Amalfi Italy is the perfect spot if you are looking for a vacation to recharge and complete serenity than the Amalfi Coast is for you. We visited 3 spots on the Amalfi Coast with completely different vibes, Positano, Ravello and Amalfi City. I will cover them all so you can decide which ones you want to visit.
Amalfi Facts
Location:
The set of hillside towns are located in South Italy. Most of Amalfi closes down October til April for tourists.
Climate:
Mid-June through August is HOT. Think Disney World, Florida in the summer hot. You will be outside almost all the time. If you must go in the summer, wear loose clothing and comfortable shoes as you will be walking on cobblestones for long periods of time. Also make sure you bring mosquito repellent for the evenings. Kinfield Golden Hour Wipes are my favorite repellet, they are individually packaged and I did not get a single mosquito bite while others in the wedding party were not as fortunate.
Bring things to keep you hydrated such as water and GoHydrate packets.
Safety:
Positano and Ravello are very safe. I felt very comfortable carrying my bag and wearing my jewelry around town. Like anywhere, just be aware of your surroundings and do not give out hotel stay information. I would also not walk around alley ways by yourself at night.
Getting Around the Amalfi Italy coast:
Please be prepared if you get car sick at all that you will need to take precautions before riding on the roads anywhere in Amalfi. They are all two-lane roads that wind continuously, cars are driving quickly, and you are on the side of a cliff. It also takes a great deal of time to get anywhere.
Examples of travel times:
Naples train station to Positano- 45 miles or 1 hour 45 min
Positano main street to La Tagliatta (upper hills of Positano)– there is a shuttle that takes around 25 min.
Positano to Ravello – 14 miles but takes about an hour to drive
Now that we got that out of the way, the views are STUNNING!
To get to the Amalfi Coast you should fly into Naple’s airport or a train from another city in Italy to Naples and then reserve a driver take you to the Amalfi town you wish to visit from Naples. There is also a ferry that you can take from Naples to some of the towns along the coast.
Public transportation in Italy does go on strike from time to time so check the sites to make sure your train or ferry is running. Private transfers do not go on strike.
To reserve a private transfer your hotel can make a recommendation and reserve the transfer for you, or you can book it yourself. I recommend using a third party like Viator to make this reservation. I prefer Viator or GetYourGuide because you can search for a book most of your tours and transfers from one site and they only refer reputable tours.
Viator Tours is what I would recommend, they have a few other options that you can search for on their site. This is the tour we used to come into Positano from Naples and then we had our hotel in Ravello book our car back to Naples.
walking around amalfi
The Amalfi coast is narrow and steep. Plan to walk on uneven cobblestones and up and down a LOT of steps. There are stairs everywhere and most of them are steep. The streets are also very narrow. Cars are not allowed to drive on most of the streets in Positano. If your hotel is not on the main street, your driver will need to call your hotel to request a luggage butler come meet you at their car to transport your luggage to your hotel. This will cost you around $10-$15 / bag. Make sure your driver negotiates the price for the butler, as you will get a better deal. (see below photo, this was in Positano) Dave was very nervous the guy was going to take off with our luggage so he made sure to keep up with him. But it was never an issue. Our luggage arrived safely both to and from our hotels.
You will get a good workout and wear comfy shoes. I recommend a white canvas or tennis shoe during the day. Here are a couple that I recommend and wore while I was in Italy. Everyone dresses for dinner. Ladies will be in sundresses with wedges or sandals and guys are likely to be in linen and shorts or pants and white canvas or a dressy flop. I would not wear a heel unless you want to twist an ankle.
RAVELLO, ITALY
Ravello is the quietest of the three towns I visited. Nestled in the hills it sits 350m above sea level and offers picturesque views of the sea. This is the perfect area for a quiet romantic getaway, honeymoon spot or a destination wedding. You will find lots of couples and families with older children. It is one of the quieter areas for that romantic getaway.
We were in Ravello for a dear friend’s wedding. The wedding and reception were held at Villa Eva and I have never seen such a dreamy wedding spot. The food was also amazing. I recommend checking it out if you know anyone planning a wedding in Italy.
MUST DO ACTIVITIES
There are two garden areas to walk around. Villa Cimbrone is in the upper part of Ravello and Villa Rufolo is right after you walk under the bridge to enter Ravello. They are hard to miss since the town is not large.
THE SHOPS
Enjoy walking through the various shops in the square of the town. You will find art, jewelry and of course lots of Amalfi pottery and goods. There are also restaurants in the square. We did not dine at any of them, but they would be great for people watching.
Wander the streets
The best way to get around Ravello is to just explore and lose yourself in the picturesque streets. There is no way to get lost the town really is small as it is only 3 square miles. It is also very safe to walk around and explore, even at night.
FAVORITE BITES
1st and foremost, order tomatoes at every meal. Due to volcanic ash in the ground fertilizing the tomato crops, these are the most amazing tomatoes I have eaten in my life. I can not being to describe how delicious they tasted.
Every restaurant in Amalfi has an outdoor dining location, no matter what the temperature outside, i recommend dining on the patio. When the sun goes down the heat goes away and you are left for stunning views.
Mimi’s Pizzeria. The pizza was delicious. This is a popular spot for wedding rehearsals and receptions so make sure they are open before you plan. If they have an event going on, they will close the restaurant down. So try and make a reservation ahead of time or have a backup spot in mind once you arrive.
For one of my favorite dinner views make a reservation at the rooftop restaurant at Hotel Villa Maria. I could bask in that view all day. Make sure you make a reservation early enough that you can see the view during the day and at night. The hotel can make a reservation for you, simply send them an email.
This is also the hotel we stayed in and absolutely LOVED it! The rooms, service, food and location was all fantastic! The breakfast was delicious, as they had egg options and full buffet of pastries, fruits and meats.
Winery Tour
You are in Italy, although wine is served with every meal, touring a winery or having lunch at a winery with the beautiful hillsides is a must.
Wedding in Ravello
I highly recommend a wedding in Ravello. There are a couple of spots you can choose from both for a rehearsal dinner or cocktail party as well as your wedding. Our Bride choose a breathtaking spot for both. The wedding was held at Villa Eva Speaking from a guests perspective, everything was perfect and elegant. From the stunning views, ceremony location, cocktail hour, tented reception, delicious plated dinner and dancing. Here are just a few photos.
Positano
Positano is colorful, narrow streets and lots and lots of steps. When you see videos from other bloggers or locals from Positano they are not exaggerating the # of steps you must climb. There are steps everywhere and the steps are steep.
where to stay
The best hotel with the best location in Positano is Buca di Bacco. This is where the wedding guests stayed, and the hotel and rooms were beautiful and good size for the location. There are rooms with beach and sea views, and you are just one staircase away from the beach. They loved this hotel, by the time we confirmed our reservations the rooms were already booked.
The first picture in this blog post was also the view from our hotel room! Buca di Bacco would also have the exact same view.
Our hotel, Villa La Tartana, was one flight up from Buca di Bacco. The hotel concierge was amazing and the views from our room were just as stunning as Buca. The only thing I did not like was the bathroom. You could not turn around in the shower and you had to step all the way into the bathroom to shut the door. Otherwise, the hotel was great, and our balcony was amazing! The hotel concierge took care of arranging shuttles for one of our dining reservations and even made dining reservations for us. Breakfast was basic and very Italian. Coffee, fruit and a few pastries.
Both hotels are In the hill between the main street of Positano and the beach.
shopping
All the shopping is along the main street in Positano. There are also a few as you would head down the steps to the beach by the clocktower. Because Positano has become so popular, I found items to be extremely pricey in the stores for the quality of the item. If you want to shop in Italy I recommend you do so in the other cities such as Rome, Florence or Milan and not Positano.
aperitivo and spritz
You must have Aperitivo and an Aperol Spritz while in Positano. An Aperol Spritz is made of Prosecco, Aperol, club soda and an orange slice. It is very simple but very good. The Aperol has a dryness to it, so it balances out the sweet of the Prosecco.
Also try the Lemon Spritz, it was very tasty as well!
Aperitivo is a pre-meal drink with appetizers. Italians eat a lot, and you could probably have Aperitivo as your meal. Just be prepared and leave yourself time before this and any dinner plans you may have.
Bars with a view
Franco's is on the main drag of Positano with a great view. It gets very crowded very easily and there is always a line to get in. It has more of a younger crowd as well.
Instead, I would visit the hidden gem Eden Sky Bar at Eden Roc Hotel instead. The views are higher up in the hill and just as incredible. If you get there when they open, you should not have to wait. However, reservations are recommended. We were able to walk in with a party of 4, we just could not eat or have Aperitivo, we could only have cocktails.
favorite bites
Italians eat dinner late so many places will not even open until 8pm. Most Italians eat around 9pm. The easiest way to make dining reservations for other countries is to either email the restaurant or ask your hotel to assist with the reservation.
If you make a reservation at a restaurant in Italy and then let the hostess know you have a reservation when you arrive, you will be seated at one of their best tables. Also the staff at any restaurant is great about recommending a wine with your dinner, based upon your preferences. They hit the mark every time!
My recommendation is always to stay away from spots that look incredibly busy or are right on the main path. There are a ton of restaurants right on the beach with incredible views. They are a great place to get a light app and a cocktail and just take it all in. This is exactly what we did as we were starving right when we arrived, and we just wanted a light appetizer and a cocktail. We heard from several of the wedding guests they dined at a couple of spots and did not feel so well afterwards. We stopped at Chez Black for our appetizer and drink and the app was just OK, nothing special.
La Tagliata
La Tagliata is a restaurant you may have seen on TikTok and our social media sites. As its partly a restaurant and has a very lively cooking class where they sing. This spot is high up in the hills of Positano and not walkable. Your hotel can either coordinate a shuttle service for you or there is a shuttle that runs continually from the clocktower and around dinner time it gets packed very quickly. It is about a 20-25 min ride.
Each table receives their own bottle of wine (you can pick from red or white). You are served a 5-course meal (including dessert). We were stuffed by the end of our sitting. The food was very good. But the views are stunning. Be sure to make your reservation prior to sunset so you can enjoy the daytime and evening views. Towards the end of your meal let your server know you need the shuttle; they will let you know when to expect it. The spot is very popular, so shuttles run back and forth regularly. We waited about 15 min after our meal for our shuttle to arrive.
Pizza on the Street
If you are looking for a spot where the locals dine, away from the craziness and also want pizza, my favorite spot was Saraceno d'Oro. It was a 15-20 min walk from our hotel. We dined on the street and had amazing food! The best meal while in Positano. They do not have a website so I requested the hotel make this reservation.
Day trip to Capri
If you have a spare day while you are in Positano, I highly recommend taking a boat to Capri. You can rent a private boat ahead of time and there are typically a couple of opportunities to swim in the Mediterranean Sea, check out the caves/grottos, & soak up the sun and views while learning about the islands.
We were visiting for a wedding, so our bride booked private boats for her guests and we had one of the most amazing and relaxing days! It felt like I was in a movie! There are plenty of options on Viator site.
Or you can take the ferry that runs daily from Positano to Capri. The cost of the ferry is approximately 23 Euros and takes about 45 min to an hour. During the summer it can be quite crowded and fill up quickly. They recommend you arrive at least an hour before you ferry ride due to crowds. I would check the website regularly to make sure they are still running and not impacted by strikes.
Once you get to capri, you can have lunch or take the chairlift up to the top of the island. That is where you will find all the shops and hotels.
beach clubs
If you want some beach time while visiting, I recommend making a reservation at a beach club vs grabbing a spot on the public beach. You do need to reserve this ahead of your trip and as early as possible and you will need to have transportation to the beach club. You can ask your hotel for assistance with the transportation. Dave and I did not make it to the beach club, due to a delay in our trip, but we heard from the rest of the wedding guests that it was wonderful and the food was delicious.
Make the reservation to the club as early as possible, as the price will increase closer to the date. My pick for the is Arienzo Beach Club. The lunch was delicious!
The Town of Amalfi
We only spent a few hours here but it is an easy 15 min taxi ride from Ravello. It is a quaint but cute town with additional shops as well as a beautiful church. Here are a couple of photos.
My thoughts on Amalfi. If you need a time filler, I would recommend it. But there are so many other things you could do on the coast.
Visit a Lemon Grove, Do an Olive oil tasing. I would select one of those activities above Amalfi, if you have to choose.
If you are traveling to some of the larger cities in Italy, I have other blog posts. Please check out my Florence First Timers Guide.
Which city would you like to visit along the coast of Italy? Tell me below.
Cheers,
Lisa
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