The Amalfi Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, stretches from Positano to Vietri sul Mare. It offers breathtaking, breathtaking scenery, and now I understand why it’s one of the most sumptuous coasts in the world.
Some villages are perched like eagles’ nests and can only be reached by a narrow, winding road; others are hidden by Mediterranean vegetation such as umbrella pines, laurel and bougainvillea and scented by the smells of jasmine, lemons and fig trees. The houses are often terraced, surrounded by vineyards, castles and hanging gardens – a feast for the eyes! On the seaside, pretty, colourful and sometimes very touristy villages await you.
Don’t forget to venture inland along the Amalfi coast to discover villages in the same style, still authentic and preserved from tourism. Discover themain villages on the coast.
We’ve written a few articles about our experience and our favourites from the Amalfi Coast:
TABLE OF CONTENTS :
| RAVELLO
This beautiful village is a 15-minute drive fromAmalfi (when traffic is good, otherwise allow 30 minutes!).
The narrow, winding road offers green, mountainous views all along the way. This hilltop village is closed to traffic and attracted many artists and celebrities in the 19th century. In 1962, Jacky Kennedy sought refuge here after being humiliated by her husband J.F Kennedy’s affair with Marilyn Monroe. It is said that she had a lover there for a month… Ravello attracts tourists with its many gardens, its umbrella pines, the sound of cicadas, its lemon trees, its laurel bushes and its beautiful Piazza Duomo, where life is good! Of course, a southerner and a Breton will love it! We loved wandering through the charming little streets and popping into one of the attractive ceramics shops. The further you go into the village, the more beautiful places you discover, such as vaulted passageways, hanging gardens and vegetable patches, like those at Villa Maria, and restaurants hidden under pergolas, like the Mimi pizzeria. It’s easy to spend a day in Ravelle and take the time to do nothing! To get there by bus, the SITA bus takes 25 minutes from Amalfi, departing every 30 minutes from 6.30am to 11pm.
→ Here you’ll find all the accommodation bookings in Ravello
- Lunch at Mimi’s pizzeria, where I enjoyed one of the best burratas of my life or to the Villa Maria workshop,St. Francis Street,17
GOOD PLACE | DISCOVER RAVELLO ON A DAY TOUR
For those with very little to spare, you can discover Ravello and the perched villages from Naples, Sorrento, Salerno and Rome.
| AMALFI
We discovered this village by night and really enjoyed it! This little town gave its name to the coast. Even though it’s still a touristy town, it’s still a great place to stroll around and enjoy an ice cream or a platter of Italian cured meats at Il protontino (via Pietro Capuano 8). From Amalfi , Positano and Sorrento can be reached from the pier opposite Piazza Flavio Gioia. Travelmar offers 7 departures a day. Positano takes 25 minutes. For Capri, 3 departures/day with the companies NLG and Alicost, allow 1h20 for the journey.
→ For all accommodation bookings in Amalfi, click here.
| POSITANO
Positano is a village of unbridled charm, with cliffside houses that echo from window to window, narrow streets with elegant boutiques and VIP clients who find a chic and authentic Italy. This labyrinth of picturesque lanes attracts a host of tourists, and I’ve always dreamt of going there! The village is 18km from Sorrento and 15km fromAmalfi. Positano, famous the world over, is a cross between Capri and Saint Tropez. We love it for its houses tumbling down the slope to the sea, its narrow streets and its colours, we hate it for its many fashion boutiques and its world. And to think it was once a fishing village! The only pleasure in Positano is strolling along the streets, admiring the views and tasting one of the delicious homemade ice creams. If you like shopping, there are plenty of shops selling quality textiles for men and women, as well as handmade flat sandals, which are all the rage!
Positano is ultra-touristy and crowded, but so photogenic! That’s the paradox! This big town lives and breathes tourism and the jetsetters who come here by yacht. It’s a good thing that cars aren’t allowed in the centre of the village! When night falls, the village becomes quieter and more charming!
Positano has a tiny public beach! Yes, it’s public, so it’s free, but it’s up to you to decide whether you want to rest here, in the middle of the crowds who have come to seek the sun and the sea, just like you! If you do, head for Spiaggia Grande or Spiaggia del Fornillo, which can be reached from Spiaggia Grande or by climbing the stairs to Grotta del Fornillo!
Otherwise, as all along the coast, there are private, more remote beaches such as Treville Beach Club Spiaggia di Laurito. Expect to pay €35-40 a day! A free shuttle bus picks you up at Positano from 10am to 11pm) and offers a restaurant and lounge bar with Thai cuisine on Mondays, pizza and barbecue on Wednesdays and Neapolitan cuisine with live music on Fridays.
Napoli – Capodichino train station and international airport are approximately 60 km away. Sorrento is 16 km away and Amalfi is 40 minutes away by car.
→ All accommodation bookings in Positano can be found here
- I’d advise you to stay in the neighboring villages, where you’ll probably find more affordable prices. Positano is a jet-set resort, so hotel prices go with it. Here you’ll find all you need to know about accommodation in Positano
- If there’s one place you can’t miss in Positano, it’s the luxurious Hotel Sirenuse. It’s from this hotel that you’ll have this incredible view of Positano a town built like an ancient amphitheater, but it’s also here that we’ve unearthed a great address for a romantic Italian lunch or dinner. The plant The Sirenuse whose name means “mermaid”, is located in the center of Positano, just 200 meters from the coast and its magnificent beaches. This is the luxury hotel par excellence (a night in an elegant room with private balcony overlooking the Mediterranean can cost upwards of €1,500). We had lunch here in the Michelin-starred restaurant “the Sponda“. A small round table on the large terrace awaited us, with its breathtaking view of the cluster of colorful houses overlooking the sea. What to choose between oyster bar with champagne, spaghetti al vongole, burrata, fresh fish? Well, you know what, the prices aren’t that high for the place and it’s a very good address! So we indulged ourselves with a few tasty Mediterranean dishes from chef Gennaro Russo, inspired by Neapolitan traditions and the Amalfi Coast. Hotel Sirenuse is Italy with a thousand years of charm!
- Lunch menu costs €90 to €120 – A la carte €92 to €175
Positano is also home to trendy addresses like the Sky Bar Gianfranco Russo, but it’s also luxury in the Italian style. Fishermen’s boats take you by traditional boat to the restaurant Da adolpho, a little hidden place, a bay out of sight. This little cove is home to simple deckchairs (far from bling bling). It’s the most popular restaurant in the area, and the pride and joy of the owner’s son Marco. Here you can enjoy typical Italian dishes such as grilled mozzarella on a lemon leaf or the famous red fish
GOOD PLACE | DISCOVER AMALFI, POSITANO AND THE AMALFITA COAST BY SEA AND BOAT
For those with very little to spare, you can discover the magnificent Amalfi Coast by boat from Naples, Sorrento, Salerno and Rome. There are also day trips by boat, so make the most of them, as the Amalfi Coast is sublime from the sea, and you’ll have the chance to get a better idea of the relief.
| SORRENTO
This village isn’t really part of the Amalfi Coast, but you’ll pass through it in one direction or another. We didn’t find Sorrento particularly charming, far too touristy for our taste and no authentic facades to make us want to stroll through the streets.
We’ve found a wild spot that’s well worth a day out. Discover the protected park of Punta Campanella, a paradise that few people know about. This picturesque bay , the Baia di Ieranto, is just opposite Capri‘s Faraglioni. Some legends say that the charm of this place is due to the mermaids who lived in its crystal-clear waters, and it’s easy to imagine them playing in these rocks! What a pleasure to swim in crystal-clear water with few people around! It can be reached on foot from Nerano, along a suggestive route of almost 3 km, which takes you past olive groves, umbrella pines and ruins. The first stage is all downhill, between stones and small paths, but the return is quite difficult to do uphill, in the middle of the doldrums.
→ You will find what you are looking for here for all your accommodation bookings in Sorrento.
BON PLAN | DISCOVER THE COAST BY KAYAK
Explore the Sorrento peninsula on this kayak excursion from Nerano. Follow your guide along the picturesque coastline on the way to Leranto Bay, where you can take a refreshing dip.
➡️ I check availability and book my kayak trip now
For those who don’t have time for a leisurely tour of the Amalfi Coast, there are day-trip options for discovering villages or a small stretch of coastline. Several departures are possible from cities such as Naples, Sorrento, Salerno, and even Rome, so click on one of the excursions below to find the one that suits you best.
I find these excursions interesting because they combine transportation, a guided day trip from Naples or Sorrento, a traditional Italian lunch and, for some, an optional boat trip. There are also some great experiences to try out with family and friends, to get the feeling of living Italian-style!
| THE AMALFI COAST BY PRIVATE BOAT
| TRANSFERTS PRIVATIFS POUR SE RENDRE SUR LA CÔTE AMALFITAINE
A number of private transfers are available from Naples, Rome, Sorrento or other cities to take you to the Amalfi Coast. Click below to book and check availability.
→ Rent a car at the best price and check availability here
TheAmalficoast is very popular from May to October, and even more so in July and August. Expect long waits in traffic… That’s why you should read our advice on how to get organised on the AmalfiCoast or consider other transport alternatives such as the local SITA buses that connect all the coast or hire a scooter.
The Amalfi Coast is a real favourite for its Dolce Vita feel and we invite you to read all our articles about our experience and our favourites of the Amalfi Coast:
Which village do you most want to discover?
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