22 Best Things to Do in the Amalfi Coast, From Visiting Villages to Learning About Lemons

23.07.2024 - 00:04 / cntraveler.com

Undeniably one of the most spectacular and dramatic stretches of coastline in the world, the celebrated Amalfi Coast pulls in millions of visitors from across the globe each year, all of them attracted by a heady, irresistible mix of astonishing scenery, exclusive hotels, superb food, endless expanses of shimmering blue sea, and a frisson of old-world glamour. There’s plenty to see and do, too, with activities ranging from cooking classes and wine tastings to hikes, day trips to Capri and Salerno, and visits further afield to the world-class archaeological sites at Herculaneum and Paestum.

Moving around is a huge problem in high season and these days, the SS163 Amalfi Coast Drive is as famous for its crawling, bumper-to-bumper traffic as it is for its Instagram-perfect scenery. Visit off-season (April and October are perfect) and move around by boat wherever possible; there are good links between Salerno and the principal coastal towns.

The winding road of the SS163 Amalfi Coast Drive is backgrounded with stunning views of Northern Italian countryside, from quaint villages to endless seascapes.

Or, better still, get someone else to drive for you. The legendary SS163 Amalfi Coast Drive is a white knuckle ride that, in its 40-odd mile length from Positano to Vietri-sul-Mare to the east, weaves in and out of deep gorges and slices through whitewashed villages, lemon and olive groves, all to the backdrop of the shimmering sea. But if you are concentrating on driving, you won’t see anything, so either hire a car with a driver or hop on one of the big SITA buses so you can just sit back and enjoy.

Positano comes to life in its lively terraces, seafaring communities, and vibrant pockets of artisanal shops.

Positano is crammed with tourists in high season, but it is still achingly pretty. Its pastel-hued houses tumble down the cliffside and string out along the beach like they are waiting for a romantic moment fit for cinema. There’s not a lot to do except wander around the steep, stepped lanes lined with tiny shops selling flowing linen garments and bejeweled sandals, or hang out on chic hotel terraces sipping Champagne (my favorite is Aldo’s Bar at the Le Sirenuse). Hire a boat for trips along the rocky coast or to the Li Galli islands, and don’t miss a visit to the Roman Villa.

Positano's ongoing restoration efforts seek to uncover and preserve the impressive ancient artistry of the Roman Villa for generations to enjoy.

Only open to the public since 2018, Positano’s Roman Villa lies several feet under the Church of Santa Maria Assunta—it was buried in the same 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius that devastated Pompeii. For now, only one room is on view, but what a room! The walls of the triclinium (dining room)