Discover Amalfi and Positano: Your Ultimate Travel Guide

Intro

It was my fourth day in this Italian trip, and I had already walked all over Naples, and explored the ruins of Pompeii. But now I was approaching the sea part of my adventure. I was on a ferry on my way from Salerno to Amalfi, and my goal was to see a little bit of the Amalfi Coast while I could, in this rainy and semi cold April. Let me guide you through some of the best spots of both Amalfi town and Positano, and appreciate this beautiful region in Italy.

Getting to Amalfi

Picking the town of Amalfi to stay for the night was difficult. With many options across the many towns of the Amalfi Coast, it was somewhat interesting deciding on one that would be easily reachable. Amalfi is a picturesque coastal town nestled at the foot of dramatic cliffs along Italy’s Amalfi Coast, known for its vibrant Mediterranean charm, historic architecture, and scenic beauty.

Once a powerful maritime republic, the town boasts a rich history reflected in landmarks like the stunning 9th-century Amalfi Cathedral, with its striking Arab-Norman facade and grand staircase.

Narrow, winding streets wind past whitewashed buildings, quaint cafés, and artisan shops selling handmade paper and limoncello. Overlooking the deep blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Amalfi offers a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, blending natural beauty with cultural depth, making it a favorite stop for travelers exploring the coast.

My hotel offered great views of the neighboring buildings and the cliffs surrounding the town. Reaching it was not easy but also not difficult. There is a lot of stairs, ramps and tunnels to go through before getting to this hotel. I decided to stay in the Amalfi Luxury House.

I loved the views. Once I went into the terrace on both the top of the building, and my bedroom, I had to pinch myself to believe I was there. With so many trips done in the last years, it is definitely not easy to impress anymore. But something was so off, in a good way, that I felt what I was living was surreal. But now it was time to go out and explore the town.

Exploring Amalfi

The Via Lorenzo D’Amalfi is the main road, and all sorts of restaurants, bars, cafes, you name it, are located here. It is also very crowded of course, even in this shoulder season.

But I was hungry, and after having great food in Naples, I wanted to try something more according to the location. Some seafood pasta sounded great for the moment, and for that, I went to Da Maria. You would think that in a small town like this, the restaurants would be tiny, but this one was very big inside. And the service was great, with them speaking perfect English, and with that Italian humor that I like. The food of course was amazing. I was in shock when they presented this huge plate. I thought I would not eat it all, but I did at the end lol.

Ferry to Positano

While I was eating, I made the decision to go to Positano, because why not. Possibly the most famous town of this area, and the most photographed, I had to go there. I checked online for ferries, and since the weather was perfect, I got myself tickets, and went on the first one after my lunch. I got the tickets using Ferryhopper, but the line was Travelmar. A roundtrip ticket was around 25 euros.

The whole trip lasted 25 minutes, and it passed by many times on the Amalfi Coast like Marini, Praiano and Vettica Maggiore. But one I was thinking in going before this trip was the Fiordo di Furore. In videos it looked so beautiful, but I am sure in the Spring would be a little chilli and empty. From afar, the bridge that goes on top of it looked amazing tho.

I went inside of the ferry for a bit, and then went back outside as we reached Positano after 25 minutes.

It looked stunning from afar, I could not wait to explore it.

Exploring Positano

Positano is like something out of a postcard, you know? It’s this beautiful little town on the side of a mountain, with all the colorful houses stacked on top of each other, going down to the beach. When you walk around, everything feels super cozy and romantic, with all the flowers, the stairs everywhere, and those little shops selling clothes and ceramics. The views of the ocean are wow, really amazing—like, you just want to sit down and take it all in. It’s a bit expensive, yes, but honestly, it’s worth it. It feels peaceful, fancy, and like a dream at the same time.

I was just amazed, and glad with myself I made the decision to come here. I felt Amalfi was too small, and now Positano was offering way more.

The beautiful colors were not opaqued by the shy sun of this semi cloudy day. I was able to see it all.

Going up the hill was challenging, but getting those impressive views, like I mentioned before, looking like a postcard, I was so happy I was here. I just sat down and took it all in. Little did I know it was going to be only one of the great views I would have during this whole trip. This was just the beginning.

They said in Summer the colors of the water are more beautiful, but for me, all these tones of blue were breathtaking.

Once I climbed this road, I had to get something to refresh myself, so I got a sort of Frappuccino, and continued enjoying these vistas.

Since Positano has the shape of a U, now it was time to go to the other side, and see what it looks like from there. The view of the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta and the whole time is just magnificent from any angle to be honest.

After exploring some little stores up here, it was time to take these intricate alleyways to the bottom, and basically center of this colorful town.

Down here, I stopped at Gelateria Artiginale Buca di Bacco, to finally get some lemon sorbet. The limoncello was everywhere here, and it is a very important part of the culture and cuisine of this region in Italy. Earlier in the day, they had offered me a taste of the traditional sorbet in the restaurant, but now, I had a whole portion for me. And it was amazing. Yes, a little bit expensive, but very worth it, especially after basically climbing this whole town.

And it was getting late, so I went back to the beach, to the port, and got into the last ferry back to Amalfi. In the port, I got a little frappe while waiting, and I was their last client lol. They immediately closed. I recommend to bring cash for these expenses, since they had already turned off any credit card machines for the day, and were only accepting cash.

Back to Amalfi

The ferry this late on the night, was quiet, and had everyone basically quiet and tired, waiting to go back to their hotels. The views were fantastic regardless, and it the sea was not rough at all, even at this time (talking to you Caribbean Sea). But these ferries can also take you to more distant towns like Sorrento and Capri. I will definitely be back to explore those towns for sure.

And once back in this little town, I had to to get another Sfogliatella. Why are they so good???

A morning hike

Woke up the next morning, after a placid sleep from a packed previous day, and I the hotel was offering breakfast in the terrace, so of course I had to take it. Again, it just felt unreal. Not a fan of breakfast in general, but when it is free in a place like this, it just feels so perfect. The breakfast included:

Croissant (plain)

Cold cuts and cheese plate:

• Slices of prosciutto
• Slices of yellow cheese

Assorted breads and rolls

Fruit:

• Banana
• Pear

Yogurt

Glass of pomegranate juice

Butter and jam packets

Pack of toast or crackers

Ate it all, since I needed the energy for my next task here. The day before, I had made friends in the ferry with someone who had a scooter, so he proposed to take me up the hills to see the town from up there. I said, yes, of course. So, we had a meeting point on the Piazza Flavio Gioia.

I waited for him, and then off we went on his scooter until the highest we could. He parked, and then we hiked all the way up to get beautiful views of both Atrani, the neighbor town, and Amalfi.

Torre dello Ziro is a historic watchtower perched on a hill between Amalfi and Atrani, offering panoramic views of the coastline. Built in the 15th century, it was once used to spot pirate ships and defend the area. The tower is also linked to the tragic legend of Duchess Giovanna of Amalfi, who was allegedly imprisoned there. Today, it’s a peaceful hiking destination with stunning vistas and a touch of mystery.

I felt intimidated by the structural integrity of the tower, but I climbed it all the way up, and got a beautiful view of the Amalfi town. Wow, it was stunning, and the hike so worthy!

Back to Salerno

The morning hike was intense, but now it was getting late, and I had my train to Rome later from Salerno. I was so sure I would go on a ferry back, just like I did it on the way here. But the sea and the weather had other plans. While we were doing the hike, we noticed that there were no boats around. Very suspicious, but I had no idea it would mean no ferries today due to weather. I asked him, since he was a local, and yes, they would shut down the ferry operation on bad weather.

I checked online to buy tickets and NADA.

I was a little scared, but once back in Amalfi, and getting my suitcase, I promptly asked around what to do and the answer was, just get on a bus.

The bus terminal of Amalfi is inexistent, but there is a bus stop for all the towns and routes that go in a out, and since every single person was using a bus today, it was a mess. After an hour waiting for the next bus to Salerno, I was able to get on one with ticket on hand (that was being sold by some random guy around lol), and off I went to a one hour trip (instead of 25 min like the ferry), around the many towns between Amalfi and Salerno.

It was fantastic seeing all the views, not gonna lie, but it was a little exhausting, and I was begging I was not going to miss my express train to Rome. We passed and stopped in Atrani, San Cosma, Marmorata, Minori, Maiori, Erchie, Cetara, Raito, and many other stops on the way to Salerno.

Fortunately, the bus dropped me off close to the train station, and after waiting for just few minutes, the train showed off.

I was finally going north on this trip, and many destinations were still going to surprise me, including Rome, which I had already been to. That is why you should not miss the next blog post. See you then!