A Guide to the Amalfi Coast: Exploring Italy's Coastal Gem

I am convinced the Amalfi coast is the most magical place on earth (as far as the places I’ve personally seen so far, that is). I’ve been lucky enough to have visited the Amalfi coast a handful of times in the past, so at this point it feels really familiar to me (that sentence alone feels like a dream come true). It’s definitely one of my happy places and I highly recommend paying the Italian coastline a visit as soon as you can.

PRAIANO

This was Brennan’s first time to the Amalfi coast so I wanted to make sure we saw as much as we could during the time we had available to explore. We were super excited to start off the trip with close friends in Praiano at a STUNNING home they rented. I already uploaded a tour here. You can guarantee I’ll be dreaming about that spot for the rest of my life.

The best thing about Praiano, which I didn’t know until we visited, was that it is SO close to Positano (just south of it), but much quieter and more affordable. If I had to make one recommendation for your upcoming trip to the Amalfi coast, it would be to skip spending the extra $$$ by staying in Positano and opt to stay in Praiano instead.

We quickly developed a daily routine of walking to the market for cherry tomatoes that tasted like candy, crackers, canned sardines, and cold beverages, then proceeded down the hill to the local swimming spot to jump into the warm mediterranean and lounge in the sun.

One of my favorite day activities was renting a classic Vespa from a local scooter shop in town with Brennan and driving down the coastline to see Amalfi (sorbetto in a lemon is a must) and up into the mountain to see Ravello. 10/10 recommend if you are comfortable navigating the winding roads on a scooter. You definitely need to be a confident and aggressive driver, so consider this a warning!

It was one of the most magical weeks ever and I am so thankful we were able to experience it with people who are so special to us. I know we’ll be reminiscing on it for years to come.

PRAIANO RECOMMENDATIONS

Our Praiano Villa
Scooter Rental Company: M.L. Porter
Dinner at Kasai
Rooftop Dinner at La Moressa Italian Bistro & Lounge

POSITANO

Due to proximity, it was super easy to get into Positano for day trips from Praiano. Getting into town by taxi was tricky at times, but thankfully our Airbnb host was able to help facilitate rides when we needed them.

Le Sirenuse can be difficult to get into due to the picturesque cliffside views overlooking Positano, but we got super lucky and walked in with no reservation about an hour before they were closing down between lunch and dinner.

AMALFI

In my opinion Amalfi is a town you can skip completely if you are limited on time. It’s a really tourist-heavy destination, and one of the main ports so the crowds can be pretty dense everywhere you go. The one thing I dream about from our quick stops in Amalfi are the Lemon sorbetto. Ice cold and served in a giant, beautiful fresh lemon. If you have easy transportation, I’d say stopping into town just for a quick snack is all you need.

Like most Italian towns, there are beautiful things to discover everywhere, so if you want to wander around Amalfi you won’t regret it. Just keep in mind that it is pretty crowded and can be overwhelming to navigate during the busy seasons.

CAPRI

My ultimate happy place in this world is the island of Capri, right off the Amalfi coast. It is a little slice of Heaven that seems to have magic in the air. During our visit to the Amalfi coast we decided to stay on Capri for a few days and it was the best decision we’ve ever made.

Capri is a popular day trip spot, and the best part is the last ferry leaves around 6pm. After that, it almost feels as if you have the island to yourself.

We stayed at Hotel San Michele after finding it on Safara Travel and it was a great spot! Located in Ana Capri, it was in an area that was a little less crowded, which was nice. It had a pool but we never needed it (the mediterranean was way more enticing). We did utilize the free breakfast every morning though (pro tip, always look for breakfast-included spots to save money)!

Our hotel partnered with a nearby scooter rental garage and the owner, Antonio, was incredible. He provided a map of the island with details on how to see all the tourist destinations for free.

“Visit the blue grotto at 6pm when it closes. Instead of paying for a boat tour, just jump in and swim into the cave.” We did not actually go into the cave, but we did swim outside of it and it was dreamy.

The owner also gave us intel on where we could legally drive, park for free, and how to plan our days efficiently. With his insight, we were able to see all sides of the island at prime times after tourists leave.

Since we stayed in a hotel for this part of the trip, we didn’t cook in at all. It was a nice excuse to enjoy some dreamy dinners during our short time on the island.

I discovered the famous Da Paolino Lemon Trees restaurant via TikTok, and luckily got us in for a late-night reservation. HIGHLY recommend. The lemon pasta is amazing, and their dessert buffet is what dreams are made of. Probably the best pistachio gelato I’ve ever had.

Speaking of — the best gelateria you’ll find on the island is Gelateria Buonocore. They’re particularly famous for a gelato flavor they invented called Caprilu, which is lemon & almond. It is THE BEST gelato I have ever had, that I will dream of until I can taste again.

If you’re looking for a day club that isn’t as difficult to get into as La Fontelina, I highly recommend Lido Del Faro. We got lucky again by getting in without a previous reservation. The ticket price was €100 per person and includes: a lounge chair in a private area, towel, €50 credit towards food at the restaurant per person, and a private pool. It was highly worth it and one of our favorite days! The towels are by Dolce & Gabbana, by the way.

Another option is Il Riccio; we just grabbed lunch here and it was super cute! Dior themed everything.

SORRENTO

Sorrento is a place I’ve visited twice before this: once while studying abroad in 2011, and once with my mom in 2017. Both visits to Sorrento were so special, so I really wanted to show it to Brennan. We enjoyed 2 days there, but I did notice it was much busier than it was during my previous visits. It’s a great spot to check out if you’re in the area, but I wanted to call this out just in case you’re looking for a less touristy city!

We stayed at this airbnb, and while it was SO cute, it was extremely loud at night. Right behind the building is a mechanic garage that works late into the night, which made sleeping a bit difficult. The owner was SO kind though, and location wise it was amazing, located right in the marina. Everything about it was great, minus the noise level, so I can’t fully recommend it without mentioning that part. If you’re not really a sensitive sleeper, then it’s 10/10 🙂

At this point in our trip we were craving some food that wasn’t pasta. One night we went to Misaki Sushi restaurant for dinner and I would definitely recommend! Good vibes and good food.

I also recommend grabbing a table in the marina to people watch and enjoy the water views. Espeically if you’re visiting during the hot summer months. We enjoyed our experience at Trattoria da Emilia, specifically for the ambiance.

We also rented a scooter in Sorrento, but it’s definitely not necessary. The town is super walkable, and there are tons of public transit options. Sorrento is also where the main train station is. If you’re flying into Naples, it’s likely you’re training down to Sorrento first, so it’s an easily accessible city.

FAQ

Q: HOW TO GET TO AMALFI COAST?

A: Fly into Naples, take a train down to Sorrento, hire a car to get you into Positano or Praiano.

Q: HOW TO GET TO CAPRI?

A: You can take a ferry from Naples, Sorrento, Positano, or Amalfi. The fastest route is leaving from Sorrento, just under 30 minutes.

Q: DO I NEED TO STAY THE NIGHT ON CAPRI?

A: No! But you definitely should if you have time to! You can make a day trip of it, but spending the night gives you the opportunity to explore the island when all the day trippers head home on the last ferry.

Q: WHICH CITIES SHOULD I SEE ON THE AMALFI COAST?

A: It’s no secret that Positano is extremely crowded these days, but it’s definitely worth seeing if you’re near. My biggest recs in order would be Capri, Positano, Ravello (requires a car up the mountain), Praiano, Sorrento, Amalfi. Also look into trips to Ischia, which is a lesser-known island off the coast not too far from Capri.