La Amalfi Coast It is undoubtedly one of the best tourist pearls in Italy, but it is also true that for a first trip it can be somewhat overwhelming. There is so much to see, to experience… where to start? How much time do you have to spend on it?
Which towns are worth visiting? How long should you stay? What is the best route to follow? So, we are going to ask ourselves many questions. So, our intention in Actualidad Viajes is to simplify things a little and reduce everything to a simple premise. Amalfi Coast: what to see.
Amalfi Coast
First you have to know that the Amalfi coast It is a stretch of the Italian coast on the Tyrren SeaOr, right on the Gulf of Salerno, in the beautiful Campania region. All the municipalities that make up this coastal section are part of the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1997.
This coast was formerly part of the Amalfi Republic, one of those maritime republics so common at some point in Italy. Amalfi is then the historical capital , although today it is a friendly, small and picturesque town. Other popular municipalities are Ravello and Positano, but there are even more: Cetara, Atrani, Furore, Maiori, Minori, Praiano, Conca del Marini, Scala, Tramonti and Vietri sul Mare.
What to see
The truth is that there are many possible routes and you always have to think about how many days we have and how much we want to know. While yes it is possible to know the Amalfi coast in one day, The truth is that it would be appreciated more with more days. Okay, in 24 hours one can get to know a bit of Amalfi, Ravello and Positano, the most popular destinations, but there are some wonderful places out there.
So, in principle it will depend on your interests, but if one day seems very little then a good average is 3 days to tour the area. If not, with five you are more than fine. Don't have a lot of time? Then the best option of all is to hire one of the tours that are offered directly in Rome and that include, in addition to the Amalfi coast, Pompeii.
Well then, another thing to know is that for any itinerary along the Amalfi coast one can start from a central location, for example Sorrento. And to mobilize you can always rent a car or scooter or get around by boat or public transport. Everything will also depend on the time you go. When it is summer and tourism abounds, buses can be annoying and traffic may be chaos.
Let's see then a first 24 hour itinerary to know from Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. You start with Positano, with its perfect beach and its little houses hanging from the mountains in the background. You can buy in their stores, eat an ice cream ... The next stop will be Amalfi, a very medieval and charming town. It was once a bit bigger, but an earthquake in 1343 caused much of the town to sink into the sea.
Here in Amalfi you should concentrate on visiting the cathedral in the main square, a beauty, and paying a small entrance fee you can see Roman sarcophagi in the cloisters and treasures of religious art. Despite the fact that there are always tourists in Amalfi, this place is beautiful. Of course, to reach Positano you have to go up a bit and visit the beautiful gardens of Villa Rufolo there because the views are from another world.
Sound like a lot for one day? Well, yes, but there are countless people who only do this scoring of towns. While you can take a ferry from Sorrento to Positano it is best to go by bus. At the Sorrento train station you can buy an all-day ticket to use the bus, the ticket office is right at the entrance stairs to the station, so you can go back and forth through these towns for around 7 euros. Just remember to travel early in high season.
Now, following this scheme we can propose you a second day in Sorrento It is a very nice place with beautiful streets lined with small shops and cafes. You must visit the Church of San Francisco, with a beautiful cloister attached to the temple and with wonderful views of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvio, as well as the ruins of the Vallone dei Mulini mill. There is also Piazza Tasso and its adjacent shopping streets. The truth is that Sorrento is small and friendly and unless you want to know the suburbs, the city itself easily covered on foot.
The third day we arrived at Capri, one of the most famous destinations in the world. Capri is a beautiful island surrounded by turquoise sea that concentrates the jet set international for… thousands of years? One of the most touristic points is the so-called Gruta Azul, a cave in the sea whose waters acquire a deep and luminous blue tone with the sun. It is reached by boat and it is the same boat that makes you travel the coast touristically and even reach the no less known Faraglioni rocks.
In the Capri marina there are several agencies where you can book these tours, but it is always advisable to book in advance. If you have time, after touring Capri you can take a bus to anacapri, just 10 minutes and for 2 euros nothing more. Here you can climb the chairlift and climb to the top of Monte Solaro, the highest point of the island. The views! You may be wondering if Capri is expensive, yes, but it is worth going and getting to know it, what do you want me to tell you?
To get to Capri from Sorrento you must go to the Marina Piccolo, the largest of the two marina, buy the ticket and voila, the trip is 20 minutes and the price varies depending on the time of day. The earlier it tends to be cheaper. Once in Capri you can sign up for a tour, if you like those things more organized.
On the 4th it is the turn of Pompeii. The truth is that although it is not on the list of towns on the Amalfi coast it is a sin to be in Naples and not visit this historical site only one in the world. I wouldn't leave this out. It is like traveling back in time, it is something wonderful and offers a totally different experience from that of the Amalfi towns where fun or interest passes elsewhere.
And filially, on day 5 we have Nápoles herself. It may have a reputation for being dirty, untidy and unfriendly but it is an authentically Italian city and well worth a visit if you are in the area.
There is the Archaeological Museum, with objects found in the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and things from ancient Egypt too, there is the Gesú Nuovo ChurchWith free entry and a very beautiful gold and blue interior, you can take a tour of the underground Naples or visit the Royal Palace of Caserta. You can get to Naples by train from Sorrento and on the way back you can change and take the ferry.
Finally, When should you visit the Amalfi Coast? The area has a Mediterranean climate so It can be visited all year round, but spring and autumn are more pleasant to enjoy the views with fewer people. Then, keep in mind that in addition to visiting towns there are other experiences: climbing, walking, enjoying some of the 100 beaches in the area, boating, visiting old and elegant villas ... after all there is too much concentrated in a little space.
Recommendations: do the Path of the Gods, the best hike on the Amalfi coast, with incredible views. The road goes from Bomberano to Nocelle and it takes almost three hours to complete the almost 7 kilometers it has. The road passes through old towns, ruins and wonderful views. You arrive by public transport, SITA bus, to Amalfi, and from there another bus to Bomberano. Atrani is another possible destination, small, intimate and well Italian. It is only a 10 minute walk from Amalfi and the beach is very picturesque with sun loungers and umbrellas.