The dramatic Amalfi Coast is like nowhere else in the world. Home to pretty as a postcard village that cling precariously to the hillsides. Some of the most beautiful sea vistas in Italy and endless roads which stretch into the distance. In this guide, we’re going to show you the very best of the Amalfi Coast, including where to eat and some hidden gems.

There’s just one road on the Amalfi Coast, the Strada Statal 163 Amalfitana. Feared for its curves, but famed for its beauty, it’s impossibly beautiful to drive. And to be honest, the best way to get around the Amalfi Coast is on your own wheels. Because there is a bus service, but it’s not very frequent.

It’s always very busy, and having your own car means that you can slow down, admire the views, and enjoy the beauty of the Amalfi Coast. The road was inaugurated on the 12th of January, 1853. This meant for the first time in history, the Amalfi Coast was connected to Naples by road. This didn’t include Ravello, however, which still relied on donkey travel and hiking for many years after that.

While towns like Positano and Amalfi get most of the attention, there are numerous other beautiful towns on the Amalfi coast that are also worth checking out. And so today, we’re going to be exploring some of the lesser known towns, including one of my personal favorites.

 

Maiori

Maiori is home to one of the biggest beaches on the Amalfi coast and it’s actually been a popular resort since Roman times. Today, this is quite a good place to stay as it’s much cheaper and easier to park in than some of the other more popular towns on the coastline. It’s also full of historical treasures, which we’re now going to explore.

Because the Amalfi Coast is quite expensive, we’ve chosen to save our money by making our own sandwiches.

Well, actually, Antoine’s made them. But what a view for a picnic.

As with any seaside destination, the weather is never 100% predictable, and unfortunately, it is a bit overcast today. But the Amalfi Coast remains beautiful nonetheless. In fact, all of the clouds higher up make it a bit more atmospheric. By the way, less than an hour after we filmed that eclipse, the skies cleared. I think the sun burned off all of the upper clouds. It’s very blue skies again. So, all of the imagery for the rest of the day is going to be just as stunning as what you can see now.

All around the Amalfi coastline, you will actually find historic watchtowers. These were designed in order to warn people along the Amalfi coast of pirate raids. This one is alleged to be the oldest and dates all the way back to the latter half of the 13th century. It’s called the Norman Tower, and it now actually operates as a luxury dining establishment. So, you can have your food and drinks on the tower and enjoy views of the sea below.

What’s truly spectacular about Maiori in particular is that while it doesn’t have the architecture of Positano, it is surrounded by these huge cliff faces which are filled with terrace vineyards and lemon groves.

While most of the cliff faces surrounding Maiori are used to cultivate local produce, there is one standout historical attraction that you can see in the Latari mountain range and that’s the castle of San Nicola. It dates all the way back to the 9th century but unfortunately can only be visited during the mornings. However, you can still admire it for many of the streets surrounding Maiori.

Path of the Lemons

Due to the mountainous nature of this region, it lends itself to hiking very nicely. We’re now going to undertake the path of the Lemons, which connects the towns of Maiori and Minori. We’ve even found a travel companion for the road.

He’s been walking up the steps with us. Apparently, there are 400 in total. So, maybe he won’t come all the way.

We’ve just arrived at Golden Dream Farm. Here you have amazing views onto a lemon grove. We’ve picked up a cafe al lemon which has a little slice of lemon on it, but you can also get food here. The views here are worth the price alone. We’re here with Desiree who owns this beautiful farm. How long have you done this? Oh, that’s a mother story. Me and my husband Vincenzo, we live in front of you there. And we started to renovate this family property during the co because it was the only way to get out. Last year, May 1st, we left our work. We changed our life and we just decide to open our golden dream. And what’s the best thing about living on the Amalfi coast? uh you know you can enjoy the place mostly maybe in winter but no thanks god we work with the tourists so we like so much the summer but it’s a safe place where live we are like a big families because we know each other uh and of course we have a beautiful landscape so the sea just give you all the uh reasons to stay happy and I see as well as the cafe you have cooking classes how can people book Oh, they can book directly to us uh through our website uh or just by the social media. So, Instagram, Facebook.

We do cooking class and we also do yoga class and little events. We are having a very good time and we enjoy so much the time we spend with the people. Well, thank you so much and enjoy the rest of this lovely day. Graci, thank you.

We’re back on the path of the lemons and we’re finally under a lemon grove. You see, on the way up, there aren’t that many lemons to be seen, but once you’re at the top between the two towns, you have the lemon experiences and also being able to walk under the actual lemons. Hopefully, I won’t get hit by one.

This might be the path of the lemons, but it’s also the path of the cats. I don’t think we’ve ever seen so many in Italy, and they all look very well taken care of.

Also, I can confirm that the Path of the Lemons is not just a tourist attraction, but a real working set of lemon groves.

We actually just met some donkeys who take the lemons up and down the mountains because it’s very steep here and you can’t really use motorized vehicles. Minori is so cool because it’s a smaller town right next to Maiori. There’s not much by way of attractions here and we don’t have a lot of time left on our car, so we’re not going to walk all the way down, but the view is pretty spectacular and the church looks very nice. It was then time to drive to our final destination of the day. On route, we soaked up all of the views that this area of Italy is so famous for.

 

Vietri Sul Mare

We’ve just arrived in Vietri Sul Mare which was first inhabited by the Atruscans who called the town Marcina.

Unfortunately, it was mostly destroyed by the Vandals of Geyseric and then the surviving locals rebuilt the town and renamed it Vietri Smare which means glass on the sea.

The church of St. John the Baptist sits at the highest point of the town and dates all the way back to the 10th century. You can actually go inside for free to enjoy the beautiful fresco.

Today, if you visit the town, you’ll find a rich maze of cobbled lanes and also plenty of shopping opportunities.

Now, Viatri boasts a rich ceramic heritage as ceramics and glassware have been made here since the Middle Ages. As soon as you come into the upper town, you’ll be greeted by lots of ceramic shops, making this the perfect spot to pick up a souvenir or two from your time on the Amalfi Coast. One more thing to know about Vietri Sul Mari is that it’s actually split into several sections. You’ve got a hamlet right up on the hill. You’ve got Vietri itself, which is the area where all of the ceramics are produced. And then you’ve got the bit of the marina down at the sea level.

Today we’re going to be exploring some of the most popular towns on the coastline, including Rell and Amalfi.

We’ll also be heading to some hidden gems that you might never have heard of before.

 

Amalfi

If I’m being totally honest, the best views of the Amalfi Coast are from the road. And so we started out the day by walking down from our accommodation to reach Amalfi. On route, we were in awe with a stunning view and crystal-clear waters below.

According to local legend, the Roman god Hercules fell in love with a nymph called Amalfi.

When she died, he chose to bury her in the most beautiful place on earth, between mountains and the sea. And thus, began the town of Amalfi. During the Middle Ages, the Duchy of Amalfi was one of the most important maritime strongholds in what is now Italy. Today, it’s a very popular seaside resort, just as it has been since Edwardian times when wealthy British people used to come here to escape the harsh winters of England. It’s very, very busy as a result and a bit of a nightmare for parking. But there are a few gems to explore, so we’re going to go and see them now.

And Maui has one main high street and it’s always super packed. It’s lined with souvenir shops, though most of them are not places where you probably want to buy a souvenir. However, because Amalfi is also built into a cliff face, if you go off the main road, then you’ll find little passages that lead up the mountain and you’ll find all these quiet courtyards and beautiful facades. The real gem of Amalfi is its grandiose cathedral known locally as the Duomo and its associated buildings.

Nearby you’ll find St. Andrew’s Fountain, which was carved from Kurara marble in the 1760s and stands proudly in the center of town.

Unfortunately, you do have to pay to visit the most important parts of the cathedral. However, as soon as you enter, you’re greeted with a beautiful Closter of paradise, which was built between 1266 and 1268. During the 13th century, this serene space was actually a cemetery for the noble merchants of Amalfi.

Afterwards, you’ll head into the museum space, which houses all kinds of treasures, before you head into the crypt, which is so beautifully decorated. I could have stayed looking at all of the amazing fresco for hours.

Then you’ll head up the stairs to reach the main body of the cathedral itself. The cathedral is dedicated to St.

 

Pogerola

Andrew, who also happens to be the patron saint of Amalfi. [As we had several more spots to see in the day, we ended up taking a bus back to our accommodation before taking our car out to see our next stop of the day. Pogerola is a little village in the hills above Amalfi. It’s actually administratively considered a part of Amalfi, but it feels worlds apart here. We actually wanted to come up here to get lunch because Amalfi is so busy. And there are several restaurants with amazing views onto the surrounding valley, although you do definitely pay the price for that as the food isn’t necessarily the best that you’ll find on the Amalfi Coast. The village is only home to around,00 residents, but the views are simply spectacular and so I definitely recommend coming up here if you have your own car. From here you can see all the way over to Rell and in certain corners of the village you can also see the sea. There’s not much actually here by way of attractions.

There’s a small church with a lovely tiled roof and a few winding streets.

There are a few hiking trails in the hills above the village and I read that you can actually walk all the way down to a Maui. However, we don’t have time to do that today and also, I think that would be a bit tiring. So, let’s go to our next destination.

 

Scala

For amazing views of Rell as well as the sea beyond, then you have to come to Scala. This is the next town up from Ravello on the hill and it just has amazing views, especially around golden hour.

 

Ravello

The impossibly beautiful town of Ravello clings to the cliff faces in the hills above the Amalfi coast. And it’s best known for its breathtaking vistas. It’s also widely referred to as a city of music because it’s long drawn in creatives, writers, artists, and other creative types thanks to its laid-back ambiance and lovely nature.

We’ve just arrived at Villa Ruffalo. This villa and garden could be found right in the heart of Rell, and it’s truly one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy. Villa Ruffalo was built in the 13th century for the immensely wealthy Ruffalo family. It’s a beautiful blend of Sicilian, Norman, and Arabic architecture. And at the height of its grandeur, it is said that it had a room for every single day of the year.

Unfortunately, it did fall into disrepair by the 20th century, but it was built by a wealthy entrepreneur who restored it back to life. Today, you can visit the gardens for a fee, and it’s truly beautiful.

The villa complex is set into several sections and one of the oldest things to visit is actually the Tory Major. This has recently been renovated and you can now climb up a set of steel steps to get to the top and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the entirety of the Amalfi Coast laid out below. The nicest thing about visiting Rell is simply wandering around all of the little streets. The Centro Storico is completely pedestrianized, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes as usual. And you can shop at many of the little souvenir shops dotted around town. To be honest, you don’t need more than a few hours to explore Rell. And I personally enjoy coming in the early evening as this is the best lighting and there are fewer crowds around than during the daytime.

In Ravello, we actually saw even more cats. And this is where we learned that many of the cats in the towns around the Amalfi Coast are protected by law. And it says it on this sign. On our third day, we got up bright and early because we were about to attempt one of the most famous hikes in the region.

Nocelle

We’ve just arrived in Nocelle. This is a little-known hamlet in the mountain above Positano. We have an amazing view onto Positano, but we’re so high up that we’re almost in the clouds. There’s not much to see here, but there are a few cafes. And this is also one of the starting point for the path of gods which is one of the most amazing hiking trails here on the Amalfi coast.

We ended up finding this really affordable little food spot by the name of Il Kiosco del Tentiello. They serve up all kinds of paninis, cold drinks, and snacks with an amazing view onto the surrounding landscape.

 

 

 

The path of the gods

The path of the gods is a 6.5 km hiking trail that runs between Bomberano and Noelli. If you want, you can extend this to reach Priano and Positano on the coastline, but this involves 1,000 more steps. The name the path of the gods is alleged to come from the Odyssey because in this story apparently Ulysses was being attacked by the sirens of Capri and so the gods rushed along this path in order to save him. Even if that might not be true, what is true is that you’re really up in the clouds here. You can see the sea, you can see the mountains, there’s lots of local wildlife. It’s just simply breathtaking. The whole hike takes around 2 hours each way. Unfortunately, we’re not going to have time to do the whole thing today as we have other destinations to see. However, I do think this gives a great insight into what the hike looks like as well as some of the villages on the way.

We’ve arrived at this shaded woodland area and there’s actually meant to be a grotto cafe here. Unfortunately, it’s closed. I think it’s because it’s a weekday and not in high season yet, but I’m sure when you do the hike, it will be open for refreshments. It actually happened to be trash day when we were visiting Nelli. And this is where we learned that because there are no roads, the trash is actually taken out by little donkeys.

Positano

We’re now driving back down to Positano and we’re going to do a quick tour of the town.

Positano is the pearl of the Amalfi coast and it has pretty much everything that this region is so famous for including a beach, pastel hued houses, amazing food, shopping and complete luxury.

As soon as you step foot in Positano, you can see why the crowds are drawn to it. Every single corner you turn is simply breathtaking with the pastel hued houses clinging precariously to the cliff faces.

Because Positano can be so busy, I don’t recommend spending more than a few hours here. We went to restaurant Mediterranean, which was, to be honest, quite expensive, but my dish was very tasty.

The main reason people come to Positano is to go shopping. And once again, the shops here are very expensive. In fact, if you want a cheaper shopping experience in the region, you could consider visiting Sorrento instead.

We then headed back to our accommodation for a few hours in order to rest before the evening.

We’re staying in a B&B in the hills above Amalfi and the owner has actually made us this little sorbet lemon dessert. They also gave us some lemon cello and some cake, but that’s already gone.

Now, if there’s one thing you have to do if you rent a car on the Amalfi Coast and you’re actually staying on it is to go for an evening drive. This is such a different experience from during the daytime when you’re constantly going past buses and other tourists and you mostly have the road to yourself.

We opted to drive all the way down the coastline to reach Positano itself. And if Positano is beautiful during the daytime, then it’s nothing compared to how it looks at night.

The twinkling lights on the horizon matched with the pastel hues of the houses and everything is just so gorgeous. I could have stayed here looking at the view all night. Today we’re going to be focused on the foodie side of the Amalfi Coast, including a visit to a little fishing village that’s a bit off the beaten path, but it’s known for its many seafood options.

 

Cetara

The little village of Cetara has a bit of a different vibe than some of the other towns on the Amalfi coast because the primary industry here is actually fishing rather than tourism. Today, this is widely regarded to be the tuna capital of the world and fish from here get shipped all the way to Japan for sushi making. The name Chitaara itself is thought to derive from the Latin word chitauri which means tuna fishery or fisherman of the large fish.

Cetara is also known for its anchovy industry and the recipe for the colure sauce has probably not changed much since antiquity. Indeed, the Romans in order to season their food because they didn’t have tomatoes would use garam, which is a kind of fermented fish sauce. Today, a lot of the restaurants in town use anchovy paste and sauce in order to flavor their dishes, just as people would have done in antiquity. Because of the local seafood industry there’s lots of amazing restaurants in town. I got some ravioli and I asked for it without any fish. And then Antoine got a spaghetti with the local anchovies. We ended our meal with a local specialty dessert, the dilitzia alimony. So good.

Today, much like Amalfi, there’s just one port and one main road running through town. However, unlike Amalfi, this is a bit of a hidden gem as way fewer tourists come here. And so, when you wander along the little alleyways that lead off of the main road, you’ll find that you have the place to yourself. Cetara has been the victim of many attacks over the centuries, including notably by the Turkish in the 16th century when the town was left almost abandoned. As a result, one of the defining features of the town today is the Vice Regal Tower, which dates all the way back to the 16th century and was originally constructed in order to protect the town from pirates. Cetara is also home to a free beach, which isn’t very common on the Amalfi Coast, where most of the best spots have actually been taken up by Leos, which are paid for beach clubs. However, here you have a huge space where you can lie out on the sand for free. The only thing to note is that the sand isn’t great quality. It’s quite rough and coarse.

 

Erchie

If you head just a few minutes down the coastline by car from Citara, then you’ll get to Erchie. This is a tiny little hamlet which also finds its roots in the fishing trade. It’s very famous for its anches.

 

Boat tour

If you have a little bit more time on the Amalfi Coast and wish to get a slightly different perspective, then I really recommend heading out on a boat tour. A really affordable way to do this is actually to just take the ferry which departs from Sorrento and then stops at Positano and then Amalfi.

Taking a boat ride will also allow you to experience details of the coastline that you would have otherwise missed.

 

Cooking class

Yet another activity that I really recommend while in the region if you have the time for it of course is a cooking class. One of the best ways to get to know another culture is through its cuisine. And while you might be familiar with many of Campania’s most famous dishes, i.e. the pizza. There’s always more to learn.

For example, I had never learned how to make stuffed curette flowers before, and I didn’t realize that is such an intensive process, but also such an art form.

We also learned how to make noki by rolling it on a fork with varied success and little pizza which is a kind of deep-fried mini pizza which is often served as an appetizer.

 

 

 

Praiano

For our final evening, we headed to Praiano for sunset. Here you can enjoy some pretty gorgeous views onto the coastline, including all the way to Positano. For dinner, we enjoyed an incredible meal at a restaurant by the name of Franino.

In fact, we loved this place so much that we actually returned as we visited here a few years ago. Here you can dine as you watch the sunset in a sheltered bay as the boats bob gently on the water.

I loved my pasta dish and Antoine had a risotto. We then finished it off with a shared tiramisu which had been revisited.

If you’re planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast, Naples, Ischia, or Sorrento, then I’ve actually written a book and the details of how to buy it will be in the description box below. Otherwise, thank you so much for watching and don’t forget to like and subscribe for more Italy travel content. See you next time.