As we drove the narrow, winding roads carved into sides of mountains overlooking the ocean and small seaside towns, I knew we had discovered a special kind of beauty, the beauty of the Amalfi Coast! As you can tell, the Amalfi Coast is one of my favorite destinations. Yes, I am biased because we got married there… but we chose it as our venue for a reason!
I’m very excited to share our insider info for you to go explore the Amalfi Coast! There’s so much we want to share about the special place – so we’ve divided this into 3 parts (in order as you travel down the coast)!
Part 1: Sorrento, Capri, Anacapri, Positano, Montepertuso
Part 2: Praiano, Furore, Conca dei Marini, Amalfi, Atrani, Ravello
Part 3: Maiori, Minori, Erchie, Cetera, Vietra Sul Mare and Salerno
So, let’s head on down the coast starting with Sorrento and Capri!
Sorrento:
If you’re heading to the Amalfi Coast from Naples (skip Naples – FYI), this will be the first stop! Sorrento is the gateway to the Amalfi Coast! It does not have much for beaches/seaside, as it is full of plunging cliffs! The town has amazing shops and restaurants nestled in the bustling Centro Storico area. The Marina Grande is a great place for seafood restaurants and access to ferries to reach Capri!
We did not spend much time in Sorrento, as our goal was to get to Capri! But we enjoyed the shopping district and gelato! Many people choose Sorrento as a base town during their stay on the Amalfi Coast because of it’s close proximity to Naples/Rome. If you have limited time in the area, it can be a great base town. However, we prefer base locations closer to Positano to be right in the center of the Amalfi Coast, which makes it easier to explore towns in both directions.
Capri:
We LOVE Capri. We took an early ferry from Sorrento for our day trip to Capri. You arrive in the main marina of Capri, where you can grab a snack in the cafe’s while waiting for your boat tour with Gianni’s boats. You simply cannot go tour Capri without spending at least 3 hours on Gianni’s boat tours. It was the highlight of our day (and one of our top highlights of our entire trip)!
During your boat tour, you can choose to stop at the Blue Grotto (which you must!) and experience the glowing water. Your boat tour waits for you as you load into a smaller boat (a rowboat!) with a local guide. The local guide will watch the swells and perfectly time your entrance (and exit) into the grotto! It’s a little scary but absolutely worth it! Check out our experience here. On our 3 hour boat tour, we had time for a quick swim, explored several caves, and saw the dramatic Faraglioni rocks. Legend says couples who kiss as they pass through will stay together forever!
Anacapri:
After our return to the main marina, we found a cab to make our way to Anacapri (the smaller town on the other side of the island). Anacapri is a quaint little town with amazing views all around! From the center of town, you can take the chairlift to the peak of Monte Solaro to experience the most amazing views of the Amalfi Coast. Click here to explore the video of our chairlift ride. It is the highest point on the island and looks back at the mainland – simply incredible!
Positano:
Positano is a magical, jaw-dropping town with pastel buildings nestled into the mountain side leading to the sea – but be ready for some stairs! The town is quite steep and the narrow streets and pedestrian walkways are quite steep with lots of stairs. You can eat all the pasta because you will be getting quite a work out! The main road into Positano leads you to the pedestrian zone, where you will find shopping, gelato, food and eventually the beach!
The primary beach in Positano is the Spiaggia Grande, next to the Marina Grande. It can be quite crowded in summer months but the backdrop of cliffs and pastel buildings as you relax by the ocean cannot be beat. If it’s still too crowded, take the walkway over to Fornillo beach (about 5 minute walk), where you can find another beautiful beach close to town.
Because of Positano’s central location on the Amalfi Coast, it serves as a great base town for exploring. In our opinion, it also has some of the most amazing views and feels like you walked into a fairytale setting that’s too amazing to be real! It’s a fun place to return every night with its lively pedestrian zone full of amazing restaurants and even a night club by the beach!
Montepertuso:
When we say we recommend staying in Positano, that also means Montepertuso! Montepertuso is the mountainside town directly above Positano. WOW does it offer amazing views overlooking Positano. Also, some of the best restaurants are high up in the mountains offering shuttle service to/from Positano. We highly recommend Il Ritrovo and La Tagliatta. We prefer to stay in Montepertuso for the slightly more affordable accommodations and easier access to parking and the main road to get out and explore other towns. Click here to explore one of our favorite places to stay for a quaint experience with easy access to all the surrounding towns!
Montepertuso has a very intimate town center with an amazing deli. You can also access the hike to the hole in the mountain from the town center. Montepertuso translates to “hole in the mountain” and the views from this “hole” are unbelievable! The stairs leading from town to the park take you through locals homes/farms nestled on the mountainside until you reach the pathway through the park leading to the “hole.” Check out our friends YouTube Channel showing you how to find this hike, along with the other famous hike the “Path of the Gods.”
Hope you’ve enjoyed Part 1 of our stroll down the Amalfi Coast! Be sure to stay tuned for Part 2 and 3! You can also check out our YouTube channel to see videos from our trips to the Amalfi Coast!
Be sure to check out our blog on how we traveled the Amalfi Coast under $1,000 per person! If you want personalized help planning your vacation please connect with us and/or comment below! We would love to share our experiences and help you plan the trip of a lifetime.
Ciao!
~Brooke Hartman
Follow us at @HartmansTravel and join us as we #TravelinLove!
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