenty people on the whole trail.

I sipped espresso at the bar with locals and sat on the rocky beach watching the waves with no one around me.

Shoulder season travel

Shoulder season travel - or travelling outside of the typical high tourist season - is increasingly attractive for many Australians.

According to Club Med data, there's been an almost 20 per cent increase in September stays at their European sun resorts.

Furthermore, TikTok search insights in Australia show a 44 per cent increase in search popularity for the term "Euro September' in the last six months, from March to September 2025.

As the price of everything goes up, we don't want to sacrifice our holidays, and shoulder season travel is a great alternative.

The difference in crowds between the summer and autumn months in European tourist destinations is shocking.

9Travel writer Sarah was stunned by the number of tourists when she visited Cinque Terre in summer 2023 - leading her to declare that "Euro Summer is over," and vow to never visit again in the high season.

What is shoulder season in Amalfi?

If you're wondering when is the best time to visit Amalfi Coast, the definitive answer is the shoulder season. This is the late spring (April to early June) and early autumn (September and October) months.

In summer, it's hot and crowded, but in winter, it's chilly, rainy, and a lot of businesses are closed.

Is Amalfi Coast expensive?

As a popular tourist destination, yes, the Amalfi Coast can be relatively expensive to visit, in relation to other 'under-the-radar' towns in Italy.

However, there are some things you can do to save money when you visit:

• Travel during the shoulder season to avoid higher prices for accommodation
• Stay outside of Positano - look to towns like Maiori, Minori, Sorrento, and Praiano
• Use local buses or ferries instead of taxis
• Have picnics for lunch - neighbourhood cafes have great pastries and sandwiches you can pack up and take to the beach or on a hike
• Look for free, public beach areas instead of private beach clubs that charge entry fees.

Which city is closest to the Amalfi Coast in Italy?

Naples is the closest major city and international airport to the Amalfi Coast.

You can also access the region through Salerno, a smaller city that's easier to navigate. I took a 40-minute train to Salerno from Pompei, then a bus to the town of Maiori where I stayed on the Amalfi Coast.