Costiera Amalfitana
June 2023
2 Days
To see the previous stop on this trip, go here to Capri
The world famous Amalfi Coast stretches from Punta Campanella to Vietri Sul Mare and features stunning sea views from the small towns nestled in the cliffside. You can do day trips by road or water from either Naples or Sorrento, but I highly recommend to take your time and spend a few nights. Positano is the most famous and popular town with prices to match. Any visit to the Amalfi Coast should include a stop in Positano, but we spent some time exploring some of the other towns (including the town of Amalfi) which were much quieter and just as beautiful.
Contents
Daily Itinerary
Ferry from Capri to Amalfi
Seafood cone for lunch at CICA
Drinks at the pool
Dinner at Da Maria
Evening gelato near the Duomo
Ferry ride to Positano
Wander under the wisteria
Lunch at Da Vincenzo
Catch the bus to Praiano
Spend the afternoon overlooking the sea at Cafe Mirante
Get a water taxi back to Amalfi
Dinner at Marina Grande
Ferry
Capri - Amalfi: $25
Amalfi - Positano: $11 + $2 bus ticket back
Hotels
Amalfi Holiday Resort: $705 for 2 nights
▸ 4 star hotel on the main street, but a bit past the busiest area. Comfortable, quiet, and the pool is lovely!
The Pool at Amalfi Holiday Resort - Amalfi, Italy 2023
Food (With Beli Ranking)
Da Vincenzo (7.5) - In Positano, feels a bit like being in a wine cellar with the brick walls. Serving upscale Italian food with plenty of wine options.
Da Maria (7.4)- Rustic looking restaurant with all kinds of statues, sculptures, and other clutter throughout. Serving delicious classic Italian seafood dishes and pasta.
Marina Grande (7.3)- Upscale restaurant right on the water with amazing views. Definitely a tourist spot and on the expensive side, but the food was good.
CICA - Walkup window serving an assortment of fried seafood. If you like seafood, a delicious quick bite to eat.
Cafe Mirante - Small bar in Praiano overlooking the sea and serving delicious cocktails. A hidden gem.
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Ferry to Amalfi
Our ferry to Amalfi first stopped in Positano before continuing on to Amalfi. The total trip took about an hour and a half, though thankfully there were Limoncello Spritzes on board for 10 EUR!
The Port in Amalfi - Amalfi, Italy 2023
Amalfi
Thankfully our hotel had suggest to pre-arrange transport of our luggage to the hotel. Although it wasn't that far, it was uphill on the main street which is a bit narrow to say the least. The stoplight alternates traffic as there's barely room for a single car to get through.
The Main Street in Amalfi - Amalfi, Italy 2023
As we followed our baggage up the main road, we passed a shop serving fried seafood cones and I immediately stopped to get one for lunch. I do love good walking foods and the fish was excellent.
Cup of Seafood at CICA - Amalfi, Italy 2023
Once the crowds of the daytime had departed on the ferries, the center of Amalfi became much quieter and we found ourselves at Da Maria. From outside the restaurant looks small, but expands far back once you are inside. We had a great seafood appetizer, some excellent pizzas, and a great seafood risotto.
Seafood Mix Appetizer at Da Maria - Amalfi, Italy 2023
Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea
Just outside the restaurant were several gelato shops which we were able to enjoy in the main square outside the Duomo.
Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea - Amalfi, Italy 2023
Day 2
Positano
The following day we took a ferry after breakfast to Positano. We were able to walk up to the window to buy tickets for 10 EUR although it was very crowded. This view is one of the most well-known of Positano which you can easily get to by walking up to Via Cristoforo Colombo, just past the famous Le Sirenuse hotel.
Positano from Via Cristoforo Colombo - Positano, Italy 2023
The ferry drops you off on the beach and from there you can make your way up the cliffside through the narrow winding streets. There are plenty of shops with any souvenir you could want, as well as many cafes and restaurants.
Positano, Italy 2023
For another view of Positano overlooking the sea in the background, Viale Pasitea has some great photo locations.
View of Positano from Viale Pasitea - Positano, Italy 2023
Hotel Poseidon is one of the most popular hotels in Positano and in particular Il Tridente, the hotel restaurant. We tried to make a reservation as soon as the dates opened, but as we were not staying at the hotel we did not have any luck. We tried walking in, but unfortunately were told they were fully booked. We continued walking along the street a bit until we came upon Da Vincenzo which turned out to be a great spot for lunch anyway.
Da Vincenzo - Positano, Italy 2023
Praiano
We thought it would be a fun idea to take the bus back to Amalfi and stop in the small town of Praiano on the way. It was quite a hike up to the bus pick-up and we had to run the last bit to catch the bus, but we made it.
Praiano is a small, quiet down between Positano and Amalfi. Compared to the crowds of Positano, there were very few other people in Praiano. We started to make our way to La Gavitella beach (which turned out to be more of a concrete slab than a beach).
To the Beach - Praiano, Italy 2023
As we walked along Via Masa, we were treated to beautiful views of the Amalfi Coast, with Positano in the distance. After walking for a few minutes we started to hear music in the distance.
View of Positano from Praiano - Praiano, Italy 2023
Before we could make it to the "beach" we found the source of the music to be a small cafe right on the cliffside overlooking the Amalfi Coast. The music was great, the drinks were delicious, and the views were unbeatable so we ended up staying here the rest of the afternoon.
Cafe Mirante - Praiano, Italy 2023
Water Taxi
After a few hours at the best cafe in the world, we unfortunately had to head back to catch the bus. While we were waiting for the bus, a man approached to inform us that the road between Praiano and Amalfi was closed for some reason and nobody knew when it would be back open (the bus arrived shortly after confirming it could not proceed).
As it was late in the day, we wouldn't even have time to take the bus back to Positano to get on a ferry. We went in to a nearby cafe and they were able to give us the phone number of a water taxi. Although it cost us 80 EUR instead of the 1.50 EUR bus fare, we at least made it back to Amalfi and weren't even late for our dinner reservation.
Water Taxi Back to Amalfi - Amalfi, Italy 2023
We had our final dinner in the Amalfi Coast at Marina Grande, a fine dining restaurant right on the water near the Amalfi port. The food was very good, although for the location the restaurant was a bit pricier than other meals we had in Amalfi.
Agnolotti with Truffle at Marina Grande - Amalfi, Italy 2023
Overall
I had visited Positano once before on a day trip, but this was the first time visiting Amalfi and staying in the evening. Like Capri, Amalfi was much nicer in the evening once the crowds dispersed. Although the most crowded, I would like to stay in Positano for a night or two to see what it's like when it's less crowded and have some meals there.
To see the next stop on this trip, go here to Naples
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