The Amalfi coastline is extremely prominent with tourists across the globe. as well as rightly so. It’s quickly one of the most gorgeous locations on earth. however where do you stay on the Amalfi coastline as well as exactly how do you get to see the very best of it?
Everyone’s heard of the Amalfi Coast. Social media, travel magazines as well as even cooking shows have featured this sensational part of southern Italy at some point in the recent past.
And it makes overall sense.
After all, the whole remarkable shoreline of the Bay of Naples as well as the Sorrento Peninsula is heart-breakingly beautiful. somewhere that looks as great as this is always going to draw attention. as well as the 10-million + visitors a year verify it.
With so lots of visitors, crowds are inevitable. Swarms of holidaymakers turn the delightful terraced streets of Positano as well as the sleepy shoreline of Amalfi into vacationer traps that dent the natural appeal of the area.
But tourism has a tendency to do that, doesn’t it? hurt the item of its affection?
Thankfully there are a few locations between the hotspots of the Amalfi coastline where you not only get a true feeling of what this stunning part of Campania is about, however likewise where you’re not paying all the method with your nose to stay there.
We’ve put together a snapshot video of the Amalfi coastline as well as a few of the highlights of this extraordinary peninsula. The cliffs, the beaches, the towns, the food festivals…
Click right here to enjoy the video on YouTube.
Where to stay on the Amalfi coastline to see the genuine Amalfi
Vico Equense
The very first town you come to on the Sorrento Peninsula as well as Amalfi coastline is Vico Equense. It’s frequently overlooked by travellers heading directly for better-known Sorrento down the coast.
This clifftop town doesn’t have the terraced red-tile rooftop aesthetic of Sorrento or Positano. however what it lacks in that vein of design it makes up for with castellos as well as cathedrals teetering over cliffs that peer into the sea far below.
Vico Equense is house to a quite bit beach as well as harbour, as well as the town itself has a riches of restaurants, bars as well as cafés. Our much-loved is Ristorante Cerase, which has views out over the Gulf of Naples as well as a menu of regional create as well as seafood that’ll make you hungry even if you’re feeling full.
We were likewise lucky sufficient to time our go to completely with the town’s annual food celebration – Festa Vico – which sees nearly every street closed to web traffic as well as opened to foodies. star chefs from around the region come to share their much-loved dishes at stalls dotted around the town. It’s a great time to be here!
Getting around is particularly simple from Vico Equense, which has its own train station. connections to the rest of the peninsula, as well as likewise to Naples as well as Pompeii indicates this town is an perfect area to base yourself to check out the Amalfi Coast.
Praiano
On the other side of the peninsula to Vico Equense, Praiano uses a few of the very best views of close-by Positano from across the shallow bay. It’s a adorable bit town with a few shops, bars as well as restaurants along the primary road that runs around the coast.
The beach at Praiano is a long walk down the cliffs as well as an even longer one coming back up. however it’s worth it. things are assisted together with a well-situated bar halfway up. However, be prepared to wait as it’s understandably over-popular as well as overwhelmingly understaffed.
Our very first stop when we shown up at Praiano was Trattoria San Gennaro, which overlooks a piazza of the exact same name linked to a gorgeous baroque basilica likewise of the exact same name – as well as most likely the starting point for this eponymy.
The trattoria worth a visit, as well as the view down on the piazza is a people-watching gem. particularly when the locals as well as their youngsters come to play football as well as hang available in the afternoons.
The Bar del Sole is great for drinks as well as attracts both visitors as well as locals, as well as for a fantastic rooftop bar, head upstairs at the hotel le Fioriere.
For both Praiano as well as Vico Equense, we discovered exceptional properties on AirBnB. They were far a lot more budget-friendly than hotels in the area. as well as both towns are likewise more affordable to stay in than Positano, Sorrento or Amalfi anyway.
Ravello
When we came back from our trip to the Amalfi Coast, buddies in the travel composing neighborhood asked us if we handled to get to Ravello. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it this time, however we’ll make a point if we have a possibility to return.
Perched high in the hills back from Amalfi Town, Ravello has spectacular views out over the coast. as well as since it’s set back from the primary drag, Ravello has a tendencyto be less hectic than a lot of other towns in the area.
A cultural hotspot, this town has wooed lots of fantastic poets, painters as well as protagonists. The likes of Winston Churchill, Greta Garbo, D H Lawrence as well as Virginia Woolf all spent time here.
The sophisticated villas as well as appealing restaurants evidence the when high-flight aristocracy that called Ravello home. these days it’s the best area for a discerning traveller. You can pull up right here away from the goggling crowds as well as experience life that’s genuinely Amalfi.
Don’t discount rate Naples
Much maligned in recent years, Naples has developed a track record as being rough, hazardous as well as dirty. Of course, any type of huge city has its darker side as well as Naples isn’t immune.
But with its famously hot-blooded locals, as well as books as well as films like Gamorrah showing the worst of southern Italy, Naples’ track record is understandable.
However, whenever Christina as well as I have been to Naples, we’ve discovered it to be a fascinating, friendly, gorgeous city. as well as definitely no a lot more hazardous or frightening than London or Paris, or any type of other big European city really.
Naples is a excellent city to check out and, being the closest travel hub to the Amalfi Coast, is the best launchpad (or landing strip) for a trip there.
Trains run from Napoli Garibaldi Train station directly to Vico Equense or even as far as Sorrento. as well as from there, buses will take you anywhere you want to go along the coast.
For our last trip to Naples, we stayed in hotel Piazza Bellini, which is centrally located, comfortable, affordable, as well as surprisingly fun as well as contemporary for such an old building. inspect out our evaluation of hotel Piazza Bellini here.
If you’re travelling to Naples as well as the Amalfi Coast, you must absolutely discover time to go to Pompeii. right here are a few of our much-loved articles on the Forgotten City:
10 things you need to see in Pompeii
Do you requirement a excursion guide in Pompeii?
DIY Pompeii excursion – exactly how to get the very best out of Pompeii
And for a lot more of our stories on Italy in general, inspect out our Italian library here.
Of course, anywhere you go in as well as around the Amalfi Coast, a gorgeous view, a tasty meal or an fascinating regional won’t be far away.
That’s the terrific thing about travelling in Italy: even in the most touristy of places, genuine life is never as well far below the surface or beyond the horizon.
Have you been to the Amalfi Coast? Where did you stay? Did you have a much-loved part? tell us in the comments!