amalfi coast - best coast
The Amalfi Coast - a destination on many people’s bucket list. I can speak from personal experience that it is an absolutely amazing place. From Capri to Ravello - the Coast is a magical place full of beach clubs, fantastic restaurants, great shopping, and an all around good time.
The coast is made up of many different towns and islands. Below, you will find information on Capri along with Positano, and a mention of the other amazing yet smaller towns. The Amalfi Coast is not a trip that you can really do on a budget - just an FYI - or at least do it the right way! Also, carbs and wine doesn’t count when in Italy. Enjoy all of the food and vino PLEASE.
CAPRI
When you think of Capri - you think of posh. From the iconic beach clubs to absolutely amazing restaurants, the crystal blue water and the quaintness of the town center, Capri is a must for any Amalfi Coast trip. Capri is separated into two areas - Capri and Anacapri. Most of the restaurants, shops, etc. are located in Capri, but if you decide to stay in Anacapri, you can take a car to the outskirts of town and then walk to all of the restaurants. The town center of Capri does not allow any cars - so put your walking shoes on.
ACCOMMODATIONS
With amazing views of the blue ocean, Hotel La Scalinatella is your traditional Italian-coast hotel. The rooms really let the ocean speak for itself. Open your terrace doors and take in the amazing breeze. The location of Hotel La Scalinatella is fantastic - just a short walk from downtown Capri & a hike down the mountain to the famous beach clubs. The entry way is filled with amazing flowers and beautiful greenery. Take a deep breath and just relax!
On one of the further tip of the island - overlooking the beach clubs and fantastic rock formations plummeting out of the water, Punta Tragara is a wonderful 5-star hotel. The style is less traditional and more contemporary with white and hints of beige throughout. While it is a longer walk into town, it is still totally doable and worth the location - duh because of the views.
With such an amazing location, Capri Tiberio Palace is an absolutely fantastic hotel (and one that I have personally stayed at). It is quirky in style - think Jonathan Adler - with a mixture of colors and patterns. The hotel is located close to town - literally less than a 5 minute walk - but the ocean is still in view. Honestly, it’s just fun all around!
HONORABLE MENTION | Capri Palace
Capri Palace is a luxury, 5-star hotel located in Anacapri. The hotel is in a secluded part of the island, away from the hustle and bustle of Capri town. It has a two Michelin-starred restaurant and fantastic spa. The rooms are so serene - white, neutral, & blue - minimal in style and perfect for relaxation!
DINING & BEACH CLUBS
AKA - the lemon restaurant. I think it speaks for itself, no? Enjoy an amazing Italian meal with the night time sea breeze flowing nestled under fantastic lemon trees. Did I already sell you? I thought so.
A Michelin-star restaurant in the middle of the town of Capri. The views are out of this world - and I’m speaking from my firsthand experience. The restaurant focuses on Mediterranean cuisine and offers an authentic culinary + wine experience.
La Fontelina Beach Club & Restaurant
Now talk about ICONIC - if I showed you a picture of blue and white umbrellas on a rock overlooking the ocean, would you be able to tell me where it is? Probably, because La Fontelina is ICONIC (I say it again). Known more for its beach club scene, it is good to keep in mind that it is a restaurant as well. Insider tip - reserve those sun beds + lunch reservations as soon as you can. Trust me!
Da Luigi ai Faraglioni Restaurant & Beach Club
Now not as famous as La Fontelina, but literally just across the rocks - Da Luigi is definitely a place where you want to spend a day drinking a spritz and soaking up the sun. With authentic Mediterranean cuisine, have a lovely lunch and then stay - for hours and hours.
SO MILLENNIAL
La Fontelina blue & white umbrellas
Da Paolino under the lemon trees
Il Riccio for lunch
Boat trip around the island
Blue Grotto
Quisisana patio with an aperol spritz
INSIDER TIPS
How do you get here you ask? The cheaper option is a ferry from Naples - the more expensive option is a private boat transfer from Naples. Either way, you’ll make it Capri in no time!
Caveat here - be careful when booking a hotel in Capri due to the two different regions. You ideally do not want a hotel smack dab in the middle of Anacapri so be sure to look at a map prior to booking. The hotels with the best location, are at a premium, especially during high high season (July and August).
Wanna party? Hit up Anema e Core. Just trust me!
POSITANO
One of the most famous images of the Amalfi Coast - the beautiful multi-colored houses on the cliff overlooking the bright blue sea. Positano is the hub of the Amalfi Coast in my opinion. It is the image that comes to everyone’s minds. The food, the views, the shopping, the hotels, everything is perfect to a “T”. Now… these hotels are expensive - I ain’t gonna put it nicely here, but so worth it!
ACCOMMODATIONS
Located on the main road, you’ll find this charming hotel nestled into the beautiful buildings. Some rooms are white with some pops of color - really letting the outside shine and others have tile floors and are a bit more traditional in style. Really you can’t go wrong with either. Al Palazzo restaurant is a multi-sensory journey literally just steps outside of your room. Take a dip in the pool and take in the Positano view.
Sitting halfway up Positano’s famous cliff, Hotel Poseidon gives you a spectacular view of the town and the sea. The rooms are quirky and a little bohemian but still light and airy. They have a vintage Volkswagen Beetle as their house car - and that is just a perfect touch to use for a last minute day trip throughout the coast.
Moving up the luxury ladder, Villa Treville is a 5-star property in Positano. It is located a bit outside of the main town and one of the biggest perks - drum roll please - a private beach! All rooms are spread throughout 4 villas located on the cliffs overlooking the blue sea. The decor is more traditional Italian but isn’t that part of the charm?!
HONORABLE MENTION | Le Sirenuse
One of the most famous Amalfi Coast hotels - Le Sirenuse - is the token red building nestled in the beautiful Positano cliff line. If you don’t recognize the building, you should recognize the name. Le Sirenuse is so well known and ultra luxurious, not to mention the restaurant is world famous. La Sponda overlooks the most fantastic views of the town with the most mouth-watering food. The rooms at Le Sirenuse are more toned-down than the other hotels - they offer a more subtle color palette with fabric that screams luxury.
DINING
Gosh, the restaurants in Positano are absolutely amazing - from Michelin-starred to mom & pop joints - you can’t go wrong. Not to mention, the food is so fresh… just straight mouth-watering.
Relaxed yet intimate, Chez Black is an ideal restaurant for a romantic dinner or even just a casual lunch. With all kinds of Mediterranean seafood dishes, you will not have a lack of options when deciding what to enjoy - from sea urchins to Paccheri Pasta. The list is endless.
Situated in Le Sirenuse, La Sponda is a MUST. With absolutely stunning views of the sea, enjoy the poolside terrace and stunning food. If the walls could talk - they would talk about all of the famous people that have dined at this restaurant and all of their crazy life stories.
Ristorante Da Adolfo Di Bella Sergio
Take a boat ride (just 5 minutes) from Positano to this world-famous restaurant. There is a boat that leaves to take you to lunch or dinner, so no worries on transportation. Feel free to wear your swimsuit, sit in the sun, and eat some fantastic grilled fish, grilled mozzarella, and mussel soup (just to name a few).
SO MILLENNIAL
Iconic town / hill view
l’Incanto beach lounges
Franco’s Bar
The Delicatessen
Positano by night
INSIDER TIPS
Positano is on the mainland, so you would fly into Naples where you can then take a taxi / car service or rent a car but note, the roads are winding!
Don’t schedule yourself too much here. Dinners are must for reservations during high season, but give yourself time to explore the town at your leisure.
There are also amazing towns nearby - Amalfi, Ravello, Salerno, etc. - which I HIGHLY suggest you take a day trip and explore!
WANT SOME MORE INSPIRATION?
While Capri and Positano are the most popular locations on the coast, there are amazing additional areas to explore. As I stated above, Amalfi, Ravello, and Salerno are fantastic. To be honest, Ravello is my ABSOLUTE favorite spot - however, it is much more quiet, low key, and feels a little bit more authentic. If you want another island to consider, Ischia is fantastic.
There are some restaurants that are not “technically” located in Positano that I would highly suggest. This section is just to name a few other properties and restaurants that are 100% on my “must stay” or “must dine at” list. Enjoy!
ACCOMMODATIONS
Palazzo Avino | Ravello
This is the hotel that I would live in. This is the hotel that I would dream about being married at. It’s a family-owned property in the heart of Ravello (which is higher up on the cliffs - so not on the water) but still offering absolutely stunning views. Now, it’s definitely a higher price point - 5+ star but worth considering. There are two different style of rooms - traditional and very modern - so pick your choice and enjoy. While not on the water, they do have a beach club that is accessible via their shuttle that runs throughout the day.
Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa | Ischia
Ischia is typically not as crowded as say Capri, but it still offers the amazing island vibes that you are craving. Look out over the sea in their stunning rooms, boasting white with blue accents. Enjoy their thermal pools, their clay tennis court, and seawater pool. There isn’t the beach club influencer vibes like Capri, but sometimes you want to get away from that, amirite?
DINING
Accessible via boat, enjoy this absolutely fantastic restaurant (trust me, I can say this from experience). It is situated on the water with stunning views, enjoy their famous salt-encrusted fish. When I was there, it was zucchini season and DAMN, zucchini pasta, stuffed zucchini, etc. Mouth-watering if I do say so myself.
The “restaurant on the sea”. It offers the best and freshest products cooked with simplicity and love. It’s authentic, down-to-earth, and absolutely a must.
TRAVEL TIPS
Eat the extra piece of bread - just do it
Taxis cannot go into the main town of Capri so put on your walking shoes
Fly into Naples and either take a boat to the islands or drive to the mainland towns
You need euros - some restaurants are cash only
Pack a light jacket for the evenings
Season is May until October - most places do close during off-season
