Things To Do in Amalfi Coast.

The Amalfi Coast can be seen and experienced a number of ways. Adventure travelers wanting to work up a sweat can traverse the many scenic hiking trails that snake through the region. Those strictly seeking relaxation can find solace at one of the coast’s 100 beaches, including the ultra-secluded Furore Fiordo. If you have sufficient sea legs, seeing Amalfi by boat is said to be an unforgettable experience, as is bearing witness to the littoral views from the sky-high Villa Cimbrone.

  Just breathtaking – Villa Cimbrone, above Ravello.

Positano.

If you only have time to visit one town in the Amalfi Coast, it should be Positano. Positano is everything you’d dream the Amalfi Coast to be; lush cascading cliffs stacked with colorful Mediterranean architecture, luxury yachts and speed boats docked on turquoise waters, and narrow streets and ornate stairways lined with boutiques and trattorias. And of all the towns on the coast, Positano caters to visitors the most, offering up the most hotels of any destination in the region. What’s more, Sita buses and ferries stop directly in Positano and many Amalfi Coast boat tours depart from here.

  Sunset behind Positano, amazing colorful.

Positano also boasts some of the Amalfi Coast’s most beloved beaches. Marina Grande Beach is the most famous and most central, sitting at the base of the colorful seaside town. There’s also the Fornillo Beach, another traveler favorite, located less than a half-mile east of Marina Grande Beach. Fornillo Beach can be accessed directly from Marina Grande via the cliffside Sentiero degli Innamorati pathway, an attraction in its own right. For a truly secluded shoreline, check out Arienzo Beach, which is situated between two cliffs and is accessible via a 300-step stairway.

  Marina Grande Beach in Positano.

In addition to beaches and vistas, Positano is also a shopper’s paradise. Here, travelers can find one-of-a-kind pieces including antiques big and small.  But above all, travelers find simply walking around and admiring the city’s stunning scenery to be the best activity Positano has to offer. You can reach Positano by car via the Amalfi Highway or by the Sita bus. For more information about Positano, visit the Positano Tourism Board’s website.

  Hotel Pupetto and Pupetto beach. Click on pic.

Hiking.

Though the Amalfi Coast is the kind of place where you should kick back, relax and soak up the stunning scenery, you’d be missing out on all it has to offer if you didn’t make room for a little adventure in your itinerary. In between the coast’s various towns are a plethora of beautiful pathways and trails begging for further exploration.

   Hiking at Amalfi coast is not for „acrophobia“ people.

Beaches.

A trip to any coastal destination wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the beach. In the case of the Amalfi Coast, your vacation wouldn’t be complete without visiting multiple beaches. One of the things that makes this region so unique is the sheer amount of beaches found here (100, to be exact). Due to the topography of the Amalfi Coast, long, sandy beaches are nonexistent. Instead, travelers will be greeted with beaches consisting of pebbles or just a rocky platform over the water.

   Just amazing, Fornillo Beach.

  Another amazing beach, Atrani.

Praiano, which is located between Amalfi and Positano, is another hot spot. Praiano is home to the Furore Fiordo, as well as Marina di Praia. Here, travelers are treated to a number of coastal pathways perfect for hiking, as well as a bevy of dining options. In the town of Amalfi, you can find one of the coast’s largest and most popular beaches, the Marina Grande (different from Positano’s Marina Grande).

   Pebble beach at Furore Fiordo. The Furore Fiordo is located about 4 miles southwest of Amalfi. The best way to get there is by car and the only place to park is along the highway.

Villa Cimbrone.

If you’re looking to take in spectacular views without breaking too much of a sweat, head to Villa Cimbrone. Situated in the mountaintop town of Ravello, Villa Cimbrone is a luxury hotel lauded by both experts and recent visitors for its gorgeous on-site gardens.

  Aerial view of Hotel Villa Cimbrone.

The property’s gardens are considered one of the most important examples of English landscape and botany culture in the south of Europe, housing a handful of rare botanic species. And with the exception of a few trees, all of the plants that live within the garden’s grounds are estimated to be about 100 years old.

     Villa Cimbrone gardens and one of their hotel rooms. No further comment needed, right ?

As such, you can expect vegetation of all kinds along your walk, including roses, hydrangeas and chestnut trees, to name a few. Along with beautiful botany, travelers are also greeted with equally stunning architecture. Though, the star attraction within the gardens has to be the Terrace of Infinity. This terrace, lined with busts, features unobstructed panoramas of the ocean, along with picture-perfect views of Amalfi’s cascading cliffs from both directions.

  The Terrace of Infinity at Villa Cimbrone.

Recent visitors found the views from the Villa Cimbrone’s gardens to be simply jaw-dropping, calling it the attraction’s best asset.

Boattours – Ferry’s.

To explore Amalfi by land is only half of the experience. The best views are seen from the ocean, where unobstructed vistas of the coast’s world-renowned cliffs, as well as the gorgeous vegetation and colorful architecture, can be admired.

  Amalfi like this, only from a boat.

The most cost-effective way to experience Amalfi by sea is by taking a ferry. Ferries run from April to October annually, with one of the most trafficked routes, Sorrento to Positano to Amalfi. Sorrento to Positano takes about 40 minutes, while Amalfi to Positano takes about 20 minutes. There is also a ferry service that goes directly to Capri and takes close to an hour to reach.

  Amazing colors at the coast, not photoshoped.

Among the more affordable companies is Positano Boats. For 50 euros (About $60), the Amalfi Coast tour takes visitors to popular spots on the coast, including the Furore Fiordo, Emerald Grotto and the waterfalls of Marmorata. Though some of these excursions can be pricey, many travelers agreed that this is the best way to see the coast.

  Capri, view towards the rocks of Faraglioni.

Capri.

The Island of Capri is one of the most picturesque and visited locations in Campania. Its unique beauties were celebrated in ancient times and later published for the world in Homer’s works: Odysseus (known in Latin as Ulysses) sailing past the island, narrowly escaped the fate of those who hear the voices of the Sirens.

  Marina Grande on Capri. Most tourists land here.

Thus the island has a mythical charm, as well as its natural treasures, through the writings and legends of Ancient Greece. Its breathtaking landscapes and beauty stretch from the rocky caves around the island to the edge of the horizon, and has been an inspiration to poets, lovers and travelers throughout the centuries.

  Marina Piccola, one of the most pictured on Capri.

Capri of course doesn’t belong to the Amalfi coast. It is like the Amalfi stretch a part of the Campania province. But – because most tourists who visit Amalfi coast will visit Capri or the other way round. If one is in the area one „has to visit“ both.

  Main attractions on the island of Capri.

The sea emerging below is very deep, and harsh jagged caves have formed there. The most famous of these is the Grotta Azzurra or the „Blue Grotto“, now known to have been a Roman bathing place. This lagoon is haunted by a dazzling shifting turquoise blue. Small openings in the back of the cave admit daylight which, reflecting on the limestone floor and walls, creates a fantastical and magical atmosphere.

  The blue cave has attracted visitors and inspired awe from all who have seen its ancient limestone walls and learned of the history of this oceanic cave. Its almost impossible to be on your own there. A traffic jam of boats are always waiting outside to get their permission to drive in for a few minutes.

Some of the main features of the island include the following: the Marina Piccola (the little harbour), the Belvedere of Tragara (a high panoramic promenade lined with villas), the limestone crags called sea stacks that project above the sea (the Faraglioni), the town of Anacapri, the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), and the ruins of the Imperial Roman villas. Drinking water does not exist on the island and is still imported on tankers from the mainland.

  Villa San Michele, just outside of Anacapri.

Campania food.

Typical Campania food includes:

Baccala alla Napoletana: salt cod with tomato, olives, raisins, pine nuts, capers, garlic.

  Baccala alla Napoletana.

Cianfotta: paprika, eggplants, zucchini, onions, basil stewed in olive oil and served cold.
Coniglio alla Ischitana: rabbit braised with tomatoes, rosemary, basil and white wine.

  Rabbit casserole hunters style from Ischia.

Coviglie al Caffe: coffee mousse topped with toasted beans and whipped cream.
Coviglie al Cioccolato: is the chocolate version served with a candied cherry.
Empepata di Cozze: mussels cooked in their juice with lemon, parsley and black pepper.
Ricotta di Amalfi: Cheesecake with caramelized honey, cream and a mango-slice.

   Original Ricotta di Amalfi.

Peperoni Imbottiti: red and yellow paprikas stuffed with anchovies, black olives, capers, garlic, breadcrumbs.

  Stuffed Paprikas with stuffed Tomatoes and olives.

Polpi Affogati: baby octopus “drowned” in boiling salt water, then sauteed with olive oil, tomatoes and hot chilli’s.

  Polpo Affogati.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca: “strumpet style” with tomato sauce, black olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, chilli’s–specialty of Ischia.

       Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, left and Spaghetti alla Rosinella, right.

Spaghetti alla Rosinella: spaghetti with prawns, squid and mussels.
Spezzatino con i Piselli: beef stew with peas and rosemary.

  The famous beef stew with peas.

Taralli: ring-shaped biscuits baked with almonds and lard, or sometimes fennel seeds; the sweet types with vanilla, cinnamon and liqueur are called tarallucci dolci.
Zeppole di San Giuseppe: puffy pastry fritters sometimes with a creamy filling.
Ziti Ripieni: large pasta tubes stuffed with chopped pork and salame, onion, raw eggs and caciocavallo cheese.
Zuppa di Cozze: mussels in a soup of tomatoes, white wine, parsley and hot chilli’s.

  Zuppa di Cozze.

The local cuisine is famous for its distinctive ingredients: tomatoes and all the fresh vegetables, famous mozzarella made from Campanian buffalo milk – and the fresh fish.

  „The Italian Flag“ – green, white, red – the famous buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. To find everywhere, on pizza’s, salads or as a whole meal.

In Positano, as well as in Ravello and in Naples, it is possible to combine your stay with cooking classes that will allow you to discover the secrets of the local recipes.

  A cooking class always starts with homemade pasta.

Cooking school in Positano.

Positano is considered to be one of the most romantic resorts in the world and boasts breathtaking views, gourmet restaurants and the best shops. One will prepare the tasty local recipes together with the chef of one of the best restaurants in Positano, you will learn how to prepare: swordfish rolls, courgette flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese, aubergine parmesan, fresh local fish “all’acqua pazza” and of course, Pizza.

      Good cooking classes in Positano will go with the right ingredients, the fantastic location and an assortment of delicious local wines.  That’s heaven.  Click on pics to supersize.

During a vacation in Positano one can visit Amalfi, Capri and Ravello, excellent wine farms, cheese farms, lemon grove in the countryside near Sorrento and one can learn the art of making the best, authentic Limoncello.  See down here „the world of Limoncello“ !

My personal tip.

When we strolled through Ravello’s alley’s, during lunch time and hungry again, we came along this little sign and entry. Inquisitive as we are, we walked in – and wow – what a hidden gem behind.

Giardini Caffe Calce is located in a historic building dating back to 13th century, just a few steps away from the main square in Ravello’s centre.

Our first lunch, my wife had a „Vegetarian Pizza“ and I got away with „Caffe Calce Prosciutto and Ricotta“. Add some „pane fresco“ and a local  „cool Campania white“ and you are in heaven.  After that lunch and a look around this hotel and restaurant, we booked in for two nights in one of their 4 rooms.

Not fancy or 5 stars, but very clean and all one needs, with a fantastic view from our own balcony onto Piazza Duomo. The rooms feature air-conditioning, TV, Wi-Fi internet access, private bathroom with hairdryer and toiletries. In summertime the buffet style breakfast is served in the garden.

The allover quality is excellent, very friendly staff, delicious fresh made food throughout the whole day. My absolute favorite to discover the town of Ravello.

The owners also run the Caffe Calce, a popular spot on a corner of Piazza Duomo, a favorite of locals and visitors alike. They serve coffee, ice cream, pastries, sandwiches, salads and some entrees. And at night we had „Empepata di Cozze“. What a life !