An Amalfi Coast city break means relaxing by the beach and exploring whitewashed villages trickling down to the sea. Book an Amalfi Coast hotel to discover one of Italy’s most photogenic locations.The 50km Amalfi Coast hugs the Gulf of Salerno from Sorrento in the west to Salerno in the east. Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are the major towns in between. In southern Italy’s Campania region, the nearest main airport is Naples, on the Bay of Naples a little to the north. The coast’s undulating coves and promontories are topped by a famously narrow winding road, with heart-stopping views of sheer drops plunging down to the sea at every curve. Paths and steps fit for mountain goats connect the pastel-hued coastal villages clinging to rocky cliffs.
The beach is never far away on the Amalfi Coast. Stretches of grey sand alternate with pebble beaches and rock pools. Catch a lift down to the water from Amalfi Coast hotels, and hire a sunbed, umbrella and dinghy for the day. The coast’s longest and best beaches are at family-friendly Maiori and Minori. The coast round to Fornillo reveals beaches for tranquil bathing near Positano and Atrani near Amalfi.
The city of Sorrento is filled with Amalfi Coast hotels and resorts, with views of Naples, Vesuvius and the island of Capri from its clifftop position on the Bay of Naples. Narrow streets radiate from Sorrento’s medieval heart of Piazza Tasso and terraced promenades lead past grand 19th-century hotels. Shop for lace, inlaid wood, embroidery and other local crafts. Or follow the steep ramps and steps dropping down to Sorrento’s fishing harbours for a seafood restaurant.
Romantic terraced restaurants overlooking the sea dominate with fine dining at Amalfi Coast hotels in Positano and Michelin-starred seafood at La Caravella in Amalfi. Davide in Sorrento serves some of the best gelati (ice cream) on the coast. Taste the local Sorrentina wine and lemon-scented limoncello liqueur.
The ferry from Sorrento sails to picture-perfect Positano for the best views of pastel villages and crystal- clear grottoes. The twisting clifftop pathways amble from village to village on an Amalfi Coast city break. The Sentiero degli Dei path runs from Positano to Praiano, a town so steep its streets are more like steps. Scenic walks lead through scented citrus groves to Amalfi and Ravello then on to Minori via the world’s longest set of steps.
Byzantine cathedrals, Moorish domes and Norman bell towers – the Amalfi Coast bears witness to centuries of invasion. Dubbed the Queen of the Seas, Amalfi was a thriving maritime republic before the earthquake of 1343 destroyed the town. The surviving 10th-century cathedral gives a hint of Amalfi’s past glory. Opera buffs flock to hilltop Ravello and the Villa Rufolo, the venue for the annual Wagner festival.
