Yes, January suits walkers and travelers who like a festive New Year on the coast, with mild afternoons of 58°F (15°C) and the Capodanno più lungo d’Italia, the most awaited event on the Amalfi Coast.
Nights are cool, rain falls on about one day in three, and daylight lasts only about nine and a half hours. Plan outdoor sights for the middle of the day and book rooms early for the first days of the year.
At a glance
- Afternoon high: 58°F (15°C)
- Night low: 49°F (9°C)
- Rainy days: 9
- Sea: 59°F
- Daylight on January 15: 9 hours 32 minutes
What is the weather like on the Amalfi Coast in January?
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain | Rainy days | Sea | Daylight (15th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 60°F (16°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 3.4 in (87 mm) | 9 | 62°F (17°C) | 9 h 16 |
| January | 58°F (15°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 2.9 in (74 mm) | 9 | 59°F (15°C) | 9 h 32 |
| February | 59°F (15°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 2.4 in (60 mm) | 7 | 58°F (14°C) | 10 h 37 |
*Long-term monthly averages.*
January on the coast is mild and damp. Afternoons reach 58°F (15°C) and nights drop to 49°F (9°C), so a coat is enough in the day and a warm layer is welcome after dark. Positano runs a degree or two cooler, with 57°F (14°C) in the afternoon and 48°F (9°C) at night.
Rain falls on nine days of the month, and the month gets about three inches of it. Keep a light waterproof in the bag and put the outdoor sights, the walks and the villa gardens, on the first dry day. On a wet day the paper museum and the shipyard in Amalfi are good fallbacks. The sea sits at 59°F.
December is a little warmer, with 60°F (16°C) afternoons and 51°F (11°C) nights, but wetter, with nine rainy days and more than three inches of rain. February has the same afternoons as January, slightly colder nights at 48°F (9°C) and two fewer rainy days. Daylight grows from about nine and a quarter hours in mid-December to a little over ten and a half in mid-February.
Where to go on the Amalfi Coast in January
Amalfi
The Arsenale della Repubblica, the Museo della Carta and the Cathedral of St Andrew the Apostle with its imposing staircase give the town plenty to do under cover or in short dry spells.
Ravello
Ravello sits on a rocky spur at 365 meters above sea level, in the center of the Amalfi Coast. Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone have gardens and terraces over the Gulf of Salerno, and the views are wide on a clear January day.
Positano
Positano is known for colorful little houses and a domed, majolica-roofed church. It is the end of the Path of the Gods, and a destination for tourists from all over the world.
Atrani
Atrani lies less than a kilometer (about half a mile) from Amalfi and is Italy’s smallest municipality by area. It keeps the feel of a southern Italian fishing village, and it is an easy short walk from Amalfi between showers.
Maiori and Minori
The Sentiero dei Limoni (Lemon Path) starts near these two towns, and Minori also has the ruins of a Roman villa. A day here combines a walk of about four hours with a visit under a roof.
Cetara
Cetara is a small fishing village at the foot of Monte Falerio, and it is the home of colatura di alici, the anchovy sauce used mainly to dress spaghetti.
What to do on the Amalfi Coast in January
New Year events in Amalfi
The Capodanno più lungo d’Italia runs from the afternoon of December 31 to dawn on two squares.
Gnut played on January 2 and Compagnia Daltrocanto on January 4. Dates change from year to year, so check the new program before fixing a travel day. The first days of the year are festive, with the Gran Concerto di Capodanno on January 1 in the Arsenale, so rooms should be booked early.
The Path of the Gods from Agerola to Positano
The walk from Agerola to Positano takes about 3 hours. Hikers there are almost all other walkers, mostly foreigners.
Start early, since daylight lasts about nine and a half hours. Grotta Biscotto has a drinking water spring and Nocelle has a drinking fountain. From Nocelle, 1,700 steps lead down to the SS163 in about an hour. To reach the start, take a Travelmar ferry to Amalfi, then a shuttle bus to Agerola.
Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone in Ravello
Villa Rufolo is a 13th-century complex that inspired Wagner, with gardens that cross terraces, cloisters and panoramic areas. The Ravello Festival is held in its gardens from June to September, so January is a quiet month there. The villa has no restaurant service.
Villa Cimbrone has gardens and the Terrace of Infinity.
The Arsenale and the Museo della Carta in Amalfi
The Arsenale della Repubblica is a medieval shipyard, the only rock shipyard still existing. The Arsenal Experience offers multilingual guided tours of about 30 minutes, included in the entrance ticket. The same building hosts the Concerto di Santa Lucia in December and the New Year concert.
The Museo della Carta is in one of the oldest paper mills of the area, at the start of the road to the Valle delle Ferriere. A guided tour follows the making of Amalfi’s ancient Bambagina paper. Holders of a Travelmar ticket get a discount on admission.
The Lemon Path from Maiori to Minori
The walk from Maiori to Minori takes about four hours. It is a simple route, part urban with stairs and part natural trail, and it passes terraces planted with lemon trees. The main lemon harvest begins in March, so in January the walk is about the terraces and the sea views.
Minori’s Roman villa is a good stop at the end. Wear shoes with grip, since the stairs and trail can be wet after rain.
Is the Amalfi Coast busy in January?
January sits outside the summer rush. In July and August the SS163 slows to a walking pace and SITA buses travel packed, and from June to August ZTL restrictions are active in Amalfi, Positano and Ravello. Amalfi still has visitors in every period of the year, so the first days of January, around the Capodanno più lungo d’Italia, are the busy stretch of the month.
Book rooms well ahead for New Year. Sleep directly on the coast in Amalfi, Positano, Ravello or Praiano, or choose Salerno as the cheapest base, with a regional railway station and ferry and bus links to Amalfi. Praiano is the quietest, most residential choice, and Positano is the most expensive and most crowded village. No coastal village has a railway station, so allow time for buses or boats.
Can you swim on the Amalfi Coast in January?
The sea near Amalfi averages 59°F in January, and the same near Positano. That is cool, so swimming suits only people who like cold water. December is a few degrees warmer at 62°F, and February is slightly cooler at 58°F.
The small beach at the bottom of the Fiordo di Furore is the one named for swimming. Marina Grande beach in Amalfi is very convenient and often crowded in peak season.
What to pack for the Amalfi Coast in January
January asks for layers and shoes that grip, since nights fall to 49°F (9°C), rain comes on nine days and the best sights involve stairs and trails.
- A warm layer for evenings, when the low is 49°F (9°C)
- A light waterproof and an umbrella for the nine rainy days
- Walking shoes with grip for the Path of the Gods.
- Comfortable shoes for the 1,700 steps from Nocelle to the SS163 and the stairs on the Lemon Path
- A refillable water bottle, since Grotta Biscotto and Nocelle have drinking water
- Swim gear only for a quick dip at Furore, where the sea is 59°F
What to know before visiting the Amalfi Coast in January
A new ZTL access control system for Amalfi’s historic center started on January 1, 2026, with a trial period between January 1 and January 15. The green zone is limited to residents with a permit, so visitors should plan to arrive by bus or boat rather than by car. Amalfi’s urban minibus runs seven days a week in the historic center and the hamlets, and Travelmar advises discovering the coast by sea to avoid long car queues and parking problems.
The U.S. State Department lists Italy at Level 2, Exercise increased caution, due to terrorism, and recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). It also highly recommends buying travel insurance before the trip.
Is January a good time to visit the Amalfi Coast?
Yes, January is a good month for travelers who want walks, mild afternoons and New Year concerts, and who accept cool water and some rain. It is less suited to anyone planning beach days.
December is a little warmer at sea, with 62°F water, but it has more rain and the Christmas events. February has fewer rainy days, seven instead of nine, and longer daylight, with more than ten hours in mid-month, though nights are a degree colder.
For the festive side, choose the first days of the month, when the New Year concerts take place.
Sources
- italia.it (https://www.italia.it/en/campania/costiera-amalfitana), checked 2026-10-30
- comune.amalfi.sa.it (https://comune.amalfi.sa.it/Novita/Comunicati/Il-Capodanno-piu-lungo-d-Italia-la-rassegna-InCanti-d-Autore-con-Neri-per-Caso-Gnut-e-Compagnia-Daltrocanto-Fabbrica-di-Natale-Mercatini-e-Gruppi-Folk), checked 2026-10-30
- amalficoast-escape.com (https://www.amalficoast-escape.com/it/guide/where-to-stay-amalfi-coast/), checked 2026-10-30
- ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
- fondazioneravello.com (https://www.fondazioneravello.com/villa-rufolo/), checked 2026-10-30
- parcoregionaledeimontilattari.it (http://www.parcoregionaledeimontilattari.it/index.php/feed/atom/uploads/uploads/oggetti/Asmez_Modulistica/upload/oggetti/Asmez_Modulistica/upload/uploads/index.php?action=index&p=336), checked 2026-10-25
- amalficoastitalytours.com (https://www.amalficoastitalytours.com/food-and-wine/), checked 2026-10-30
- travelmar.it (https://www.travelmar.it/it/visita-la-costiera-amalfitana), checked 2026-10-25