The Short Guide: Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is located in Italy’s Campania region and features 13 towns and villages: Amalfi, Atrani, Cetara, Conca de’Marini, Furore, Maiori, Minori, Positano, Praiano, Ravello, Scala, Tramonti, and Vietri sul Mare. Each town has its own bragging rights. Atrani makes the list of “most beautiful villages in Italy” and Vietri sul Mare boasts the famous ceramics of the same name. Most visitors choose to stay in Positano, Amalfi or Ravello — or a combination of the three.

Positano

Positano is the quintessential Amalfi Coast town, and probably the most photographed. It features the dome of the Chiesa di Santa Maria, the iconic beach clubs with striped umbrellas and gorgeous cliffside architecture. Positano in person is both familiar and spectacular. Shops and restaurants line cobblestoned streets. Gorgeous views appear around every corner. It’s easy to find a boat or ferry and hop on the water.

Amalfi

A historic maritime power, Amalfi town faces the Tyrrhenian Sea from the base of a ravine, with the Monti Lattari protecting it from behind. This nautical republic was also known for producing the finest bambagina paper, showcased today at Museo della Carta. Visitors can’t miss the Duomo di Amalfi, the beautiful town center cathedral with striking Moorish influences.

Ravello

High on a mountaintop above the sea, you’ll find the magical Ravello. Getting there by bus may feel less magical and more death-defying, but any way you reach Ravello, it’s worth the trip. Ravello is home to a charming village surrounded by pristine villas, where stone arches surround immaculate gardens and frame views to the sea. Wandering the grounds of the Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo and staring out at the majestic ocean vistas is an otherworldly experience

Explore

It would be easy to lounge by the cliffside pool at your hotel all day, sipping Aperol Spritzes and feeling all the Italian vibes. And you should! But pulling yourself away on occasion to explore the area is required and you’ll be so glad you did.

Boat day

The best way to see the beauty of this region is from the water via a private boat charter. Your captain can take you to the famous Blue Grotto and explore the islands of Ischia and Capri, all while you nibble on charcuterie and soak up the Mediterranean sunshine. Does life get better?

Beach club

There are several, but the Arienzo Beach Club is a personal favorite. A little boat picks you up at the Positano dock and zips you to the club with its distinctive orange and white umbrellas. When you need a break from your lounger, enjoy a seafood pasta lunch with crisp wine on the covered terrace.

Tour of Pompeii

Visit the site of the 79 AD eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, which left the city of Pompeii frozen in time. I worried this day trip would feel like a tourist trap, but our private guided visit to Pompeii was an absolute highlight of my last trip to the Amalfi Coast. It’s a fascinating window into history.

Hike the Path of the Gods

Il Sentiero degli dei, “the path of the gods,” is a roughly 4.5 mile hike, 2000 feet above sea level in the Amalfi Coast mountains and it’s a must-do. The rewarding trek yields breathtaking vistas, pastoral scenery, and offsets all that pasta and wine.

Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo

You haven’t been to Ravello if you haven’t ambled around the Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo. Enjoy their expansive gardens, distinctive statuary and iconic ocean views.

Amalfi lemon experience

This region is well known for its lemon growing and you’ll find lemon in everything from soap to liqueurs to pasta. Check out the Amalfi Lemon Experience to enjoy a memorable lemon tour and cooking class.

Shopping, Italian style

The best goods in the Amalfi Coast region are leather, paper, pottery and lemons. Find yourself a handmade leather bag at Carro or have a pair of sandals made while you wait at Safari Club Positano. Bring home some high-quality paper goods from Tabula in Amalfi. My choice for the finest hand-painted ceramics in the region is Pascal Ceramiche d’Arte in Ravello. The detailed artistry is incomparable and patterns range from traditional to contemporary. To sample and buy homemade, artisanal limoncello, be sure to pay a visit to Antichi Sapori d’Amalfi. Bring home plenty of lemon soaps and limoncello to transport yourself back to paradise.

Deciding where to eat in Italy is a luxury. There are more life-changing restaurants than you have days left to live in. These are my vetted suggestions for Positano, Ravello and Amalfi. Reservations should be made well in advance, and always request to be on the patio or terrace. If I’m planning your itinerary, I’ll have many more suggestions at varying price points, but these are some necessary culinary experiences.

Dining in Positano

Next2 uses delicious local ingredients in a sleek setting with a terrific wine list. Known more for the scene than cuisine, channel your inner Italian celebrity at Chez Black. No trip to Positano is complete without a meal on the terrace at La Sponda, located at Le Sireneuse Hotel. It’s fancy, it’s expensive, it's beyond picturesque and it’s perfect.

Dining in Ravello

Life is good when you have terrace reservations at Rossellini’s in the Palazzo Avino Hotel, where you’ll savor artfully prepared Italian-Mediterranean cuisine. Il Flauto di Pan is a charming restaurant in the Hotel Villa Cimbrone, honored with one Michelin star.

Dining in Amalfi

You can’t go wrong with Da Gemma. It offers divinely prepared seafood that is best enjoyed on their terrace. Also not to be missed is Sensi, for yet another perfectly designed restaurant with exquisite food, sea views and a Michelin star.