In my last post, I talked about Sorrento being the perfect base for day trips to nearby places like the gorgeous towns of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. The drive down the Amalfi Coast highway is one of the most nail-biting, breathtaking and unforgettable that I have ever experienced (and, no, I didn’t do the driving…if I had, I probably wouldn’t be here to write this post).
As you set out from Sorrento and head south, you can take either public transportation, an organized tour, or a private driver. We elected to use a private driver on both of our trips. Even though it is more expensive, it was important to us to be on our own schedule and go at our own pace…stopping whenever and wherever we chose. If it is within your means, I highly recommend this option.
We used a different company both times, and both were fantastic.
During the drive down the coast, we were able to stop at different places along the highway to get out of the car and enjoy views like this at our leisure:
On our first trip to Sorrento, we only made it to Praiano and Positano for our day trip. On our second trip, we made it back to Positano, then on to Ravello and Amalfi. Read on for the highlights of what we did in each lovely town.
Praiano
We weren’t sure if we would make it to the Blue Grotto or not (we didn’t), so the reason for our stop in Praiano was mainly to visit the Emerald Grotto. There’s an elevator that takes you down to the beach area, then there are several more (easy) steps into the grotto. You’ll hop into a small boat and away you go. There were only a few other people there when we were, so it was a very private and pleasant experience.
The grotto is beautiful – but you really only spend about five or ten minutes in the relatively small area. The guide who rowed us around had a great sense of humor and made the experience even more enjoyable. At a cost of 5 euros per person, we felt it was a very worthwhile stop.
Positano
If you are visiting Positano as part of a day trip like we did, you will likely spend 99% of your time in one small area of the town. Our driver let us off at the top of a bougainvillea-covered walkway lined with shops and restaurants.
As you wander slowly downward, you will eventually reach the Marina Grande beach and Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta. The church has a beautiful majolica tiled dome that is probably one of the most photographed/painted images in Positano. The interior is a beautiful white and gold, and at the main altar you will find a famous Byzantine panel depicting the Virgin Mary and Child. This alone makes the church worth a visit.
Another benefit of having a private driver is that we had the opportunity (on our first trip) to have lunch high up in the hills of Positano at a restaurant called La Tagliata, which was an amazing experience. The owners were gracious and friendly. We never saw a menu…they just started bringing plates of food to our table. We started with about 10-15 different antipasti. They brought out so much food that we initially thought it was our whole meal, but then they came back with several kinds of pasta and then a few desserts.
They also gave us plenty of house wine, water and glasses of limoncello at the end. The lunch lasted for several hours, and we enjoyed the beautiful view over Positano as we ate. The whole experience was one we will never forget.
Ravello
Driving further along the coast, you will arrive in Ravello. The main attractions here are two villas: Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone. We started at Villa Rufolo.
An imposing tower built in the 14thcentury marks the entrance to Villa Rufolo. Since we were visiting in November, a lot of the flowers in the sprawling gardens were no longer blooming, but some still were.
And, of course, the views are incredible.
Next, we went to Villa Cimbrone. At the entrance of the Villa, there is a small, but pretty, cloister.
As you continue walking through the vast and beautiful gardens, you will come across many statues and fountains.
But the Villa is most famous, I think, for its oft-photographed 18th century marble busts and the view from the Terrazza dell’Infinito. As the name might suggest, the breathtaking views seem to go on forever.
Amalfi
We made it to Amalfi on our second trip and started off by having lunch at a restaurant our driver recommended: Lido Azzuro. It was right on the water and the food was incredible. I was the only one who ordered an antipasto (a Caprese salad with the best, freshest mozzarella I have ever tasted). However, when the waiter came out with my dish, he also brought everyone else an antipasto of breaded and fried tomato and provolone cheese. He told us that the chef declared there couldn’t be only one person at the table eating, so these were his gifts…and they were delicious!
After lunch, we hiked up all the steps to the beautiful duomo only to find that it was closed.
We walked around Amalfi for a little while, did some shopping, then headed back to Sorrento. On the drive home, we were lucky enough to see the sun setting over the water. It was a beautiful sight none of us will ever forget.
A fitting end to a wonderful day!
The peace and beauty that you will experience in this part of Italy is unforgettable.
One note of caution that I want to share with you. If you are prone to car- or motion-sickness (as I am), you absolutely must take precautions for the winding drive along the coast. If Dramamine works for you, definitely take it. I don’t like taking Dramamine, so I bought a ReliefBand®, which kind of looks like a watch. It works by emitting electrical impulses to your wrist that block the signals inside your body that cause you to feel dizzy and nauseous. It has five different levels of stimulation, and I think I had mine set on 1 or 2 for the drive and that was sufficient.
However, as I will discuss in my next post about Capri, even having it at level 5 couldn’t save me as we took a boat tour around (well, halfway around) the island.
Have any of you been captivated by the awesomeness of the Amalfi Coast? Which town was your favorite and why? Please share in the comments below!
Each and every one of these photos is breathtaking!!
Thanks so much, Liz! I appreciate you always taking the time to read and to comment. 🙂