Amalfi Coast
Lemon groves stacked above cliffs that drop straight into the sea, and towns built into the rock face itself.
Best time to visit
May – June, Sept
Fly into
Naples (NAP)
Good for
Scenery, food, couples
Suggested stay
4–6 nights
Base yourself somewhere quieter than Positano
Positano gets the postcards, and the crowds that come with them. Praiano and Atrani sit a few minutes down the coast road, offer the same cliffside views, and cost considerably less — with the added benefit of feeling like an actual town rather than a film set.
The coastal road itself is part of the experience and part of the challenge: hire a driver for the transfers and save the rental car for a day trip inland. Ravello, up in the hills, trades the sea view for quiet gardens and some of the best sunset spots on the whole coast.
What the week actually looks like
Mornings start slow with espresso on a terrace, then a boat out to swim at one of the coves that aren’t reachable by road — Fjord di Furore or the grottoes near Conca dei Marini. Afternoons are for wandering: Amalfi town’s cathedral steps, or the lemon terraces above Minori.
Dinner is the main event most nights. Reserve ahead in high season, and don’t skip the smaller towns for it — some of the best meals on this coast happen in Cetara, a fishing village most itineraries skip entirely.
Worth building your trip around
Path of the Gods
A cliffside hike between Bomerano and Nocelle with views that make the climb worth it.
Villa Cimbrone, Ravello
Gardens and a terrace looking straight out over the coast — go for golden hour.
Cetara anchovy pasta
The village’s signature dish, made with colatura di alici — worth the detour alone.