Amalfi Coast

2,225 Views | 20 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by mavsfan4ever
mavsfan4ever
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AG
Anyone ever been to the Amalfi Coast? What was your experience? My wife is trying to decide on a vacation spot and someone recommended Positano to her.
TXTransplant
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Stayed in Sorrento two years ago and took day trips to Positano, Amalfi, and Capri, as well as a boat cruise all around the coast (that really is the best way to see everything). Capri was amazing, and you can easily spend an entire day there. I really wanted to go to Ravello, but ran out of time. If I ever go back, I'd probably stay in Positano. The whole area is really beautiful, and I don't think you can go wrong no matter where you stay.
mavsfan4ever
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AG
Thanks for the reply. Other than beach and boat tours, what did you actually do day to day? How crowded was the beach (the pics look pretty crowded). Did you stay in a hotel or Airbnb?
TXTransplant
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mavsfan4ever said:

Thanks for the reply. Other than beach and boat tours, what did you actually do day to day? How crowded was the beach (the pics look pretty crowded). Did you stay in a hotel or Airbnb?


We walked around a lot. Part of our trip was a guided tour, so we got a lot of history of the area. When we weren't with a group, we just walked around, ate gelato, and walked in all the cute little shops that line the street. Lots of pretty leather goods, pottery, and specialty paper/stationery to look at. The streets are narrow and windy, with lots of stairs, and you literally never know what you're going see around the next corner. That's the kind of stuff that I really enjoy doing.

There is also a big church in Amalfi. We couldn't go in because there was a wedding going on, but that's another option. The trip up to Ravello would have taken a couple of hours. There is an iconic view that I wanted to see, but we ran out of time. You can also hike between the towns, if you enjoy that.

The beaches we went to were small, and they weren't typical beaches. The sand is really small pebbles. I didn't really have any desire to hang out at the beach, and some of the beach areas are for guests of private beach clubs. But they are pretty to look at and snap some pictures (especially the iconic stacked houses pic in Positano).

Capri is the same...you kind of just walk around and enjoy it. The views are amazing, and there are lots of shops and cafes where you can linger. There was an amazing perfume shop that I really loved. It's near some public gardens that are also lovely to wander around in. There is also a path you can walk down to the beach in the back side of the island. It's a little tricky to find, but worth it. You also never know who you might see in Capri, so that makes it kind of fun.

Stayed in a hotel in Sorrento that was absolutely gorgeous, but I wouldn't hesitate to book an Airbnb. There all all sorts of accommodations to choose from, depending on your budget. I think this is a location where it's worth it to splurge on something with a great location and beautiful view.

We also went swimming in the sea off of Capri. That was a great experience, too. But, overall, the mood here is more leisurely than active. It's such a beautiful place that you just want to take your time and enjoy all of the sights.

We also visited Pompeii in our way from the Amalfi Coast to Florence. I also highly recommend this. It really is amazing. It would probably take maybe 1/2 if a day.
07ag
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AG
stayed at villa rosa in positano for a few nights in 2016, absolutely gorgeous place. breakfast delivered to our balcony every morning included in base rate. would want to go back, but getting there is a hassle
dylan
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We really loved Capri and Sorrento and then visiting nearby Pompeii as well. So wonderful yet not overly crowded at all those spots compared to Rome and Florence. In Sorrento, the wood furniture shops were amazing and the lemons in Capri...fabulous.
752bro4
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AG
Amalfi Coast is our favorite part of the world. We're headed back in May for the 2nd time in 2 years. We stay at Onda Verde in Praiano, about 1/2 way between Amalfi and Positano.

I thought Capri was great for a day, but gets crowded quickly. As soon as you get there, hightail it to the top. The yachts there are unbelievable.

Ravello is probably the prettiest spot there. It's expensive for food/lodging, but well worth a day trip. There are $8 open too buses you can take from Amalfi to the Ravello. The buses are hardly on time, but they're a cheap way to get there.

You can spend a day or two each in Positano and Amalfi just walking around and looking at stuff. But any more than that, and I felt like it was the same thing again. Wife: "Hey look, a store filled with linen!" Me: "The store next door is selling beers for 2EU each. I'll be right outside when you're done."

Take water taxis as much as possible, worth it to avoid road traffic, and the views are incredible from the sea.
Aggie95
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AG
It's been a while but we stayed in Positano and absolutely loved the hotel. The Amalfi Coast is fantastic. I am biased as my mom's side of the family is from there and her maiden name is still pretty prevalent.
TXCityAggie
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AG
I've stayed in Sorrento and Positano and they were both amazing. When I return I will stay in Sorrento. Positano is beautiful, but Sorrento is much easier to walk around and enjoy. It's also better to stay in Sorrento if you are plannning on taking a day trip to Naples and/or Pompeii.
Player To Be Named Later
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AG
The Amalfi coast is high on my bucket list... what time of the year can you generally find the best airfare?
TXTransplant
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Player To Be Named Later said:

The Amalfi coast is high on my bucket list... what time of the year can you generally find the best airfare?


International airfare lately has been a crapshoot. We went in June 2016, and I paid $1000/ticket to fly from IAH to Amsterdam/Florence to IAH. I bought the tickets about 90 days out. This year, prices are about $2k a ticket. That's what they were in Jan, and they never did drop like what you would expect. I opted to keep our vacation domestic this year (Hawaii) because airfare was so expensive (Hawaii was, too, but I had points on Hawaiian Air that I cashed in).

If it's really on your bucket list, just plan the trip and don't worry about trying to get a deal on airfare that might never materialize.

May and September are supposed to be really good "off-season" times to visit (although, we did not find mid-June to be that crowded), but you still won't necessarily find a "deal". I believe the had snow on the Amalfi Coast in March - not really what I want to see if going to a seaside location.
Player To Be Named Later
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AG
Looks like if we are willing to spend a night in New York each way, we'd save up to $1,000 total by flying Southwest from Love Field to NY then flying to Milan the next day. Certainly worth considering.
TXTransplant
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Player To Be Named Later said:

Looks like if we are willing to spend a night in New York each way, we'd save up to $1,000 total by flying Southwest from Love Field to NY then flying to Milan the next day. Certainly worth considering.


That may be a work-around. It wasn't an option I considered for our Italy trip (wanted to maximize my time in Italy and didn't want to deal with NYC and customs on the return flight). But that's the exact strategy I used for our Hawaii trip next month. SW to San Diego and then San Diego to Kona the next morning.
Crazy Ag 97
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AG
Player To Be Named Later said:

The Amalfi coast is high on my bucket list... what time of the year can you generally find the best airfare?
We just booked flights on American/British Airways last Thursday for our anniversary trip in October. Not our first choice of airline, but a roundtrip from IAH to Rome was $555 each. Deals are there to be found, just track your dates in google flights and on hopper (app). We plan on spending 4 or 5 days down in the Amalfi Coast area before heading back north.
mavsfan4ever
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AG
We just booked flights for June 29-July 7. We were surprised that flights were so expensive, but it's a good time for us to go so we went ahead and booked.

We are currently planning on doing 2 nights in Rome, 3 in Amalfi and 3 in Positano. We have booked rooms, but they are refundable up to a certain date, so we could decide to change up the locations.

Thanks for all the info.
Oak Forest Ag
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AG
Absolutely one of my top five places to eat in the world is La Tagliata, just up the hill from Positano.

Call from your hotel or B&B and they will pick you up in a shuttle bus and deliver to the restaurant, then back down to town afterwards.

jeffdjohnson
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82 Ag said:

Absolutely one of my top five places to eat in the world is La Tagliata, just up the hill from Positano.

Call from your hotel or B&B and they will pick you up in a shuttle bus and deliver to the restaurant, then back down to town afterwards.




La Tagliata provided probably the greatest view I've ever had while dining. I wouldn't say it was the best meal I had in Italy but maybe the most memorable experience. Personally, I liked Rome more than the Amalfi coast. But I think that depends on if someone is looking to relax or explore. I'm weird and don't like to relax on vacation. We ended up mostly wandering around Rome/Vatican City with side trips to Florence, Positano and Pompeii.
Benson32
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Don't miss out on Ravello. Highly recommend spending at least a half day there. It's a nice escape from the crowds of Amalfi.
tdm89
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My wife and I just got back from a trip to Italy. We started the trip by flying to Naples and getting a car service to Positano. We stayed at Hotel Buca di Bacco which was very nice and one of the best locations in Positano. We opted for a beach view room with the balcony and it was extremely relaxing to just sit on the balcony and have a drink. The restaurant at the hotel was good as well, and their breakfast (included) was very, very good.

My favorite thing that we did was rent a small boat - looks like an inflatable raft, but the inside is fiberglass and it had a 40 HP engine on it. We took it out ourselves with no captain and went over to Capri. The views along the coast are amazing. We had so much fun that we rented the same boat the next day and went the other way along the coast to see the different villages from the water and went almost all the way to Salerno. It was 70EU for the first hour and we could keep it out as long as we wanted and just settled up when we returned. There was an anchor onboard which they said we could use if we saw a beach we wanted to stop at. We didn't really swim because the water was a little cold.

All in all, 3 days there was plenty for us, but I would go back again just for the relaxation and the views. Completely amazing.
mavsfan4ever
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AG
tdm89 said:

My wife and I just got back from a trip to Italy. We started the trip by flying to Naples and getting a car service to Positano. We stayed at Hotel Buca di Bacco which was very nice and one of the best locations in Positano. We opted for a beach view room with the balcony and it was extremely relaxing to just sit on the balcony and have a drink. The restaurant at the hotel was good as well, and their breakfast (included) was very, very good.

My favorite thing that we did was rent a small boat - looks like an inflatable raft, but the inside is fiberglass and it had a 40 HP engine on it. We took it out ourselves with no captain and went over to Capri. The views along the coast are amazing. We had so much fun that we rented the same boat the next day and went the other way along the coast to see the different villages from the water and went almost all the way to Salerno. It was 70EU for the first hour and we could keep it out as long as we wanted and just settled up when we returned. There was an anchor onboard which they said we could use if we saw a beach we wanted to stop at. We didn't really swim because the water was a little cold.

All in all, 3 days there was plenty for us, but I would go back again just for the relaxation and the views. Completely amazing.


The boat sounds great. Is there just a main beach where you rent the boats from? I was wondering if some places would let you take boats out on your own instead of going with a captain. Sounds like they will.
tdm89
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On the beach in Positano there were a couple of kiosks where you could sign up for different things including the boat rental. They were very nice to work with and my biggest surprise was that there were basically no rules like you would have in the US. The only rule I recall was don't "beach" the boat. They said to throw the anchor about 20 yards offshore and swim into the beach instead of parking the boat on the beach.
mavsfan4ever
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AG
Did you actually get out of the boat and go into town at Capri or just view Capri from the water? I'd be a little nervous the boat wouldn't be there when we got back if we just anchored it and left it there.
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