Getting to the Amalfi Coast from Naples is no easy task. If you've ever done this drive then I'm sure you can relate. There really aren't many options in terms of transportation so you are pretty much limited to renting a car, hiring a driver, or taking a taxi. Keep in mind, all of these options are expensive! We ended up hiring a driver, from our hotel, that drove us from Naples to our place in Praiano for €120. The drive took about 2 hours and was filled with twisty and curved roads. Very scary if you've never experienced anything like this. But once you arrive - it is nothing short of a dream..... The Amalfi Coast is a hugely popular tourist destination, especially in the summer. The dramatic scenery and natural beauty of the coast have not been spoiled yet by high-rises or other major developments, and so the most disappointing part of your trip will be realizing that you will eventually have to leave this magical place before you are ready to. You could easily spend a full week or more exploring the many different towns and beaches along the coast. This is hands down one of the most beautifully captivating places I've ever visited in the world. Below I will provide a few highlights of the towns visited on the Amalfi Coast that I experienced including accommodation, places to eat, and places to visit. ACCOMMODATION IN PRAIANOHOTEL OPEN GATE Location: Via Roma, 52, 84010 Praiano SA, Italy Cost: 1 room with double bed starts at $150 per night Hours: reception open on 24 hour basis or as needed Website: http://www.hotelopengate.it TOP PLACES TO VISIT AND THINGS TO DOpositanoLet’s be honest, the main reason you’re probably coming to the Amalfi Coast is to see Positano, so it only makes sense to go there for a full day. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Positano by bus from Praino, so I recommend trying to catch an early bus to make the most of your time. They do tend to get overly crowded during peak times. Plus, the earlier you get there, the longer you’ll have to enjoy the beach before it gets super crowded around mid-day. Even if you’re not a photographer, you’re going to want your camera for this one! Positano is unbelievably beautiful. If you arrive by bus, the bus will let you out at the top of the cliff. From here you’ll have one of the best views of all of Positano from the houses on the neighboring cliffside to the beaches down below. There is just one narrow road that winds down to the village below and most likely you will be stopping every few feet to take a photo because everything is beautiful here. If you’re visiting in the high season, the first thing you’ll want to do is pay the daily rate for a sun-lounger under the umbrellas as close to the water as you can. The cost is €12.50 per person on Spiaggia Grande – the main beach. If you’re fine not to have the traditional “Positano view”, sun loungers are cheaper and the beach less crowded on Fornillo Beach, a 10-minute walk from Spiaggia Grande. After you’ve gotten settled on whichever beach you’ve chosen, the rest of the day is yours to relax and enjoy the ocean! There’s not really much to do in Positano, besides shopping and eating, but I can assure you its spectacular either way. amalfiBesides Positano, one of the most scenic beach destinations on the Amalfi Coast is the town of Amalfi itself. The ride is a little longer, about 40 minutes by bus, but it’s a beautiful (albeit somewhat frightening around those cliff-side curves) ride and it goes quickly. The bus will let you out pretty close to Amalfi’s Spiaggia Grande, but I suggest walking a little further down to Atrani Beach for an even more scenic (and certainly more low-key) beach day. Amalfi is a much bigger town than Positano, so the main beach gets a little louder and wilder than it does in Positano. If this is what you’re after, then great! There are tons of cute boutiques, eateries, and even a cathedral in this lovely town. It is a little more low key than Positano, but it still jumps with excitement and lots of tourists. The views from the top of the hill are phenomenal, and during sunset, the colors of the sky are so vibrant and romantic. ravelloBeautiful, Ravello where do I begin!? This peaceful part of the Neapolitan Riveria has the most stunning views of the Mediterrean below, is less crowded than other towns along the coast, and it is known to be a fantastic base to explore the rest of the region. The main square in Ravello is buzzing with the most action, as the town is so small, you’re able to explore on foot. It’s the home of the Duomo (cathedral) and its surrounded by various cafés and restaurants. One of the main highlights of Ravello is the beautiful Villa Cimbrone. Villa Cimbrone’s history dates back from 11th Century AD, and having been owned by various wealthy, noble families, it even became part of a monastry. It’s grounds and gardens are breathtaking, and The Belvedere or Terrace Infinity, is a must-see. It’s one of the most cherished spots in Ravello. Ravello doesn’t have much in the way of nightlife compared to its neighbor Amalfi (which is only 10-minutes away) but don’t let that put you off. Ravello is home to some of the most amazing restaurants – especially my favorite restaurant Trattoria Da Cumpa' Cosimo. There are also some fabulous cocktail bars, too. You’ll never have a problem finding a bar/café that serves fantastic coffee and limoncello! praianoSet in between Amalfi and Positano, Praiano is 20 minutes’ drive from each, but feels a lot further away. That’s not to say there aren’t any tourists – you’d be hard pushed to find any stretch of the Amalfi Coast that doesn’t pull in the visitors – but it has a more laid-back feel. Our hotel was located on the edge of the village, in a quiet residential area with knockout sea views. Steps are one thing you can’t avoid on the Amalfi Coast. Buildings are perched precariously on the cliffside and the roads have to wind back and forth to climb up and down. Its much quicker to get around on foot using the staircases tucked away between the buildings. With so little land to build on everything is tightly packed in and privacy’s a luxury, so you get glimpses into people’s flower-filled gardens and terraces. But all the climbing does have the bonus of helping to burn off some of the area’s fabulous food and wine. The coast is so steep here that you don’t get long sandy beaches, but there are plenty of small pebbly coves between the cliffs. Central Praiano doesn’t have really have a beach of its own. The nearest you get to a beach in central Praiano is the staircases built into the rocks so you can climb down onto a platform and swim from there. The pretty cove at Marina di Praia is one of the popular places to head to during the day in Praiano. The greeny-blue water is incredibly clear and still warm enough to swim in. There are a few restaurants around the beach and perched on the rocks around the headland. There’s even a nightclub called Africana which is built in sea caves with a glass floor just above the water. It’s not quite the glamorous lifestyle you might expect from the Amalfi Coast, but this area’s peaceful side has plenty of charms of its own. how to get around in amalfiUnless you’ve got your own car and are brave enough to make the hairpin turns along the Amalfi Coast on your own, you’ll be at the mercy of public transportation to get you from place to place. Luckily, both trains and buses on the Amalfi Coast are reliable and super easy to use! No advance purchase is needed. Just show up before the scheduled time you want to leave and purchase your ticket. To get from Naples airport to Sorrento (or wherever else you might be staying on the Amalfi Coast), you’ve got two good options. The first is to take a taxi (€20) to the central train station in Naples and then catch the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento (€3.50 per single ticket). The journey takes about an hour and the train will let you off near the center of town. The bus station is located just outside the train station, which is super convenient if you need to catch a ride to somewhere else along the coast. The other option is to take the Curreri bus straight from the airport to the Sorrento bus station (€10 per single ticket). To get from Sorrento to Positano or Amalfi (or any number of other towns along the Amalfi Coast), you’ll need to buy a ticket at the bus station for the SITA bus. For a return ticket to Positano, it’ll cost about €3.50 per person. To Amalfi, a return ticket is a little more at around €5 per person. The SITA bus typically only goes to the more popular tourist towns along the coast, so if your final destination is one of the smaller or less frequented villages, you’ll take the SITA bus to the closest bigger town and then hop on a local bus to take you the rest of the way. You can pay the driver as you get on, just make sure you’ve got coins on you. eating in amalfiI think it goes without saying that when in Italy, any diet you may have been sticking to before is going to go right out the window as soon as you arrive. While I’m sure you can eat healthy in Italy, why in the world would you want to? Some things you absolutely have to try – pizza, pasta and seafood (bonus points if you have them together!), all the gelato (like seriously, you need to try at least one flavor every day), and local fruits and vegetables. It’s not cheap to eat in restaurants on the Amalfi Coast, but I do have a few tips to make eating here a little more budget-friendly. First of all, if you’re staying in a hotel, try to find one that includes breakfast. If you’re staying at an Airbnb, even better! You can pick up breakfast (and lunch if you don’t mind packing it) essentials at outdoor markets or the grocery for really good prices. If you don’t pack your lunch, some sit-down restaurants offer a take-away menu that’s cheaper than their restaurant menu. Also, we discovered lots of the local groceries have take-away pastas and sandwiches that are perfect to eat from the comfort of your sun lounger. Dinner will be a little more difficult to find cheap, but it’s not impossible. Plus, if you saved on breakfast and lunch, it’s a little easier to splurge on a good dinner!
1 Comment
Connie
5/24/2019 04:22:21 pm
Is that Pasquale in one of your photos?!?! I was there last year - we stayed in Conca dei Marini but accidentally stumbled on Hotel Open Gate for lunch before our hike...and came back for dinner...and dinner the next night...and dinner the next night. I think Pasquale had a crush on my friend but he was always a gentleman and I loved that entire family. Best vacation ever :)
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AuthorWest Coast blogger with a love for traveling and adventure seeking. Archives
July 2018
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