Advice for traveling to the Amalfi Coast

• 

• 

I have never been somewhere with a more distinct, sweet smell than the Amalfi Coast of Italy. There is also nowhere that has captivated my attention so far as to allow no room for anxiety over the cliffside road our bus was traversing and the heights we were at. I abandoned all fears at the hands of the (I assumed skilled) Italian bus drivers.

You may think there aren’t any advantages to taking an overnight bus anywhere, but that was proven wrong on my last trip of my semester abroad to the Amalfi Coast.  I will never forget waking up on the bus around two a.m. and just being in awe of the sheer BEAUTY I was seeing out the windows. It was like heaven to me, being cliff-side over the sea and seeing the lights light up the coast and reflect on the waves below them. Wow. This made the overnight bus ride (and sharing a bungalow all weekend with three rowdy boys from Texas) completely worth it. No place has captivated me more than this beloved stretch of coast just south of Rome and shy of Naples.

Traveling with a company provided ease of transportation that can be hard to come by if you don’t know what you’re doing in the Amalfi Coast. In this post, I hope to make traveling to this stretch of towns and islands as clear as the Mediterranean waters you will soon be splashing in (weather permitting).

• 

• 

TRANSPORTATION

The Amalfi Coast is made up of a lot of different small towns, Positano and Sorrento to name a few, plus the islands of Capri and Ischia. It’s closest big city is Naples, which is only a short way away. If you are going straight to the coast, the best places to fly into Italy are Rome or Naples. Once you get to the coast, there are a few different options for getting around. The first would be to hire a driver for the time you’ll be there. I have friends who chose this option, as they were staying high up in the town of Ravello. They split the cost and were able to go where they pleased. I imagine if you are staying in a hotel, they would be able to arrange this for you.

Another option is to use public transportation. Buses and ferries are the best ways to go. If you’re like me you may even get lucky and end up in the best spot on the bus, the side with the views to the sea. It is an exhilarating and beautiful place to be! In terms of ferries, this is another great way to get around (and relatively simple). The large ferries go between most of the major towns as well as to Capri. The ride is about a half hour, and you’ll be surprised at the seating, it feels like you’re on an airplane. I have found this website to include helpful information on transportation.

A final option would be to go with a tour group that has arranged transportation. This is the option I went with because I knew the coast was tricky for first-timers. I was able to visit Positano, Capri, and have a day in Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, all while staying in breathtaking Sorrento, home to the world’s most stunning sunsets. We had a charter bus and utilized the ferry for our day on Capri.

• 

• 

ACCOMODATIONS

As I mentioned, I stayed in Sorrento while on the Amalfi Coast. It was the end of the off-season so the place we stayed, Villaggio Turistico Bleu Village, was not crowded. The bungalows were unlike any other place I’ve stayed at, and was such a change from staying in hostels in a city. I felt like I was at a tropical summer camp. Each bungalow had bunk beds and a private bathroom. We had to walk down six flights of stairs along the cliff’s edge to get to the dining room, where we had breakfast and dinner every night. It was even further down to get to the beach. To get into town, we had to take the bus arranged for us because we were outside of Sorrento’s center.

Since I’ve only been once, I don’t have many recommendations on where to stay. If you know you want to explore a lot of different towns and beaches while you’re there, it may be best to stay in one that the ferries reach.

• 

• 

FOOD AND DRINK

Because the Amalfi Coast is situated near Naples, birthplace of Neapolitan pizza, it’s only right to have some pizza while you’re there. I decided to get one to-go for lunch in Positano, and when I opened the box on my beach towel I found the pizza had been made heart-shaped!

Another Amalfi Coast staple is limoncello. You will be shocked at the size of the lemons here! They are the biggest ones I’ve ever seen, and coupled with the blooming florals they make the air smell unceasingly sweet. Try limoncello, but at an appropriate time (and sip it, it is not meant to be taken as a shot). I once witnessed an American tourist try limoncello as I was having a morning espresso at the bar. I quickly concluded that he didn’t realize it was a liqueur, and probably regretted having it so early in the morning.

There are many other food and drink staples on the coast, but the final one I’ll recommend is baba for dessert. It is a rum-soaked cake and so sweet. One of my favorite Italian pastries to date.

• 

• 

ETC.

Since the Amalfi Coast is close to Naples, that means it’s also near Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. I spent a day hiking Vesuvius (an active volcano) in the morning, and exploring Pompeii in the afternoon. I highly recommend hiring a guide for Pompeii, it is much bigger than you would expect and it’s a better experience when you know what you’re looking at. I wished I had a guide and more time to explore this famous Roman city of long ago. It’s truly incredible.

If you’re more interested in spending time on the beach, I recommend researching where you’ll be spending your time. For the majority of beaches, sections are reserved for those who pay for a chair and an umbrella. Italians typically do not swim until summer season has begun, so you may get some stares if you go in the Med before then. But, Italians know how to do it right. They wear their flip flops to the water’s edge, sliding them off only when they have to, to protect their feet from the rocky beaches. They also avoid swimming for two full hours after they eat (but you can choose if you want to follow that rule!!).

Finally, to get inspired for your travels and for more local tips, follow Nicki who lives in Positano or Holly who lives on Capri. They both share beautiful Instagram stories every day, and will give you a taste for the dreamy time you will have in the Amalfi Coast. Buon viaggio!

• 

•