I recently visited the Amalfi Coast for 3 glorious nights. Is 3 nights enough, you ask? For us, it was. However, it really depends on the time of the year and what exactly you want from your Amalfi Coast vacation. Read on for details of how we filled our days along with some tips and tricks for your next Amalfi visit.
Day 1 - Arrival
We took an easy peasy high-speed train from Rome to Naples. Upon arrival our private driver was waiting with sign in hand to whisk us to our lodging near Amalfi. A private driver is the best and easiest way to get from Naples to the Amalfi Coast.
We stayed at the former 17th century cliff-top monastery, Monastero Santa Rosa. It has been converted to a 5-star boutique property just outside the town of Amalfi. This property is stunning. The preserved architecture, the million-dollar views, the warm and welcoming service, the heated infinity pool overlooking the ocean, it simply does not get any better than this. We started our time here relishing those views with lunch on the terrace overlooking the ocean. I could have stayed all day, but alas, there was more to explore.
Later that day we took the complimentary shuttle into Amalfi and took the ferry from Amalfi to Positano. Positano is a sublime cliffside village known for its colorful buildings, steep, narrow streets, beautiful boutiques and lively cafes. Before our dinner reservation we enjoyed a sunset cocktail at Aldo's, then headed down to La Sponda in the iconic Le Sirenuse hotel (a member of The Leading Hotels of the World luxury hotel). The ambiance of this Michelin-starred restaurant was otherworldly. They have hundreds of suspended candles that take over an hour to light each night and just as long to extinguish. And the views of Positano at night were simply incredible. I kept saying to my husband, it feels like we are at Disney and the view is actually a projection, that is how perfect it was. How was the food you ask? 2 words - expensive and ehh. The food was beautifully presented but under seasoned in my opinion. Would I recommend this restaurant? 100%. There is nowhere else in the world like it. Go for the ambiance. I think you will enjoy it immensely.
Dinner at La Sponda
Day 2
The next day we wanted to tackle the iconic Path of the Gods hike. This 3.6 mile trail traverses the coastline from Bommerano to Positano. As you can imagine, the views were stunning. We also really enjoyed hanging out with some goats along the path. However, to get to the end you have to traverse 1700 steps in the last half hour. That's 393 stories! About halfway down the steps, my legs were Jello but alas I made it. I have never been so sore in my life, literally, and I have backpacked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (ok, I was also in my twenties then, but still). An alternative option to avoid the steps is to end the hike in Nocelle and take a bus to Positano. However, I might not have felt quite as accomplished and am glad to have checked this off my bucket list.
The rest of the day was spent exploring Positano. Ok, we didn't really explore much as we were too sore and tired and well, pizza and apertivos were calling our name. But we enjoyed our time in Positano immensely. There are so many cute shops with local goods, upscale clothing, and delicious gelato, and the whole village is just so beautiful. Afterwards, we ferried back to our hotel for the evening.
Pro Tip: Ferries are the fastest and most economical way to get around the towns along the coast. I recommend making ferry reservations a few hours or even a day or two in advance so you can get the times you want. Example: We waited until after lunch to go get ferry tickets and the next ride was sold out so had to wait another hour. If we had purchased our tickets at the start of lunch, we could have gotten our preferred time.
Day 3
The next day, we headed to the picturesque cliff-top town of Ravello. This is another popular town along the Amalfi coast but not quite as crowded as Positano and Amalfi. We started with an al fresco lunch on the town's main piazza. Then we explored the 13th-century medieval palace, Villa Rufalo, located literally right at the entrance to the town, you can't miss it. Its Moorish architecture, manicured gardens and IG-worthy views were incredible. It was beautiful in October, but I would love to see it in the spring/summer when the gardens are in full bloom. Our time ended in Ravello enjoying a scoop of gelato (I'm addicted now) with one of the town cats.
In the afternoon we took advantage of the hotel spa's hydrotherapy circuit (remember the sore muscles). And enjoyed some time at the heated infinity pool. Honestly, I think the pool was my favorite activity on the Amalfi Coast. Simply relaxing and staring out at the stunning coastal scenery, while being brought drinks and snacks from the pool attendant, was absolutely heaven to me. This is another reason the property we stayed at was so amazing. It is away from the hustle and bustle of the popular towns but still has easy access and views that are to die for.
That evening we explored Amalfi. Amalfi is a charming town of ivory-colored buildings with terra cotta roof tiles. It still has the narrow winding alleyways like Positano and fabulous shops and restaurants, but it is much more flat and easier to walk around in. You can easily roam around, do a little shopping, and soak it all in within a few hours.
Departure
That was pretty much it for our time on Amalfi. In the morning of our last day, our private driver picked us up and took us back to the train station in Naples. We had plans to head to Tuscany for the rest of our trip (see separate blog post).
We were able to do just about everything I wanted to in 3 days. The only other things I wish we had time for was visiting Pompeii or Herculaneum and more downtime to just chill by the pool. You could easily spend 4 days here (or more) especially if it is in the summer and you want to spend time at a beach club. Overall, it was an incredible trip full of memories that will last a lifetime.
What I loved
Absolutely stunning scenery
The chance to live La Dolce Vita (the sweet life)
Fantastic 5-star properties and unique one-of-a-kind restaurants with top-notch service
Gelato (need I say more?)
Points to consider
It is crowded (even in October). Buffer the crowds by staying somewhere off-the-beaten-path like we did (unless you want to be where the action is).
Plan ahead! Map out your itinerary ahead of time (ie book ferries/shuttles a day or more in advance). Spontaneity is difficult here.
Don't even try to use public transportation. Buses are unreliable. If they are full, you have to wait for the next one and if that one is full, well, you see where I am going here.
It is pricy. I mean, look where you are, of course it's going to cost more than most places.
Ciao!
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