Italy – Colorful hillside villages, incredible sea-views and beaches with two shades of blue meeting at the horizon. Long winding roads with sheer drops on either side with cars driving both ways trying to squeeze through an impossible tight blind spot. This is just a smidgen of what the Amalfi Coast has to offer.
Found on the southern coast of Italy right below the city of Naples, the Amalfi Coast is lined by a series of picturesque villages and ports. The coast gets its name from one of the larger seaside villages – Amalfi.
The port in Amalfi welcomes hundreds of boats, ferries and cruise-liners, making it one of the busiest villages. Here you can visit St. Andrew’s Cathedral, or simply sit on one of the benches at the port, watching the ferries cross and the sea gulls feast on fish at the dock. Situated in the Campania Region, home to Mozzarella di Buffola (Bufallo Mozzarella) and the birthplace of Pizza, it comes to no surprise that finding excellent restaurants in Amalfi is a peace of cake. But do try to avoid the most obvious touristic ones as their food can be slightly overpriced.
From the Amalfi dock, a ferry takes you to the other villages or to Capri, a popular island 30 minutes away. As soon as you get off the ferry you will notice a number of Vintage Cars all parked next to each other ready to take you up to the center. The trip only takes a few minutes and can be easily reached on foot, but it is still a pleasant experience. Capri is built on a hill and the sea-views from here are amazing. The island has two villages – Capri and Ana Capri. A bus ride can take you to the more elevated Ana Capri. Alternatively you can take a boat trip around the island, touring the different grottos including the Blue Grotto. In peak seasons the line to enter the grotto can go up to two hours so plan your time wisely. The island is renowned to be one of the poshest in the area, attracting celebrities like the Kardashians, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Aniston and Will Smith. The port – Marina Grande makes it very attractive for wealthy individuals to visit the island on their yacht. Shopping for clothing and food can carry quite an expensive price tag so if traveling on a budget, do keep this in mind.
Another popular village is that of Positano, which is the second largest village on the coast, characterized by tiny tiered houses on the village hill over looking the sea. Spiral pedestrian roads and steps leads you to the heart of the village and to its beach. In Summer it can get very hot, but luckily there are a number of stalls selling cool refreshments like granita – a lemon like sorbet and limoncello, a liquor made with the large Amalfi Lemons. Of course the heat is also an excellent excuse to take a trip to one of the surrounding sandy beaches. Parking in the villages is a headache, in Summer parking lots are usually full, and can cost up to €30 and €40 for a couple of hours. Public transport is definitely more cost effective, however it can get super crammed and busy in summer and not so time efficient.
Another wonderful village is that of Sorrento with narrow streets, packed with street vendors selling fresh local produce, and handmade crafts. The port of Sorrento is beautiful, Marina Grande is surrounded by different colorful buildings. You can’t help but falling in love.
Now on to my favorite village – Ravello. One of the smaller villages, but sitting high on a hill, the views from here are simply breathtaking. One of the most popular attractions is Villa Rufolo – the historical and cultural center of the village, where a number of musical concerts are organized each Summer. The Villa’s well kept gardens are a must visit, flowers of different hues, the sea as its backdrop … what is there not to love!
For Nature lovers, Amalfi also offers gorgeous scenic trails, such as the Sentieri Deghli Dei and Vallone Delle Ferriere on Monte Lattari, a mountain range in the Campania Region. Albeit not being the easiest of trails, the views, the tranquility and nature itself make the uphill, dis-leveled terrain worth while. Monte Lattari offered a contrast from the busy coastal villages, as a matter of fact during the two hour trail, we only met two farmers guiding their mules down the mountain, who simply nodded at the sight of us and were on their way.
If you’re interested in history, a short drive to the village of Pompeii close to Naples is recommended, a tiny village in ruins after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Time in Pompeii simply stood still when the volcano erupted and the ruins capture the exact moment, including the bodies of villagers who were mummified in the ashes. However it seems that people in the area have not learnt their lesson, as restaurants, houses, gift shops are all built at the foot of this active beast.
When looking for a chill, relaxed holiday location The Amalfi Coast makes an excellent choice, fantastic hotels, amazing views, a culinary feast of flavor! Yes it can get quite busy during peak season and its not the cheapest of holiday locations but it is still a must visit none the less.