A Day In The Amalfi Coast

If you’re thinking of visiting the Amalfi Coast but you’re not too sure, let me make your decision easier.. just GO!! The Amalfi Coast in Italy is truly a dream destination. Iconic views, delicious food, and so many lovely shops and stops to visit along the way. I will highlight my favourite things about the Amalfi Coast and share them with you. I’ve been here a few times, and on my last visit, I spent just the day there. From Rome to Amalfi, the 3 hour and 30 minute drive it took was definitely worth it. If you can’t stay for long, surprisingly a day will do. I will let you know exactly where I went, what I ate, as well as fill you in on some picturesque must see stops along the way. Please enjoy…

 

 

Ravello – The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline in the region of Salento, near Napoli. If you are arriving where I did, the first stop along the Amalfi Coast will be Ravello. Ravello is one of the many lovely  and scenic towns along the Amalfi Coast and it is definitely a must see destination. One of the first things you will notice in Amalfi in general, but especially here in Ravello are the lemons. The lemons here are HUGE! They are unlike any lemons I’ve ever seen as the skin is quite thick… more on that a bit later though. Other than that, Ravello has some seriously stunning views. I was truly taken aback by what I saw, it was as if I were in another world completely. If you are traveling by car, park your car for an hour or two and simply walk around this gorgeous town that offers the perfect photo opportunities at every block. I personally saved my appetite for the next town, however anywhere along the coast, (or just in Italy in general) has delicious food. There are great restaurants here, but if you’re saving your appetite, you can have an espresso, cappuccino (if it’s before lunch time), some limoncello, or even a gelato to hold you over. I remember walking into a cute alcohol boutique and sampling some wines and liquors in this beautiful town.

The beautiful lemons of the Amalfi Coast

The Breathtaking views of Ravello

The beautiful town

 

Amalfi –  The town of Amalfi of the Amalfi Coast. It can be a bit confusing, but much like Ravello of the Amalfi Coast, Amalfi of the Amalfi Coast is it’s own town. If you’re like me, you might want to eat at this point. Lucky for you, I have just the place. When I was here, I really wanted to eat at a delicious restaurant, but as much as I wanted the food to be good, I wanted the view to be even better! I was SO close to eating at a different restaurant, but it lacked a view, so I actually got up and left. I normally wouldn’t care so much, but It’s not like I visit the Amalfi Coast every day, so I decided to eat at a restaurant that caught my eye a year earlier. This restaurant is called Torre Saracena (and I didn’t realize at the time, but now that I look it up, it has a great rating on Trip Advisor). This restaurant is as delicious as it is beautiful… and the views here are unmatched. If you are traveling during the Spring to even the Fall season (the best times to visit the Amalfi Coast) that means you can (and should) eat on the outside terrace. I came to this restaurant for lunch and while waiting for my food, took the opportunity to take many lovely photos of the view. If you’re curious, and/or are a foodie like me, you’ll probably want to know what I ate (so I will include photos below). You can walk lunch off by walking around this beautiful town. There is a lot to see here, but if you’re just spending the day, you might not want to take too long in any specific town. After you soak up the many gorgeous views of the coast, I recommend visiting the Amalfi Cathedral, it is absolutely beautiful, even from the outside alone.

The view of this stunning town from the restaurant

The most delicious Mozzarella di Buffala appetizer from the restaurant

A plate of trofie pasta with sepia and pistachio, this was really unique and delicious!

An artistic shot of the Amalfi Cathedral

 

Praiano – The next town on our Amalfi Coast journey is Praiano. I never hear enough about this beautiful town, but it really is a gem. It’s much smaller than the other towns along this coast, however it is no less beautiful. If you still have a bit of an appetite, I remember stopping at a hotel restaurant and having a delicious version of a caprese salad, but with delicious straciatella (think, the inside of burrata) rather than just mozzarella. This restaurant also offers truly stunning and picturesque views and is called Hotel Tramonto D’Oro Praiano. A little side note, Buffalo Mozzarella originates from Campania (specifically Salerno), which is exactly where the Amalfi Coast is. What this means is that if you love fresh mozzarella, you MUST make the time to try some while you are here, it is absolutely delicious; mozzarella di buffala cannot be beat! If you drive along this coast like I did you might even miss this town, so keep not just your stomach, but also your eyes open. Be sure to stop and take a few pictures along the way as well, the scenery is unmatched. Since Praiano is a bit less touristic, there are even less populated little beaches you can stop and relax at.

Poetry found along the beach

Picturesque views with lovely art work

Taking a break to enjoy the views and also an excuse for a mini photo shoot

Positano – This town is probably the most photographed and talked about of all the towns along the Amalfi coast, and for good reason… It’s really beautiful. It is definitely a little more luxurious of all the towns as well. If you’re anything like me and have a sweettooth, I can tell you exactly where to go and what to order. There is this little cafe with a beautiful terrace called La Zagara. I’ve ordered the house special Zagara dessert, which is an orange chocolate cake, and is quite rich and heavenly, as well as a lighter “Delizia Limone”which is a very classic dessert of this region consisting of a sponge cake topped with whipped cream and lemon. Both desserts are delicious, so you might want to splurge and order both like I did. Of course there are many other desserts to choose from, but you can’t go wrong with these ones. You will likely be walking off all these sweets, so go nuts! Along the way you will see beautiful little shops and boutiques as well, one even specializing in all things lemon, from perfumes to candles. Another thing you might notice are the many lovely ceramics shops covered in decorative plates. There are quite a few shops here so if you’re looking for a town to spend money in, this is definitely the one. There are also shops with lemon granitas, but save this for the next and final stop, it’s way cheaper and even more delicious!

A classic view of Positano is of these beautiful pastel coloured hotels, houses and restaurants

A walk inside this lovely city where you can find beautiful shops

The delicious desserts that I mentioned

Stunning blooms line the ceilings of the streets and cafes

 

Tramonti – This is the final town along the Amalfi coast on our journey, and it is very small and mainly requires one thing, to see the sunset. If this is the last stop on your journey like it was on mine, before the drive back to Rome, I visited this stop to watch the sunset (tramonto). While I did that, this is the stop I was telling you about earlier – along the coast, you might notice tiny little vendors selling lemon granitas. These granitas are cheaper and even more delicious than the ones in the heart of Positano. Here is where the lemons come into play as well. Like I touched on earlier, the skins on these lemons are so thick which makes them really delicious to eat, and can be found as little chunks inside the granita. These granitas are really just ice, lemon and sugar with these thick rinds, but wow are they addictive. I think in a matter of a few hours I ate at least four or five! Take your granita and enjoy it while watching the beautiful sunset behind Vesuvio. The view from this town is breathtaking and a lovely way to end the day.

The road-side lemon granita… One of many to follow

The stunning sun setting over Vesuvio

 

And there you have it! There is a lot more to see and do along the Amalfi coast in Italy. You could even go on a boat ride to Capri, or visit beautiful Sorrento (one of my favourite places). If you have only a day like I did however, this will be more than enough and truly the experience of a life time. The best part of the Amalfi Coast is definitely the unbeatable views seen virtually everywhere, even along the entire drive through (which some people say can actually be quite scary as you feel like you are close to driving off the cliff). Regardless of your transportation, however long you stay, and even if you really only get to see one of these lovely towns, I know the Amalfi Coast will be one of your favourite destinations. I hope you enjoyed my take on it.

Love, Lisa