I took over 600 pictures of the Amalfi Coast. Don't worry, I won't post them all but it was so breathtakingly beautiful that it was easy to get carried away. I just wanted to remember it forever and be able to share the beauty and take it with me when I left. Then it hit me...Why am I already planning on having to remember this when I could be enjoying it while I'm here right now? I kinda chilled with the camera after that, but I was still a little snap-happy. Enjoy the ones that made the final cut.
My tour for Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius might have been a bust, but I highly recommend the tour I took for the Amalfi Coast. Again, I booked through Viator.com. This site/app has quickly become one of my favorites. Not only do they have all kinds of tours and excursions for just about every city, there are recommendations for attractions and landmarks, suggested itineraries and quick rundowns of the history surrounding it all. And yes, those are my own opinions but if anyone knows how I could get Viator to pay me to say those same things please let me know. Anyways, this tour was a multi day excursion down the Amalfi Coast and out to Capri Island. On the first day, we were picked up in Naples, drove down the Amalfi Coast with a tour guide, stopped in Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, were put up in a 4-star hotel in Sorrento, and fed a delicious multi-course meal for dinner. We were able to explore and fall in love with Sorrento that night...more about that later. The next day we took a private boat tour out to and around Capri Island where we spent the day. After a leisurely day in Capri, we were transported back to Sorrento and then Naples. Sounds expensive (and it was) but honestly it was a steal for everything that was included. And it's much easier to only pay for one person...another solo traveler perk.
My tour for Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius might have been a bust, but I highly recommend the tour I took for the Amalfi Coast. Again, I booked through Viator.com. This site/app has quickly become one of my favorites. Not only do they have all kinds of tours and excursions for just about every city, there are recommendations for attractions and landmarks, suggested itineraries and quick rundowns of the history surrounding it all. And yes, those are my own opinions but if anyone knows how I could get Viator to pay me to say those same things please let me know. Anyways, this tour was a multi day excursion down the Amalfi Coast and out to Capri Island. On the first day, we were picked up in Naples, drove down the Amalfi Coast with a tour guide, stopped in Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, were put up in a 4-star hotel in Sorrento, and fed a delicious multi-course meal for dinner. We were able to explore and fall in love with Sorrento that night...more about that later. The next day we took a private boat tour out to and around Capri Island where we spent the day. After a leisurely day in Capri, we were transported back to Sorrento and then Naples. Sounds expensive (and it was) but honestly it was a steal for everything that was included. And it's much easier to only pay for one person...another solo traveler perk.
When we first started down the coast, I was absolutely stunned with the beauty outside the window. I wanted to stop and stare and take pictures...but they said no. So I had to make do with aiming my camera over the aisle of the small bus to capture some part of it. If you do this tour (and I really do recommend it) make sure you sit on the right side of the bus. There is a row of single seats right next to the window that gets all the action. Those seats would have been perfect for the single traveler such as myself, but they were already claimed by a few married couples who split up to take up the entire right side of the bus. They were clearly not honeymooning. The bus had big windows so I did my best to take whatever pictures I could, but since it was so bright I didn't realize that all of the photos had glare until I got home. Great. Another piece of advice...just soak it all in. Put the camera down until you get the chance to hike between the towns. Plus you take the same path on the way home, so eventually the exciting side switches.
Our first stop was Positano. I couldn't decide if I wanted to call it beautiful or adorable...and yes, gentlemen, there is a difference. The pastel buildings were built into the steep mountain side, making them look like they were just stacked on top of each other from the view at the bottom. The streets were winding, but they were winding down a steep mountain instead of winding aimlessly through an old town. It felt like a small, intimate beach town where you could spend a long weekend and leave still loving it. It was definitely touristy and I think I heard more English spoken than Italian (finally!), but it was easy to see why it was such an attraction.
I felt like I was walking through a postcard in Positano. Everything from the pergola with the pink flowered vines to the blue ocean facing off to the cliff of pastel buildings felt like frame-worthy scenery. There were just so many colors. The beach was pebbly and already starting to fill up with sunbathers. I could have stayed with them for days and still not had enough, but we only had about an hour to explore. The whole time I was walking through the town, I kept thinking about how nice it would be to stay there a few days for a typical summer vacation. The beach, the boats, the open-air stores lining the steep streets, the cute cafes that looked like they served gourmet food, and the dozens of boutique hotels all looked like the setting for some romantic comedy movie that you watch with take out food on a lazy Saturday night. I wish I had more to say about Positano...but I just wasn't there long enough to get a real feel for it. I do know that I would love to go back someday.
We continued along the coast, driving through smaller towns like Praiano and Furore. The small towns had the same gorgeous views of the water and similar styles in buildings, but they each had their own little characteristics to set them apart. In Praiano, there was a big nativity scene at the entrance to the town. I couldn't help but wish to come back at Christmas time. In Furore, there was a bridge where professional divers can free dive into the Mediterranean. We were told that Furore is also a good starting place for walking the trails of the Amalfi Coast. The whole time we were driving between the towns, I kept wishing I was on foot so that I could go at my own pace...mostly to take pictures and to slow down. I needed that tour for my first time there though, at my own pace I would have never made it to Ravello. I'd probably still be camped out on some rock looking at the ocean if I really got to go at my own pace. The tour was a great way to see the whole stretch of the Amalfi Coast in one day, but if you have a couple days then I suggest to plan on spending at least one of those walking the trails. It's funny how the more you travel, the more you want to travel. I was trying to enjoy the moment, but in the back of my mind I was thinking about how someday, I will walk the whole 25 mile stretch of Amalfi Coast.
The town of Amalfi was our next stop. Amalfi had a more relaxed atmosphere and a slower pace than Positano. It didn't feel like it was packed in quite as tightly but there was just as much going on. We used part of our time in town to take a boat tour of the coast. So instead of seeing the Amalfi Coast from land looking out to the sea, we were looking at the Amalfi Coast from the sea to the land. I wanted to see the cities head on...and let's be real, I wasn't going to turn down a chance to be on the water.
We had more time to explore Amalfi than we had in Positano. We walked around for a bit and had coffee and gelato in the main square. One side of the square was a huge staircase leading up to the Amalfi Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to St Andrew who was the patron Saint of Amalfi. The site is known as one of the most important in the Campania region. There were a lot of historical relics on display and the crypt of St Andrew. I love that these charming little towns in Italy seem to revolve around their cathedrals. The cathedrals and bell towers seem to be the hearts of these little communities and Amalfi was a perfect example. The bottom of the stairs to the cathedral opened up to the main town square with shops, cafes and crowds of people. It was like life bustling down on the ground floor, but you could always climb the stairs to get away and watch the crowds from above with the cathedral.
I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point in wandering these coastal towns I found a new lemon fascination. They were everywhere! Lemons the size of toy footballs were at every little farmers market, limoncello and fresh lemon slushes were passed out in samples in alleyways, they were the subject of pottery and the theme of some shops. I don't know if it was just because it was so hot, but I started to really take notice when I saw them. So I guess when I finally come home, I'm going to only drink sparkling water and espresso shots and redecorate my house with a lemon theme. My list of euro habits to bring home is growing.
Ravello was our next stop. I said earlier that Positano and Amalfi were very similar towns with completely different energies so I was expecting the same for Ravello too. Nope. Ravello had a completely different style, energy and vibe than any of the other towns I had seen. It was more like being in the country, even though it was just a stones throw away from Amalfi. The hills were magestic and seemed to be the focal point. It had an even more laid back feel than Amalfi and at that point in the day, that atmosphere was really nice. There was so much growing...trees, vines, big planters of flowers all over town. I got lost in a couple little pottery shops (admiring the lemon designs) and didn't have the time or energy to explore a couple interesting-looking parks. But I did find a cafe with a killer view and elegant wine glasses...the perfect place to slow down and relax after a busy day.
Ravello was our next stop. I said earlier that Positano and Amalfi were very similar towns with completely different energies so I was expecting the same for Ravello too. Nope. Ravello had a completely different style, energy and vibe than any of the other towns I had seen. It was more like being in the country, even though it was just a stones throw away from Amalfi. The hills were magestic and seemed to be the focal point. It had an even more laid back feel than Amalfi and at that point in the day, that atmosphere was really nice. There was so much growing...trees, vines, big planters of flowers all over town. I got lost in a couple little pottery shops (admiring the lemon designs) and didn't have the time or energy to explore a couple interesting-looking parks. But I did find a cafe with a killer view and elegant wine glasses...the perfect place to slow down and relax after a busy day.
Ravello was a great way to wrap up the day. The towns for the tour stops matched my own energy levels, and Ravello was the perfect place to kick up my feet right when I needed it most.
On on the way to Sorrento (where we were staying that night) we got to take the same path back...but this time the sun starting to set. It was so beautiful when we went through Positano again that we stopped for more pictures.
On on the way to Sorrento (where we were staying that night) we got to take the same path back...but this time the sun starting to set. It was so beautiful when we went through Positano again that we stopped for more pictures.
In my opinion, the Amalfi Coast is worth the hype. I don't recommend every place I visit to everyone, even if I personally enjoyed it. There are just so many different types of trips to take and everyone has their style preference. The Amalfi Coast had it all...beaches, food, wine, history, activities, excursions, hikes, relaxations. There was every notch on the spectrum from fast to slow pace. I really think that there is a fitting place and activity for every type of vacationer. It was a busy day, but it needed to be to see everything. Next time (and there will be a next time), I will have a better idea of where to start. And I will hike between the towns.