Planning your trip to the Amalfi Coast
“Those who have not seen Amalfi, do not know Italy.”
– OSBERT SITWELL
The first trip to Italy I planned myself was to Rome and the Amalfi Coast. Rome is a bustling, vibrant city teeming with historical sites that is worthy of a trip all by itself. The Rome Fiumicino airport is a popular gateway to Italy when coming from the United States, and the only Italian destination that has a direct flight to Florida (Miami International Airport). Several of my itineraries start and end here since it’s often the least expensive option for me to travel to Italy.
Since I was mainly wanting to explore the Amalfi Coast on this trip, I only planned a few days in Rome. After arriving at Rome’s airport, I took the Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini. The hotel I booked was on Via Nazionale, a 10 minute walk from the train station. I highly recommend learning to pack light (i.e. carry on only) when traveling in Italy, especially if you’ll be using trains to go from one destination to another. The streets are cobblestone and uneven, making it very difficult to drag oversized suitcases to and from the train station and your hotel. See my next blog post if you need some tips for packing light.
The first afternoon in Rome was spent walking the area immediately surrounding the hotel. There is no shortage of cafès/bars, gelato shops, and restaurants in Rome. (My favorite Gelateria is Come il Latte on Via Silvio Spaventa 24/26, and my favorite restaurant is Ristorante Nerone on Via del Viminale 7A. I stop at both every time I’m in Rome). The next day, I booked a tour of the Vatican through Viator in the morning and a tour of the Colosseum in the afternoon. After visiting the Colosseum, you can easily walk through the ruins of the Forum and see Circus Maximus. Another must-see site for many tourists is the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain to ensure a future trip to Rome, or so they say. The Trevi Fountain can be extremely busy, consider yourself warned!
If you do not want to walk several miles on uneven cobblestone streets, I highly recommend booking a golf cart tour. We saw all the highlights in the city of Rome (Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the obelisks, the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Piazza Navona, Victor Emmanuel II Monument, the Villa Borghese) and then our guide took us to a few “hidden gems” that we would not have otherwise seen. It’s great way to see the city in a short amount of time.
The following day, I traveled from Rome to Sorrento by taking a train from Roma Termini to Napoli Centrale. In Napoli Centrale, you have to change platforms and follow signs to the Campania Express. Take the Campania Express to Sorrento. Sorrento is an excellent home base for exploring the Amalfi Coast and Naples area. On this trip, I visited Capri, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Pompei. I stayed at a cute boutique hotel called Palazzo Delle Grazie in the historical center of Sorrento. It is a 10 minute walk from the train station. The rooms are actually quite large compared to others I’ve stayed at in Italy. Breakfast is served daily in the lobby and is included in your stay. The traffic free historical center is filled with shops and great restaurants, as well as a few artisan studios. The view of the Bay of Naples is gorgeous so be sure to find a cafe to enjoy an aperitivo and watch the sunset.
The next day, I booked a boat tour to Capri. The Blue Grotto excursion is a unique experience that can be very busy at peak times. You sit in a 4-person rowboat (and duck down while entering the mouth of the cave) while your guide rows you in to the grotto which has a blue glow from sunlight reflecting through the seawater below the cavern. After visiting the Blue Grotto, the boat docked at the small marina and the group was given several hours to explore the island at our leisure. There is a funicular to Anacapri, where plenty of shops are filled with tourists. My favorite restaurant for a nice lunch is Sciue’ Sciue’ in Anacapri. After lunch, you can take a single-rider chair lift up to a spectacular viewpoint of the famous Faraglioni rocks. There are also some interesting open air taxis, Vespa rentals, and buses to get you around the island. Capri can get very crowded so if you’d rather have a more “off the beaten path” experience, I suggest visiting Ischia or Procida, both easily accessible by boat or ferry from Sorrento.
A ride down the Amalfi coast is a must, and you can certainly rent a car for the day and do it yourself. A better option is to book a small tour with a private driver so you can take in and enjoy the scenery. The drive can be treacherous so why not leave it to the locals who know how to maneuver around the giant tour buses and navigate the hairpin turns. Parking in the towns along the coast can be challenging so hiring a driver gives you more time to explore the towns, and less time searching for parking. Positano is the stunning, Instagram-worthy backdrop that everyone envisions when you say you’re going to the Amalfi Coast. It is definitely worth seeing, and it is definitely expensive and crowded. Minori and Maiori are great alternatives if you prefer lower key and fewer tourists. Stop at Pasticceria Sal De Riso in Minori on via Roma 80 for his famous Delizia al limone dessert. (Chef’s kiss). Ravello is a beautiful town on the southern end of the Amalfi Coast. For an unforgettable cooking class experience, check out Mamma Agata’s Cooking school there. Chiara has hosted some A-list celebrities at her beautiful home, and she’s happy to show off her picture album. There’s no better way to spend a day on the Amalfi Coast than on her terrace gazing out at the Tyrrhenian Sea while eating your weight in delicious food. For a fun, budget-friendly cooking class option, check out La Tagliata in Positano. It’s a party-like atmosphere with a spectacular view from high above the town, and the food was delicious.
You can also experience the Amalfi Coast by boat. There are budget-friendly ferries from Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi, you can join a small group boat tour by booking through Viator for a reasonable price, or hire a private boat for the day for a luxury experience. There are sunset boat tours if you’re short on time.
It’s easy to fill an itinerary with activities on the Amalfi Coast - Capri, Ischia, Procida, Naples, Pompeii, Mt. Vesuvius - are all easily accessible from your home base of Sorrento. Don’t feel you have to do it all in one trip. The Amalfi Coast is a place you’ll want to return to, guaranteed!
Here is a link to my recommended tours in the Amalfi Coast:
Buon Viaggio!
~Melissa
