A week in Amalfi: Sorrento, Capri, Positano, Amalfi

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful places in Europe that many people consider for a summer vacation.

So, let's start with the most enjoyable part - the beach vacation. To begin with, let's say that the Amalfi region is rich in beautiful places, but can't boast a lot of good beaches. In fact, there are only two large sandy beaches on the coast - in Positano and on Sorrentina, the rest are arranged on mounds or piles. It is on Sorrentina, in the town of Meta (5 km from Sorrento) that we will stay - next to an excellent free beach.

To get a feel for the local atmosphere, it's best to stay in a small, authentic, family-run hotel in the best Amalfi tradition, with lemon-lined arches, painted pottery and cats in the courtyard.

Here you will be able to relax, swim and admire the surrounding beauty. The main attractions of the coast and the Gulf of Naples are nature, breathtaking panoramas, very warm and clear sea and, of course, picturesque cascades of houses and terraces on steep cliffs. From any point of the Amalfi coast you can enjoy amazing views: from the edge of the sea upward rise stone terraces on which stand old mansions, churches, residential houses. The gardens are green and the air is filled with the scent of lemons and oranges.

The Amalfi Coast was inscribed on the UNESCO Heritage List in 1997 and includes 16 settlements belonging to the province of Salerno: Amalfi, Atrani, Cava de Tirreni, Cetara, Conca dei Marini, Furore, Maiori, Minori, Positano, Praiano, Raito, Ravello, Sant'Egidio del Monte Albino, Scala, Tramonti, Vietri sul Mare.

When planning this trip along the Amalfi Coast, the main thing for us was to make a successful mix of beach vacation and sightseeing - to show all the best, and at the same time leave enough time to have time to relax and enjoy all these beauties. That's why we included Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano and the Capri Islands in our excursion program.

It is better to travel here by public transportation, because all cities are small and finding a place to park your car can be difficult.

Sorrento, Sorrentina Peninsula

Every turn, there's a beautiful panorama! Sorrento is one of the oldest, most famous and popular resorts in Italy. Even Roman patricians came here and built summer residences on cliff tops overlooking one of the most magnificent stretches of the Italian coastline.

You can book a hotel in Sorento with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Sorrento is famous for its picturesque landscapes, where the sea, mountains, flowering valleys and citrus groves coexist. Lord Byron, John Keats, Walter Scott, Charles Dickens and the famous Neapolitan tenor Enrico Caruso loved to vacation here.

We will start our exploration of Sorrento in Piazza Tasso, the cultural center and heart of the city, where dates and friends meet and locals dine in small bistros. A must visit is the Sorrento Foundation and see the rich collection of works by Salvador Dali. We will also walk along the main shopping street Corso Italia, which will lead us to the unique, one-of-a-kind Luigi Maio Street, located at the bottom of a deep gorge that was created after an earthquake. At the "bottom" of the street are two wide car tracks with adjacent pedestrian sidewalks at different levels, which will lead us to a promenade with rocky banks covered with tropical trees and flowers.

Since we will be living only 5 km away from Sorrento, it will be possible to come to Sorrento at least every evening.

Positano

A tiny town in a valley between the mountains, immersed in orange and olive groves. Colorful houses decorated with majolica look like children's toys lost in the grass. The mosaic dome of the church of St. Mary Assunta is the first to sparkle at dawn and the last to cast its glow in the evening dawn.

Positano's fame as an aristocratic resort dates back to the 19th century. Its beauty was admired by Diaghilev, Stravinsky, Picasso, and Steinbeck wrote that Positano seems not quite real while in town, but becomes real when you leave.

Positano is still called the most photographed town in Italy. There are not many sights here, unless you consider that Positano itself is one solid sight - a town among mountains covered with greenery and flowing to the sea with a waterfall of houses and terraces covered with flowers.

Amalfi

A charming little town named after Hercules' lover and a maze of narrow staircases and garden-roofed houses. We will wander through the ancient streets, stop at the central square Piazza del Duomo and visit the famous St. Andrew's Cathedral, where the relics of St. Andrew, taken in the XIII century from Constantinople, are kept; we will definitely look into the amazing beauty of the cathedral courtyard, surrounded by many arches and, of course, take a couple of dozens of photos on the massive wide staircase of the Duomo.

You can book a hotel in Amalfa with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

And in the evening we will meet the sunset on the cozy promenade for dinner in one of the excellent local osterias.

Amalfi, a town of only 5,000 inhabitants, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amalfi's old craft traditions are carefully preserved here: Amalfi's brocade, ceramics and handmade paper are well known outside of Italy, so tourists always have something to treat themselves in the local souvenir stores.

Island Capri

A short boat trip to Capri, the island that was the residence of Tiberius himself, awaits us!

The incredible beauty of the island of Capri and "detachment" from the mainland makes this place a true paradise for a relaxing vacation.

A few steps from where the ferry docks, there is a cable car that will take us to one of the panoramic platforms of the city, where you can enjoy an unforgettable view of the mainland and the nearby Faraglioni cliffs.

The Emperor Augustus Gardens, a Caprian-style botanical garden with many terraces, are a must-see. Even on the hottest day, it is a pleasure to stroll in its shady coolness.

After enjoying the beauty of the Garden, if you wish, you can walk down Via Krupp - this winding street leads to the wild beaches of the island of Capri.

And on the northern coast there is a sight that has become the emblem of the island - the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra). It is named so because of the incredible azure color of the sea water. To get to the Blue Grotto is possible only on a small paddle boat, lying along the bottom.

Amalfitana is called one of the most beautiful places in the world, and we know for sure: a week's vacation is enough to see all the most beautiful things, relax on the beautiful beaches and fall hopelessly in love with this place. And to make it even easier for you to get a taste, we've compiled our top 7 things to do in Amalfi:

• Stop rushing, relax and experience the famous expression "dolce vita" - sweet life.

• Taste the drink that everyone and everywhere drinks here - the local limoncello, particularly at one of the "lemon festivals" that take place throughout the region in the summer.
• Buy cherries and Prosecco and have a night picnic on the beach overlooking dozens of white yachts.
• Take a walk in a lemon grove and visit a cafe under a "lemon" roof - these citrus fruits are almost the most recognizable symbol of Amalfi.

• Taste great wine for just a couple of euros. Here you will find very tasty local wine at prices that differ significantly from ours. And if you add to it homemade mozzarella, Parma ham, Italian "pomodori" and homemade bread bought here, you will have a great Italian-style lunch.
• Have an unplanned shopping spree in Sorrento. Around 7:30pm, all streets from Piazza Tasso to Corso Italia close to vehicles and open to pedestrians. There are many small stores where you can buy souvenirs made of wood, Murano glass, silk products, ceramics, bottles of limoncello of various kinds and many other nice things that you want to pamper yourself on vacation.
• Walk the Path of the Gods from Bomerano to Positano. An unforgettable hiking route that offers panoramic views and is suitable for hikers. The whole way takes about 4 hours, but if you don't want to overexert yourself, you can walk to Nocelle and there take a bus to Positano.