Our final stop on the Italy portion of our honeymoon was the Amalfi coast. Unlike most places we went in Italy this was somewhere that neither Alex or I had been, and we both fell in love! The Amalfi Coast is bigger than many people think – with most people thinking of Positano only. Positano is amazing (see more below) but there are other cities that make up the Amalfi Coast that are well worth the visit. Let’s chat about them:
Alex & I spent 6 days in Atrani, a very small town within walking distance of Amalfi. Positano is the most popular city on the Amalfi Coast, with Amalfi itself being a close second. The reason we chose to stay in even-smaller Atrani (and why I would recommend it for a honeymoon) is that it is quieter and more private! The crowds of Positano and Amalfi are a lot to take in, so staying somewhere quiet nearby is my biggest tip!
We stayed in this airbnb in Atrani and it was perfect. The location was steps from the beach and a 15 minute walk from Amalfi. It’s quite easy to get between Atrani, Amalfi, and Positano during the day since there are multiple ferries daily. You can take a ferry from Amalfi to Positano and it’s only a 20 min ride!
An important thing to note though: Getting around at night is much more of a pain. The ferries don’t run after dark and a cab between Positano and Amalfi or Atrani can take an hour or more and cost you around $100. I’d recommend planning lots of day trips but staying right in whatever city you want to be in at night.
As far as where to stay in Positano, especially if you want just a night or two, I would splurge and stay at La Sirenuse or Hotel Marincanto. We stayed at Hotel Marincanto and it was absolutely amazing. The pool is my personal favorite in all of Positano – and we checked out a lot since many hotels let you buy day passes for their pool! The Hotel marincanto pool is pictured on the R and the La Sirenuse pool is pictured on the L.
The food in the Amalfi Coast is so good – lots of Italian classics with more of a Mediterranean twist because of the access to fresh seafood. Our favorite restaurants were:
La Taglieta (Positano): This is widely considered one of the best dining experiences in Positano. Tucked up in the hills above the town this restaurant doesn’t have a menu, they just make fresh Italian food of their choosing each night (with selections for food allergies, vegetarian etc). Everything is made right there by this local family and the food is incredible. You also get amazing views overlooking Positano. Because they are up in the hills they have two sittings for dinner every night and they have a bus that comes and picks you up from your location in Positano to bring you to dinner.
Poseidon Hotel (Positano): This is a great place for a lunch or dinner – the views are breathtaking and the menu is divine!
Ristorante Il Veliero (Atrani): There are only a few restaurants in Atrani, since it’s a tiny little one-square town and this is by far the best one. Everything is so fresh, and all the locals go here. We actually had dinner here three separate times, it was that good. The langoustines would be my recommendation for best dish!
Ristorante Max (Positano): Ristorante Max is a great spot for a lunch in Positano. They have farm-to-table italian dishes, plus they have a cooking class if you want to learn to make some of these delicious peals. My favorites were the stuffed zucchini flowers and the classic tomato gnocchi.
Le Arcate (Atrani): This is right on the beach (perfect for lunch on a day you’re spending at the beach club) and it is the best Pizza on the Amalfi coast! They even have gluten free!
Street Food– While you’re in the Amalfi coast you have to try fried fish and lemon sorbetto in a lemon (pictured below). You’ll see tons of small cafes in the towns offering these. The lemon sorbetto is the size of your head since the lemons in Southern Italy are seriously gigantic!
Unwind!! The best thing about the Amalfi coast is the slow pace. Of course there is some shopping and some excursions you can do, but for the most part people come to the Amalfi coast to relax by the pool or at the beach.
One thing to note is that many (most) of the beaches do have a cover charge. There are umbrellas and chairs pre-set on the beach and you pay anywhere between $10 -40 euro per person to have one. Some of the hotels have their own beachfront so you don’t have to pay – definitely something to consider when booking!
We tried out the Atrani beach club (there’s only one haha), one in Amalfi and one in Positano. All we’re good, but Atrani was our favorite because it was less crowded and we we’re able to bring over Aperol spritzes and pizza from a restaurant in town (most beach clubs don’t let outside food and drink in). The Atrani beach club is pictured below (along with my Aperol spritz lol). The second picture also shows the Atrani beach club empty at sunset!
The Amalfi Coast is not known for it’s nightlife, but if you’re looking for some drinks Franco’s Bar at Le Sirenuse is THE place to go. The cocktails are great and the view is even better. The cover charge is high (especially if you want ‘front row’ tables by the view, which trust me you do) but it is worth it if you’re going to spend a few hours drinking and watching the sunset.
And there you have it! My guide to where to stay, what to eat and what to do on the Amalfi Coast. If you get the chance to travel here – take it! It’s an incredible place and we hope to be back one day.
My favourite place in the world!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
Is it? That’s awesome! It definitely blew my mind with it’s beauty (and the food lol)
It looks like such a beautiful place to visit! It’s great you enjoyed your time there and could put this guide together for other people considering travelling 🙂
Thanks for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup! Hope that you are having a great weekend 🙂 Another hot one here!
Thanks for reading Mica!
Hi! Can you reserve in advance for the Atrani beach club? Or is it first come first serve? thanks xx
Hey! First come first serve, but we never found it full at all!