Dream holiday in Amalfi Coast & Capri
Positano, Amalfi Coast.
Dramatic Mediterranean landscape, turquoise waters and small picturesque villages – no wonder Amalfi Coast is listed on UNESCO´s World Heritage -list.
Amalfi Coast is located in Southern Italy, in the Gulf of Salerno. It is one of my favourite holiday destinations to relax by the sea. Amalfi Coast, Naples, Sorrento and Salerno are right next to each other, so it is possible to visit these stunning places during the same trip. Also, the islands of Capri and Ischia are just a quick ferry ride away from the coastline.
Despite all the beauty, Amalfi Coast has a reputation for being a luxurious (and over-expensive and over-crowded) destination, that is not the easiest to reach. It is partly true, but when you plan your trip well ahead, you will have the most beautiful holiday.
Paradise called Positano.
Here is my little guide on how to make the most out of your holiday in Amalfi Coast
How to reach Amalfi Coast?
If you travel from outside Italy, you can reach the coast by flying to Naples or Rome.
From Rome I usually take a train from Roma Termini main railway station to Salerno. The fastest train to Salerno or to Naples takes only about 1 hour and 15 minutes. From Salerno I take a ferry, a faster hydrofoil or a bus to the village I want to go. You can also take a bus, ferry or hydrofoil from Naples, but I think it´s faster and easier to go to Amalfi Coast via Salerno.
If I want to go to Capri or Ischia, I take a train from Rome to Naples (Napoli Centrale -station), then a 15-minute taxi ride to Molo Beverello -harbor where goes ferries and hydrofoils for example to Capri, Ischia and Sorrento.
What is the best time to travel?
Consider travelling in April, May, early June or at the end of August, September or at the beginning of October. In the summer the coast is often crowded, which can make the atmosphere a bit touristic. Also, the temperature (and prices) get very high.
Where to stay?
Depends on what kind of holiday you are looking for. If you are visiting Amalfi Coast for the first time, it might be a nice idea to see the whole coastline. To explore Amalfi Coast, you can take a ferry or bus, or rent a boat, car or a scooter. I have tried them all, and I must say that the coolest and the most romantic way to see Amalfi Coast is to drive it with the scooter! The coast looks amazing also from the boat.
Every village on Amalfi Coast has its unique atmosphere. Personally, I like them all, and it depends on my mood where I choose to stay. Positano and Amalfi are the biggest villages. There are many restaurants and bigger sandy beaches. The best (and worst) thing about Positano is that it is located on a high hill, so the views from hotels and villas are breathtaking (make sure to book a room with a sea view). Also, almost all the streets are narrow stairs upwards, so you need to climb and sweat, which can be tough with your travel bags in steaming hot weather. Thank god I was lucky to have a personal assistant with me who carried bags up to the hotel, heheh…
Amalfi is a much easier village to move, but there are not so many hotels with sea views like in Positano.
If you want to be in your own peace, it is better to stay in smaller villages like in Vietri sul Mare or Ravello. Vietri sul Mare is one of my favourite places in the whole Italy. This cute little village looks and feels so “Italian” since there lives many locals. There are cute little shops, cafés, a quiet nice beach and lots of ceramics – they say the best ceramics come from Vietri sul Mare.
It might be a good idea to stay a night or two in one village and then move to another. On the same trip, it is worth visiting also at least Naples and either Capri or Ischia.
Amalfi Coast is 40 kilometers long, but the roads are narrow serpentine roads, so moving from one place to another is not always so easy. It´s also good to double-check the timetables for ferries and busses. Especially off-season public traffic doesn´t go so often, and the price of a taxi ride on the coastline can be surprising.
Amalfi Coast is located by the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Italian dreamwedding in Amalfi Coast.
Room with a view.
Buongiorno! Feels pretty nice to wake up in Positano.
Visiting the village of Amalfi.
Driving the Amalfi Coast by scooter must be one of the most romantic things I have ever done.
Boat trip from Positano to Sorrento.
Capri
My trip continued from Positano to the beautiful island of Capri by taking a one-hour ferry ride. You can reach Capri also from Naples. The fastest ferry from Naples, Molo Beverello -harbor takes less than an hour.
Capri is a small island known as a jet-setters glamorous holiday destination through decades, and it still hasn´t lost its spark. There is something for everybody: you can discover the rich and diverse flora and fauna, enjoy delicious Italian food and shop in luxury boutiques.
My favourite thing to do in Capri is just chill, cruise on the island by scooter and escape to the sea by boat. I prefer renting my own little boat with a captain or taking a good group tour that takes you to see the most famous sights and lets you also chill and swim in the ocean. There are many tour operators, so be sure to choose a decent one that suits your needs.
The most iconic sight in Capri must be Faraglioni, a massive rock formation in the sea next to the island. Faraglioni is a famous backdrop for many movies like It Started in Naples (directed by Melville Shavelson, starred by Sophia Loren and Clark Gable) and September Affair (directed by William Dieterle, starred by Joan Fontaine, Joseph Cotten and Jessica Tandy), and many more.
I remember it also from advertisement films like Dolce & Gabbana´s hot Light Blue -perfume ad directed by Mario Testino. The song of the ad is Parlami d´amore Mariù by Achille Togliani. Thanks to this ad, this song always starts to play in my mind when I think of Capri.
Then there are many grotto´s you can go by boat. The most famous one is the blue grotto, Grotta Azzurra. This grotto is very shallow, so you can only go there when the waves are not too high.
There are only a few beaches on Capri, so the best way to swim is from the boat. I have to admit, at first I was a bit afraid to swim in the 10-meter deep ocean because I had not done it before (I love shallow sandy beaches). But then I won my fear and loved it. The water was so turquoise and crystal clear. Now I am dreaming of snorkeling, which I have never tried. In the waters, there are no sharks, but there can be dolphins, big sea turtles, colorful fishes and beautiful corals.
The landscape from Capri is ethereal.
I could spend the whole day at the sea.
No filter here. The water in Capri is crystal clear.
Dazzled by the light in Faraglioni. 🌞
<3
The soundtrack of my Amalfi Coast & Capri -trip:
Achille Togliani: Parlami d´Amore Mariú
Ennio Morricone: Cinema Paradiso
Ennio Morricone: Love Theme For Nata
Nino Rota, Carlo Savina: Amarcord
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Text and pictures by Hertta Hiltunen.
