The Spectacular Amalfi Coast and Naples
Is there any place more beautiful in the world?
How many "Milanos" can you count in this one section of the Amalfi cemetery?
On my first visit to Amalfi in the early 1990s, I recall my parents checking us into the Hotel Luna Convento. "Milano!" the front desk clerk exclaimed. "You must be from Amalfi!" "We are," my dad replied, clearly pleased by the recognition. As our visit to the town cemetery to find our ancestors' graves confirmed, "Milano" is an extremely common name in the town of Amalfi. (We came home and developed film into a stack of about 100 photos of gravestones, hoping my Great Aunt Phil could determine which ones belonged to our relatives.) Amalfi, on the other hand, is anything but commonplace. I don't think my heritage affects my opinion that Amalfi is one of the most beautiful towns in the world. And its beauty is no secret - the town is full of tourists. My advice? Stay here for a few nights. In the evenings when the day-trippers disappear, stroll into town for a gelato and a passeggiata. Spend your days leaping into the Mediterranean Sea. Sit and enjoy truly breathtaking views of the undulating cliffs dropping into the Sea.
How to get here: If you are coming from the north and want to avoid driving from Rome, take a train to Naples (as quick as one hour on the high-speed!) or to Sorrento (another 30 minutes from Naples). You can also fly to Naples - in high season, airlines may fly nonstop from New York to Naples, as United did on my trip in 2022. From Naples, you have three options: bus, car or ferry. The roads are winding, and while sitting in the back of a bus may be inexpensive, it is also nauseating. If you can afford it and are a confident driver, rent a car. But if the budget permits, go stress-free and hire a car and driver (we like Giovanni - borghese.giovanni@alice.it , +39 338 763 3900 on What’s App) - you can also hire him to pick you up in Rome and drive you directly to your accommodation on the Amalfi coast. It will take you about an hour and a half to drive from Naples to Positano, and another 15 or 20 minutes further south to Amalfi, although these estimates depend heavily on traffic. The ferry runs from Naples to Sorrento and takes about 30 minutes. Note that the ferry terminal is not close to the train station, and you likely will need a taxi between the two. While having a car to get to the Amalfi coast is convenient, you may wish to leave it in the garage during your stay as parking in the towns can be frustrating. You can take a boat or bus from Amalfi to Positano, or arrange a taxi through your hotel. We found Ravello Taxi to be reliable.
Some notes on Naples:
Eat pizza at 50 Kalò. Best pizza I have had in my life. After I ate a whole pizza, I ordered a second one and ate it, too.
My friend who is a Naples native recommends Trattoria Campagnola for dinner, and for dessert, Attanasio Sfogliatellle - get the La Riccia e La Frolla.
An Italian told me that Pepe in Grani, outside of Naples, has excellent pizza tastings.
Amalfi coastline
When to go, where to go and what to do: If possible, visit the Amalfi Coast in May, June, September, or October. Summer is also lovely, just more crowded. September can also be busy, but is ideal because the sea is still warm and the air is starting to cool just slightly. Amalfi is my favorite town on the coast, because despite its popularity, it feels like a cohesive, authentic village. Positano is also beautiful and warrants a visit, but has a more upscale, pretentious vibe, and is extremely crowded in high season. I also love Ravello, located about 20 minutes from Amalfi. Sorrento is pretty, and has more inexpensive accommodation options, but is not as spectacular as the towns along the Amalfi coast.
Pompeii
Between Naples and the Amalfi coast, Pompeii is a truly amazing archeological and historical site. If you want a similar experience to Pompeii but fewer crowds, visit nearby Heraculaneum ("Ercolano" in Italian), recommended by my friend, Kristen. An avid reader, Kristen recommends reading Pompeii by Robert Harris while in the area. For both Pompeii and Heraculaneum, click here to purchase tickets online via the official site. We hired a fantastic guide the last time we were in Pompeii: Roberta. Tel +39 349 2929125. Visit these sites first thing in the morning before the heat of the day.
As beautiful as the coast is from land, take a boat trip to appreciate it from the sea. In 2019, along with another family, we hired a boat and captain from Exclusive Cruises and spent a lovely day jumping off the boat into the sea, dining outdoors at a wonderful beachside restaurant, and swimming some more before heading back to Amalfi. When I was in Vico Equense in 2022 with my Italian language group, we hired Michele (info@misalcharter.com) for a private boat trip to the island of Procida, which was less expensive, but just as nice. You can also use one of these companies to take you to Capri for the day, although I prefer taking the ferry to Capri and spending a few nights there. Ischia and Procida are also island options. Click here to read more about Italy's islands and my trips to all three islands, as well as my inexpensive private boat trip around Capri with Camillo.
Swimming in caves off of the boat we hired for the day was so cool
The kids loved jumping off the boat into the clear blue sea (and so did we!)
Other activities on the Amalfi coast include:
Take a taxi boat to La Tonnarella Beach Club (technically Duoglio Beach) in Conca dei Marini. It is clean, beautiful and offers a good lunch. We asked our hotel to call to book us lounge chairs, lunch and the boat ride. You can also walk down 500 steps to the beach if you’d rather not take the boat.
Walk through the tunnel from Amalfi to Atrani, where you will find a more rustic town and far fewer tourists.
Hike the Path of the Gods, if it isn’t too hot.
Visit Ravello for a stroll and a gelato, then ask Trattoria da Lorenzo to pick you up and drive you the two kilometers up to Scala for an amazing lunch.
Amalfi and Positano have town beaches where you can rent a chair and an umbrella. They are not the most beautiful beaches in Italy, but they are a convenient spot to relax and take a swim.
Look into doing a cheese tasting at a caseficio, which I did with my Italian language group closer to Naples, at Fernando de Gennaro. We loved spending time with the fifth generation couple running the cheese farm, and tasting their delicious cheeses!
La Tonnarella at Duoglio Beach Club in Conca dei Marini, a quick boat ride from Amalfi, is a relaxing place to spend an afternoon
Amalfi’s Duomo
Learning how mozzarella fior di latte is made at caseficio de Gennaro
Our cheese tasting was extraordinary at the caseificio de Gennaro
The beach deck and pool area at Hotel Santa Caterina
Where to stay: In Amalfi, I have stayed at three hotels:
For a splurge: Hotel Santa Caterina. This hotel is to-die-for. After my parents and some friends raved about it, we decided to spend one year and I do not regret it. The rooms are spacious and gorgeous, with balconies overlooking the sea. There is an elevator to take you down through the mountain to the sea, where you can lounge and swim to your heart’s content (both in the sea and in the pool). The breakfast buffet is incredible. The staff could not be nicer. There is a free shuttle into town, which I recommend as the walk along the road is hazardous.
Santa Caterina Hotel from the sea
Santa Caterina’s pool and beach deck from above
Note: my friend, Susan, stayed at Grand Hotel Tritone in Praiano, a less expensive version of Santa Caterina. She and her family loved it.
Across from the Hotel Luna Convento sits a tower, containing the hotel's restaurant and steps down to a seaside swimming pool; photo courtesy of Kristen McCabe
For a more reasonable choice: Hotel Luna Convento. This is a lovely old convent converted into a hotel with a pretty courtyard, and a restaurant with a sea view. I have not stayed here since the 1990s, but friends have stayed since and mostly enjoyed it. It is conveniently located a ten-minute walk from town. Across the street from the hotel, you can walk down steps built into the rocks to swim in the pool or jump into the sea. My friend, Kristen, noted that the pool closes at 6:00 pm (even in the height of summer), and that on several occasions the hotel concierge steered them wrong.
For the fit who want a bargain: Villa Rina Country House. Friends stayed here in 2019 and we dined with them one evening at Villa Rina. We loved the setting under the lemon trees with a jaw-dropping view of the coastline, as well as lovely Rina’s amazing cooking and her sweet dog, Tor. So when I returned to Amalfi in 2022, I stayed at Villa Rina for three nights. There is no car access, so be prepared to walk uphill to reach your accommodations. I enjoyed the walk into town, along a pedestrian walkway and some stairways. I loved my meals with a view. The rooms are basic. Rina is wonderful.
The view from Villa Rina Country House in Amalfi
Rina’s dog, Thor, playing with lemons instead of tennis balls
In Positano, friends have reported that Hotel Il San Pietro di Positano and Le Sirenuse Hotel are both amazing. In Ravello, Palazzo Sasso is supposed to be incredible. My friend, Pauline, stayed at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello, which has beautiful gardens and stunning views of the coast. The hotel lacks a pool and a restaurant, but is priced accordingly.
Positano from the sea; photo courtesy of Kristen McCabe
Positano and its beach from above
Where to eat:
There’s nothing I’d rather eat that a plate of spaghetti and seafood in Amalfi in summertime!
Da Ciccio Cielo Mare e Terra: a gorgeous restaurant run by four brothers. Their dad, Ciccio, picked us up at our Amalfi hotel and drove us to the restaurant. We were guided to the beautiful patio for drinks and appetizers, and then brought into the restaurant for a fantastic dinner. I recommended the restaurant to my cousin, Mark, who also had a fabulous meal here and enjoyed chatting with the hosts.
Trattoria da Lorenzo: located in Scala, about two kilometers from Ravello, Trattoria da Lorenzo was one of our best meals in Italy. Lorenzo’s son, Luca, picked us up in Ravello to take us up to Scala. We gorged ourselves on so many delectable appetizers simply prepared with fresh ingredients, that we barely had room for the incredible fresh fish pasta dishes we ordered for our main course.
da Maria Trattoria Pizzeria: located in downtown Amalfi with good, inexpensive pizza.
Da Gemma: a more upscale option in downtown Amalfi. It was good, but not as good as Da Ciccio.
Lo Scoglio: located in Nerano, near Sorrento. Stanley Tucci went here on Searching for Italy and since then, it is crowded with Americans. The food is very good and the setting on the outdoor dock is gorgeous. The service could be friendlier.
Other Nerano restaurants recommended by locals: La Conca del Sogno, Il Cantuccio, Taverna del Capitano
My friend, Pauline, recommends the seafood restaurant at Hotel Santa Caterina. We only ordered lunch by the seaside during our stay at the hotel, which was incredibly good, but incredibly pricey. My dad spent two decades after his stay here raving about the pizza he ate at the seaside restaurant.
Pasticceria Pansa in Amalfi has good pastries, as does Zagara in Positano.
In Ravello, Pauline suggests Cumpa' Cosimo, a simple Italian restaurant serving fantastic food cooked by the Italian grandmother you wish you had!
Amalfi's gorgeous home-grown lemons make a delicious, refreshing lemon granita - make sure you try one!