Amalfi Coast, Italy
By Steve Lassman, Vice President & General Manager
The Amalfi Coast is a very sophisticated and exclusive place to be in the summer months...
The Amalfi coastline begins with Sorrento and ends in Salerno. Beginning from the eastern coast, Sorrento is the largest town and has the largest port for ferry service to the island of Capri, and to Capri's sister island, Ischia. Sorrento is a beautiful town offering plenty of shopping and a diverse collection of restaurants, as well as a quick train ride to the entrance of historic Pompeii. While Sorrento has no beach to speak of, it does have sunbathing clubs that are located out on the water and make it easy to dive in for a refreshing swim.
Capri is an island located just offshore, but still considered a part of the Amalfi Coast since at one time it was actually connected to the mainland. It has been the playground of the rich and famous for years on end dating back to ancient times. Ancient roman emperors and elite citizens escaped the heat of Rome by visiting the island of Capri. From the Emperor Tiberius villa, you can still see some ancient ruins. Capri can be very expensive though, especially if you easily succumb to boutique shopping. Every Italian designer has a shop here, so in case you need an extra pair of shoes, diamond earrings for your dinner date, an engagement ring for your true love, or you just have to have that couture outfit because you can’t possibly find anything like it here in the states, you'll be in the right place. The main Piazza hums like a hive of bees with tourists and locals all meeting up for lunch or coffee. If you feel like a refreshing swim, you can enjoy the beach clubs at Marina Piccolo where sunbathing has been set up on the rocks and there are fun cafés and restaurants. That is not the only place to swim though, there are many swim clubs where for about 25 Euro a day, you can have a lounge chair, several swimming pools, several restaurants and changing rooms all at your disposal.
Heading along the coastline, you'll find Positano next. Positano is the most famous town of the Amalfi Coast. It has a great central beach area and a small harbor where you can access the ferry service that goes to Amalfi, Capri or Sorrento. Positano is a charming cliff side town with beautiful villas cascading down the cliff side offering the most amazing views. There are also many famous restaurants and hotels in Positano, the shopping is quite sophisticated and luxurious, and there is also easy access to grocery stores. Some of the most spectacular villas that Villas of Distinction has to rent are located within this town.
From Positano, we then headed towards Praiano. Praiano is very much unlike Positano - it is a small and charming village far away from the hustle and bustle of Positano or Sorrento. There is minimal shopping, but there are a few excellent restaurants nearby that are indeed special. Further over is the town of Amalfi. Amalfi has a thriving town center, a nice boardwalk and a small beach area. There are many cafés, restaurants and shops. The Duomo (cathedral) in the town center is marvelous and certainly worth visiting.
Near Amalfi is a town called Ravello. I can say it is a must see, even if you just go for an afternoon. Have lunch at the hotel Palazzo Sasso, sit outside on their terrace and enjoy the incredible view. You will feel exhilarated and high above the clouds!
About Getting to and Getting Around the Amalfi Coast of Italy:
The Amalfi Coast is best serviced by the Naples Airport. The Naples airport is small, but because of its size, clearing customs and collecting luggage was fast and efficient. I do not recommend flying into Rome and then attempting to drive down to the Amalfi coast. This trip really requires a solid understanding of the area. As such, it is best for experienced Italy travelers only.
Transportation Options from the Naples Airport to the Amalfi and Sorrento Coasts:
There are numerous transportation options to the coast once you've arrived at the Naples airport.
- (Recommended) Car & Driver Arrangements - We can arrange a car and driver to pick you up directly from the Naples airport and either bring you to your villa or to Sorrento.
- The Hydrofoil from Naples Port to Sorrento - once in Sorrento, it is easy to pick up a rental car
- Rental Cars from the Naples Airport - by car, the drive to the coast takes about 2 hours
We want you to relax and enjoy the ride to your villa, and that is my primary reason for recommending a car and driver. You can sit back and relax after your flight and not have to worry about any transportation details. Also, with someone else driving you have more opportunity to check out the view. However, if you do want to have a car with you at your villa, you could always have the driver take you from Naples to Sorrento. Once in Sorrento you can easily rent a car to drive to your villa - the rental car office is just a quick 5 minute walk and directly across from the train station in a plaza style building.
