7 of the best things to do on the Amalfi Coast

National Geographic

14 hours ago

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
A landscape of extreme verticality, where gelato-hued houses and terraced gardens cling to sea-facing cliffs, this strip of Southern Italy is justly famed for its beauty. Long a source of inspiration for writers and artists — from 19th-century composer Richard Wagner to Patricia Highsmith, who set her novel The Talented Mr Ripley here — the entire area is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ravello, Amalfi and Positano are its most celebrated towns, and stretching between the latter two is the 30-mile strada statale 163 Amalfitana (SS163), which curves precipitously past an endless series of captivating vistas. It's best to visit off-peak to avoid traffic jams — and overcrowding more generally. April or May is the time to catch spring flowers, while October benefits from warmer seas and seasonal mushrooms on restaurant menus. 1. Wander clifftop gardens in Ravello
Sitting high on the hillside, with no port or beach, Ravello is the least visited of the Amalfi Coast's triumvirate of famous towns — and all the nicer for it. Villa Rufolo hosts an annual classical music festival, but is worth visiting year-round. Spend time admiring the property's hand-painted tiles and Murano glass chandeliers before climbing the 13th-century tower for sweeping views over its cascade of ornamental flowerbeds. The gardens of Villa Cimbrone, a 10-minute walk away along steep, cobbled lanes, are even more impressive. With pockets of lush planting, tree-lined avenues and wisteria-laden pergolas spread across 14.8 acres, their beauty reaches a pinnacle at the ethereal Infinity Terrace, where classical statues peer out over the Mediterranean. Vila Rufolo in Ravello is one of the Amalfi Coast's most recognisable sights. Photograph by ezypix; Getty Images 2. Explore by boat
Some of the area's best views are to be found out on the water — and travelling the Amalfi Coast using its extensive ferry network is often the quickest option, too, allowing you to circumvent congestion on its one coastal road. The towns of Amalfi and Positano have frequent boat services, as do Sorrento and Salerno, but there are also myriad connections between smaller destinations — use Ferryhopper to check timetables and prebook tickets. The comparatively under-the-radar town of Cetara is well worth exploring, as is Maiori, home to the region's longest beach. Campania's ceramics capital, Vietri sul Mare, is the best place to pick up artisanal souvenirs — everything from hand-painted decorative tiles to plant pots shaped like human heads. 3. Find peace in Amalfi's cathedral
The architecture in Amalfi town is a striking reminder of its past glory — between the ninth and 12th centuries, this was the heart of a maritime republic to rival Venice. Today its narrow streets throng with visitors from April to October — but pay €3 (£2.50) for a ticket to enter the Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea, and you'll discover an altogether quieter atmosphere. Begin at the aptly named Paradise Cloister, where pointed archways surround a courtyard garden filled with lofty palms, before descending to gaze at the ornately patterned columns and muralled ceilings of the crypt. Don't bother with a sit-down lunch afterwards — instead, pick up a paper cone of deep-fried calamari or courgette flowers from street food outlet Cuoppo d'Amalfi. The medieval Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea stands at the heart of Amalfi. Photograph by Malcolm P Chapman; Getty Images 4. Walk the Path of the Gods
Surely one of Italy's most scenic day hikes, Il Sentiero degli dei unfolds 2,070ft above sea level, offering the kind of views Icarus must've enjoyed right before the sun melted his wings. Begin in Positano and it's a 1,700-step climb to Nocelle and your first reward: a lemon granita, accompanied by the sight of awesome tufo stone bluffs descending to the sparkling waters of the Tyrrhenian. The path — around four miles long — then meanders through shady woodlands and sunny lemon orchards before reaching the village of Agerola, where a ceramic plaque records D H Lawrence's poetic precis of the route. Completing it takes between three and five hours, depending on pace and which way you choose tackle the path. 5. Discover an underground archaeological site
The classic postcard image of Positano features the colourfully tiled dome of Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta but few realise that, beneath the church, lies a hidden Roman villa. Buried in volcanic matter during the CE 79 eruption of Vesuvius that also submerged Pompeii, this grand private residence was rediscovered two millennia later and finally opened to the public in 2018. Access is via a small group tour; book onto the last slot of the day and you may have its extraordinarily well-preserved frescoes — featuring real and fantastical beasts, plus scenes from classical mythology — largely to yourself. Also eerily fascinating is an adjacent 18th-century burial chamber, once used for the mummification of members of the local social elite. 6. Shop and sunbathe in Sorrento
Although strictly speaking not on the Amalfi Coast but the Sorrentine Peninsula, the latter's namesake resort makes for a delightful day trip, possessing a scale and sense of space that the area's smaller towns lack. Begin with a stroll along Corso Italia, a tree-lined and pedestrianised shopping street, before settling in for a pasta lunch of gnocchi alla sorrentina at L'Abate, a restaurant well placed for people-watching on Piazza Sant'Antonino. You'll need a lie-down after this, so pay €1.20 (£1) for a ticket to board the elevator down to the strip of sand at Marina Grande, where beach clubs like Bagni Sant'Anna rent out deckchairs and parasols for sunbathing on the pier. Charming Villa Treville in Positano is set among spectacular gardens that look out to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Photograph by Umberto D'Aniello (Top) (Left) and Photograph by Umberto D'Aniello (Bottom) (Right) 7. Stay at the former home of a cinematic legend
Film director Franco Zeffirelli's guests at Villa Treville included Liza Minnelli and Elizabeth Taylor, and those staying at this serene, sea-facing property (now a hotel) today will no doubt feel they've ascended to the A-list. Guests are collected from the ferry dock at Positano by private boat — also available for trips to nearby islands like Ischia and Capri – before checking into one of 16 spacious suites. The property's look — epitomised by the Ripley-esque bathing deck and art- and sculpture-filled social spaces — is one of restrained theatricality, while service is informal but attentive. The charming mixologist at white-tiled Bianca Bar serves crisp, citrussy martinis, while terrace restaurant Maestro's is made for languorous al fresco meals, its lantern-dotted tables setting the scene for Romeo and Juliet-level romance. The Amalfi Coast is served by two airports — Salerno's is closest, but a wider range of carriers fly from the UK to Naples. From here it's a 1h40 minute bus ride to the gateway town of Sorrento. Travel onwards by ferry to Positano (40 minutes) or Amalfi (1h30).
Stay at Villa Treville, from €747 (£636), room only.
This story was created with the support of Villa Treville. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).