7 days on the Amalfi Coast

A gentle first day in a village built straight down a cliff. Late breakfast, a swim, and the lanes in the golden hour.

1. Breakfast

   A lemon granita

   Shaved ice with the juice of the big local lemons, sharp and cold. A slow start to a warm morning, eaten on a step in the shade.

   Local tip Order it in the cup, and eat it before it melts.

   
2. 1
   MorningWorth a short visit

   Santa Maria Assunta

   The church with the tiled dome at the heart of Positano. Step in for a cool, quiet minute before the lanes fill up.

   Go when Morning, before the lanes fill up.

   Local tip Look up at the tiled dome, then step back out and walk down the lanes toward the sea, where every turn opens a new view.

   About 6 min walk0.5 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Fornillo Beach

   A smaller, calmer cove just west of the main beach, reached by a short walk along the cliff path. Quieter, with a pebbly shore and a view back at the village.

   Go when Late morning, then stay for a long lunch.

   Local tip Walk the cliff path from the main beach. The way is short, a little uneven and well worth it for the quiet at the end.

   

4. Lunch

   Spaghetti with clams

   Spaghetti alle vongole is a plain, garlicky pasta with clams from the bay. Eat it near the water with a glass of cold white wine.

   Local tip Share a plate of grilled vegetables on the side and let lunch run long.

   

   About 6 min walk0.5 km
5. 3
   EveningWorth the time

   Spiaggia Grande

   The main beach of Positano, a long curve of dark pebbles below the pastel houses. Come back as the light turns gold and the village glows.

   Go when Late afternoon, around sunset (about 7:11 PM), when the colors warm up.

   Local tip Walk to the end of the beach and look back at the village. It is the view you will remember when you are home.

6. Dinner

   A lemon dessert by the beach

   The delizia al limone is a small sponge dome filled with lemon cream, a classic of the coast. A sweet end to a day of walking.

   Local tip Share one with two spoons and take your time.

A day on a high trail and then down to the sea. A walk with views, a swim, and a table above the water for the special dinner.

1. Travel from Spiaggia GrandeAbout 12 min by car or transit3.8 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   MorningPick your stretch

   Path of the Gods

   A famous high trail along the cliffs above the sea, with wide views over the coast and the islands. Wear shoes with a good grip, bring water, and turn back whenever you like.

   Go when Early morning, before the heat.

   Local tip The trail is high and exposed, with steps and uneven stone. Wear shoes with a good grip, carry water and turn back if the weather changes.

   

   About 19 min walk1.5 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth a short stop

   Nocelle

   A tiny village at the end of the trail, linked to the coast by a long stone stairway. A quiet place for a rest before the climb down.

   Go when Midday, for a rest at the end of the trail.

   Local tip The long stairway down to the coast is steep. Go down only if you are happy to climb or catch a bus back up.

4. Lunch

   A picnic for the trail

   Fresh bread, tomatoes, a ball of mozzarella and a piece of fruit from a village shop. Eat it on a rock with the sea below.

   Local tip Buy it in the morning and carry water for two.

   About 9 min walk0.8 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Marina di Praia

   A little cove with a small beach, set in a narrow gorge with the cliffs around it. A calm place to swim and cool off after the walk.

   Go when Afternoon, when the walk is behind you.

   Local tip The beach is small and the water is clear. Bring a towel and a simple lunch and take your time.

   About 8 min walk0.6 km
6. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Praiano

   A quiet village between Positano and Amalfi, with lanes that wander along the cliff. A good place to watch the sun go down.

   Go when Around sunset (about 7:11 PM), then stay for dinner.

   Local tip Choose a table with a view at the cliff edge and linger. Praiano is a village where the evening stretches out.

   

7. Dinner

   A terrace dinner above the sea

   The one special dinner of the week. Book a table on a terrace above the water, and choose scialatielli with seafood, a thick fresh pasta of the coast, with a bottle of local white wine.

   Local tip Book ahead, ask for a table at the edge, and allow the evening to stretch out with no plans after.

A town that was once a sea power. A cathedral, a cloister and an old paper mill, and a long slow lunch by the harbour.

1. Travel from PraianoAbout 18 min by car or transit7.0 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Amalfi Cathedral

   A striped cathedral at the top of a wide staircase, with a bronze door and a cool cloister of pointed arches beside it. The Cloister of Paradise is a short walk from the nave.

   Go when Morning, before the day trippers.

   Local tip Climb the wide stairway slowly, step inside, then spend a few minutes in the cloister, where the arches and the quiet are the point.

   

   About 4 min walk0.3 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth a short visit

   Amalfi Paper Museum

   An old paper mill turned museum in the valley behind the town. Amalfi was known for paper made by hand, and the building and its old tools tell the story.

   Go when Midday, out of the sun.

   Local tip The walk to the museum goes through a green valley of old mills. It is a cool, shaded break in the middle of the day.

   

4. Lunch

   A paper cone of fried seafood

   Small fried fish and squid served in a paper cone, with a wedge of lemon. Eat it by the harbour and watch the boats.

   Local tip Squeeze the lemon over it while it is still hot.

   About 5 min walk0.4 km
5. 3
   EveningA place to sit

   Amalfi Harbour

   The small harbour and waterfront at the foot of the town. A calm place for a walk and a drink as the boats come in.

   Go when Early evening, when the boats come in.

   Local tip Walk the waterfront and then sit with a drink. Amalfi was a sea power once, and the harbour is where you feel it.

   

6. Dinner

   Spaghetti with anchovy sauce

   Colatura di alici is a clear, salty anchovy sauce that comes from the nearby fishing village of Cetara. A little goes a long way on a plate of spaghetti.

   Local tip It is a strong flavor, so order one plate to share first.

A town high above the sea, known for its gardens and its music. Take the bus up, keep the pace slow, and finish on a terrace.

1. 1
   MorningWorth a short look

   Ravello Cathedral

   The cathedral on the town square, with a bronze door and a calm interior. A good first look at Ravello before the gardens.

   Go when Morning, on the quiet square.

   Local tip Look at the bronze door and the old pulpit inside, then sit on the square for a coffee before the gardens.

   

   About 2 min walkunder 0.1 km
2. 2
   MorningWorth the time

   Villa Rufolo

   An old villa with a tower and a garden of flower beds that look out over the coast. Walk to the terrace at the end for the view.

   Go when Late morning, once the light is soft.

   Local tip Walk the garden to the far terrace for the view of the coast. Music is staged here in some seasons, so check ahead if you hope to catch it.

   

3. Lunch

   Pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil

   A simple plate of pasta with local tomatoes and basil in a garden in Ravello. The kind of lunch that tastes like the place.

   Local tip Choose a table in the shade and stay for coffee.

   

   About 10 min walk0.8 km
4. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Villa Cimbrone

   A villa at the far end of the town with a long garden of roses, statues and shaded paths. A slow, quiet walk for two.

   Go when Afternoon, when the paths are shaded.

   Local tip Walk the long central alley slowly, with stops at the benches. It is a garden for wandering, not for rushing.

   

   About 2 min walkunder 0.1 km
5. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Terrace of Infinity

   A balcony lined with stone busts at the end of the Villa Cimbrone gardens, with only sea and sky in front of you. Sit a while.

   Go when Around sunset (about 7:11 PM), then walk back through the town.

   Local tip Wait for a quiet moment at the balustrade. The statues line the edge and the sea fills the rest.

6. Dinner

   Grilled fish and lemon

   A whole fish from the bay, grilled and served with a wedge of lemon and a salad. A calm dinner after the day in the gardens.

   Local tip Ask what came in that day and order it simply.

   

A shorter, easier day. A tiny seaside village, a clifftop village and a sea cave, with long breaks in between.

1. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Atrani

   A tiny village just along the coast from Amalfi, packed around a small square and a small beach. Reach it on foot along the old path from Amalfi if you like.

   Go when Morning, before the beach fills.

   Local tip Take the old stone path from Amalfi and walk in under the arch. Sit by the church steps and watch the village wake up.

   

2. Dinner

   A pizza in the village square

   A simple margherita in a small square by the sea. A good way to end an easy day.

   Local tip Share one, and a plate of fried zucchini flowers if they are on the menu.

   

   About 9 min by car8.5 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth a short stop

   Conca dei Marini

   A quiet clifftop village between Amalfi and Praiano, known for its sea views and for lemons. Slow the day down here.

   Go when Midday, with a cold lemon drink.

   Local tip The village sits high above the sea. Walk the quiet lanes and look for the lemon terraces cut into the slope.

   

4. Lunch

   A seafood salad by the water

   Cold octopus and shellfish with lemon, olive oil and parsley, a fresh way to eat in the warm hours. Order it at a cove, not in the town.

   Local tip Add bread to mop up the dressing.

   

   About 12 min walk0.9 km
5. 3
   AfternoonPick the calm day

   Emerald Grotto

   A sea cave where light from under the water turns the inside a deep green. A short stairway or a boat from the shore takes you in. Check ahead, because the sea decides.

   Go when Afternoon, if the sea is calm.

   Local tip The cave depends on the sea, so check ahead and have a second plan, such as a swim, if it is not open.

   

6. Treat

   Limoncello on the way back

   The lemon liqueur of the coast, served very cold in a small glass. Take a small glass to end the day, and sip it slowly.

   Local tip Ask for it from the freezer, and have it with a few almonds.

A day on the island. The harbour, the gardens and the quiet streets of Anacapri, with the Blue Grotto as an extra if the sea is calm.

1. Drive from Emerald GrottoAbout 40 min by car27.5 km

   Where Day 5 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth a short stop

   Marina Grande

   The main harbour of Capri, where the ferry arrives. Colorful boats, small cafes and the funicular up to the town.

   Go when Morning, as soon as the ferry docks.

   Local tip Skip the queue for the funicular if you are happy to walk uphill, and have a coffee on the waterfront before you go.

   

   About 16 min walk1.3 km
3. 2
   MiddayWorth the time

   Gardens of Augustus

   A terraced garden on the cliff, with flower beds and a view over the sea stacks called the Faraglioni. A peaceful place to walk together.

   Go when Late morning, while the flowers are in the light.

   Local tip Stand at the lookout over the sea stacks and then walk down the zigzag lane toward the sea.

4. Lunch

   Insalata caprese

   Tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, the salad that gets its name from the island. Try it where it began, with olive oil and good bread.

   Local tip Order it as a first course and share a plate of pasta after.

   

   About 9 min by car or transit2.3 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Anacapri

   The quieter town on the high side of the island, with white lanes and small squares. Slower than Capri town, and cooler.

   Go when Afternoon, once the day trippers have thinned out.

   Local tip Wander the lanes away from the main square. This side of the island is quieter and cooler.

   

6. Treat

   A slice of torta caprese

   A flourless cake of almonds and dark chocolate, born on Capri. A dense, rich slice with coffee is plenty for two.

   Local tip Order a coffee and one slice with two forks.

   About 16 min walk1.3 km
7. 4
   AfternoonOptional, weather permitting

   Blue Grotto

   A sea cave glowing with blue light, reached by a small rowing boat through a low opening. It depends on the sea and the swell, so treat it as optional and check ahead.

   Go when Midday, when the light is strongest, and the sea is calm.

   Local tip It depends on the swell, so ask on the island before you go and do not plan the whole day around it.

A longer day in an ancient city under the volcano. Go early, bring water and a hat, and keep the afternoon free.

1. Drive from Blue GrottoAbout 43 min by car31.2 km

   Where Day 6 ended.
2. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Forum of Pompeii

   The open heart of the Roman city, with a long rectangle of columns and the mountain rising behind it. Start here to get your bearings.

   Go when First thing in the morning, before the heat.

   Local tip Check ahead for the entrances and the areas that are open. Wear a hat, bring water and keep the pace slow, because there is little shade.

   

3. Lunch

   A Neapolitan pizza

   A thin, soft pizza with a puffy edge, the way it is made in the nearby city of Naples. A shaded table and a cold drink after the ruins.

   Local tip Plan lunch outside the gates, where the shade and the seats are easier.

   

   About 2 min walk0.2 km
4. 2
   MiddayWorth a short visit

   House of the Faun

   One of the largest houses in the city, named for a small bronze statue of a dancing faun. Walk the rooms and the garden courts.

   Go when Late morning, once you have found your bearings.

   Local tip Walk the large court and look for the floor mosaics, some of which are copies of ones now in a museum in Naples.

   

   About 13 min walk1.1 km
5. 3
   AfternoonWorth a short look

   Amphitheatre of Pompeii

   One of the oldest Roman amphitheatres still standing, at the edge of the city. A quiet place to sit and look back over the ruins.

   Go when Afternoon, as the visit winds down.

   Local tip It sits at the far edge of the site. Go only if you have the energy for the walk, and rest in the shade of the stands.

   

6. Dinner

   Gnocchi alla sorrentina

   Potato gnocchi baked in tomato sauce with melted mozzarella, a dish named for nearby Sorrento. A warm, easy last dinner of the week.

   Local tip Order a half bottle of the local red wine to go with it.