It had been exactly a decade since I visited the Amalfi Coast so I was quite happy when I started planning the trip for July 2024. Preparations began back in November 2023 when our family decided that Italy would be our primary summer vacation choice. The debate began shortly after about where exactly to go.
I ruled Venice out as we'd done that more recently, and in July it would be far too busy and expensive. Lake Como in Lombardy and Rome were also off the board since it would be very hot and uncomfortable in the interior. We contemplated coastal areas of Tuscany as well as Cinque Terre in the Liguria region but again we had been there more recently so it was decided that we'd return to the Amalfi Coast.
I knew it would be very busy there as well in July so I wanted to find something that was a little more off the grid. I figured that we'd be flying in to Napoli though so I started the search for flights over the Thanksgiving long weekend. I set up some Google alerts for the routes and by the first week of December we had our flights booked. During that stretch I'd also been scouring various websites for accommodations. The previous trip it was just me and my wife so we'd opted to stay at a hotel in Positano, which was amazing, but this time we were going to be a group of 7 so I decided on a Villa rental instead.
Having had very good luck in both France and Finland using booking.com I once again turned to them to see what I could find. What I found was an absolute gem.
The Accommodations
Massa Lubrense
I found this little town just a short drive from the Sorrento central bus station. The Sita Sud bus line had a stop on the main access road about a 5 minute hike (very) uphill from our Villa which was important if I decided not to rent a car (I hadn't resolved that yet). We were also about only 4 minutes to Massa Lubrense city center. Massa Lubrense is a small and cute town with a handful of grocers, and small shops. Very quaint, very quiet. It was perfect. Our Villa had a couple of sea swimming areas within walking distance but they were rocky and while fine for just sunbathing or swimming it wasn't a beach as such. Walking about 8 minutes south along the coast we could get to Marina Della Lobra which was a very small resort town with two shops, some restaurants and boutique hotels. No beaches here either though. Fortunately I found a sizable sandy beach area just a few minutes away by car at the Marina del Puolo.
The Villa
The Villa that I found was called Villa Oleandro and it really was awesome. We had 4 bedrooms on two levels (3 on lower floor and 1 on upper main floor) with a huge terrace with a gorgeous view of the coastline and Capri, seen in the image at the top.
It faces west so you get some lovely sunsets but it can get hot. Fortunately the windows and doors had large wooden shutters on the inside that you could close to block the afternoon sun and keep the Villa cooler.
Each bedroom had A/C as well as a smart TV. There were two bathrooms downstairs and one more next to the upper bedroom.
The kitchen was well supplied with pots pans etc. and after a grocery run into town we were set up for breakfasts and the odd dinner for the week. We also had a laundry room.
The grounds were almost maze-like with several entrances to the villa. The gardens were complete with lemon trees and a lovely shaded interior courtyard with a large dining table and a BBQ.
We had several loungers on the terrace, as well as two smaller patio areas with little cafe style chairs and tables.
We also had a small private garage on the narrow road that accessed the property which was nice to have.
In short, it was perfect for our group.
The Itinerary
Apart from a couple of hiccups related to car trouble we had a pretty good itinerary mapped out that we stuck to. The car rental issue I'll address later but some of our trip was left to spontaneity and some was strictly mapped out, in particular those where last minute bookings were either impossible or too expensive.
Day One
We arrived at the Aeroporto di Napoli-Capodichino (NAP) from Istanbul early in the morning and made our way to the shuttles that take you over to the car rental stations. It was a short walk outside straight and then to the left to get to the shuttle pick up area. Takes about 2-3 minutes.
For those who are not renting a car, there is no train from the airport. In order to get to Sorrento, which would be the departure point to access the Amalfi Coast towns, you can choose a few options:
Curreri Viaggi bus from Naples Airport to Sorrento - This is a bus that will go directly to the Sorrento bus/train station from the airport. It is like a greyhound style bus where you'll put your luggage below. You'll want to book ahead of time for this. It costs about 13 Euro each way and it takes about 1.5 hours to get there.
Napoli airport to Garibaldi Circumvesuviana train station - Cheapest option at about 9 Euro but perhaps the most headaches with any amount of luggage and you'll want to keep an eye out for pickpockets. You can catch the local bus and take a 21 minute ride to the train station where you will board the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento. This is a commuter train that is slow, hot, and crowded. There is an express train called the Tourist Train Campania Express that has A/C, takes reservations, and is much quicker but it only runs 4 times a day so if your arrival in Napoli doesn't synch up, you may have to wait a bit.
Take a bus or taxi to the port for a ferry. The ferries here can take you to Sorrento, or beyond with a potential change in Sorrento so depending on where you are staying, (i.e. if you are staying further down the coastline and don't want to deal with public transit) then this may be your best option. It will cost around 30 Euro to Amalfi with extra cost for luggage and can take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours depending on connections.
If you are driving, then you will follow the A3 and SS145 to get to Sorrento, this is a toll road (2.30 Euro for a passenger car) and is initially a multilane highway that turns into long one lane tunnels and then the winding roads that are typical of the coastal roads. Be alert for the multitude of mopeds and the like that are skipping in and out of traffic and riding the middle line.
Also, be aware of the driving restrictions on the Sorrento and Amalfi coastal roads. There is a system in place that limits when you can drive on each road based on license plate numbering. Be forewarned, not even the car rental agents know how it works apparently. I was told that it was only in effect on weekends but I knew that was not the case. It is rather complicated, so much so that I wrote an entire blog post about it so I'd recommend giving that a read if you are going to be renting.
Once we reached Sorrento we drove around a little there and wow, what a challenge. The roads are tight, with one ways and blocked access everywhere. I had thought we'd take a break here while we waited for our villa to be ready but that was mistake. There is a little parking lot I found a couple days later that was very useful. It was just a short walk from the Carrefour grocers which we frequented as well as the Corso Italia and similar streets that are predominantly pedestrian and wonderful to explore. At the time though I didn't know about that yet. After having gotten lost, redirected, and having Google maps try taking me places that I simply was not able to go I had had enough. I wanted to take us out to as close to our Villa as possible and just take a breather.
We drove long the SS145 until it veered right onto Via Cappo which was the local Massa Lubrense road. The left lane SS145 would later become the SS163 Amalfi Coast road in San Pietro and would take you all the way down towards Salerno passing Positano, Amalfi, Minori, and other such coastal towns on the way. A short distance from our Villa turn I spied a small parking lot near a restaurant and decided the here was my temporary oasis. It was a good choice as this lovely spot was in fact a Michelin star restaurant (at least at one point in history) named Antico Francischiello and it was fantastic and at that time of day, rather empty.
We spent a very leisurely lunch to kill the 2 hours we had left until we could get our Villa and by the end of it I was feeling much recharged.
Finally we were able to check in and, with a helpful video from our host, did so autonomously. That night we made a quick 3 minutes jaunt up to Massa Lubrense for some groceries and some wine to bring back to the Villa and we settled in. Once all had retired I took a glass of wine to our terrace and enjoyed the cool evening breeze.
Day Two
This was a day of rest for most, and I needed to drive to pick up my sister in law and her toddler from the airport so we took it easy for the most part. We did drive into Sorrento to go to the Carrefour I found on a map as we wanted to get a few more groceries and wine. You couldn't access the road by the grocers by car so you had to park and walk a little ways. That was when I found that really nice parking lot.
Later that day I did some exploring with my daughter and found an amazing little beach area nearby called Spiaggia di Puolo.
I'd read about it earlier but did not know the best way to get there nor have any real idea as to how nice it might be.
This day we took the public road and parked in a tree covered field for lack of a better word for 10 Euro and walked on a steep long road down to the beach.
Stay tuned, I found a much better option later.
At least once there we had a nice sandy beach and some lovely restaurants including the Ristorante St. Raphael where we had a divine Pizza Margherita and a massive bowl of Chocolate Gelato. Ok TBH, my daughter devoured this, I don't like sweets so this was all hers. Meh, it's vacation, right?
I wrapped up the day by driving out to Napoli airport to pick up our last guests and headed back home. Oh, I also had to locate an HDMI cable which I did find at IT point in Massa Lubrense. This was a small store. I mean tiny. But they had the cable I needed, albeit a short one. Why did I need it? The UEFA 2024 cup was going on at the time and my father in law was huge into futbol so I had to play rock star and get the games streaming on our TVs in the Villa using my laptop. Mission accomplished and YEAH! That was awesome to watch the games on Italian TV.
Day Three
This was a kind of floater day with no real plans. I'd told my wife about the nice beach my daughter and I went to so she was keen on going there too. The parents were content to relax at home in the Villa so my wife and her sister packed up the car with our beach gear and the two kids and drove to the beach. This time I decided to drive down the private access road I had read about on TripAdvisor. It was a good call. About halfway down there was a little booth where we paid 15 Euro for the carload and continued down where we were able to park just a minute's walk to the beach. There is even covered parking there which was nice in the heat.
There are sun bed and umbrella rentals available there in a couple locations. One is by the hotel Baia di Puolo and they have a smaller area cordoned off on the Southern end of the beach but were more expensive (60 Euro for 2 beds and an umbrella).
Further towards the middle there were a lot more chairs and at a better price but as we arrived a bit late in the day there was nothing available there. The only umbrella left was back at the first location we checked so we shelled out the Euros to secure the spot for the rest of the afternoon.
There is a small stand near the pizza place we loved so much and they arranged the chair service on subsequent visits to the beach when we arrived earlier. There we spent 60 Euro for 4 beds and 2 umbrellas. We had a late lunch at the pizza place again as it was so good the previous day everyone wanted to go there. The others all got Margherita Pizza while I went for the spicy Il Diavolo Pizza. Naturally the kids had to have french fries!
We left the beach around 5:30 pm and went back to the Villa. We needed some more groceries so I offered to take my wife and her parents into Massa Lubrense to do a bit of shopping. Here things went off the rails. What should have been a 20 minute trip in and out became a nightmare.
So, you know that rental car? Well, it was a standard, stick shift. I knew something felt wrong the first day I drove it as the clutch felt really 'soft'. I should have trusted my instincts but anyhow, after shopping for about 15 minutes, we went back to drive home and while at a stop sign it gave up the ghost in the middle of "main street" Massa Lubrense. The police arrived quickly and directed traffic.
The policewoman asked about the rental and asked to see my International Driver's Permit, which I had in the car. Many may not know it but you need to have one in Italy if you are from North America and want to drive while there. Don't expect the rental agents to know this though. Anyhow, after a brief discussion about getting the car towed from the roadway she left and I was on the phone to Budget.
Long story short, we lost nearly two days due to the car breakdown and it ended up costing far more than expected. On the plus side, Sunday afternoon I did find a nice place to walk to the Marina della Lobra along the seawall so I wandered down there to pick up some Prosecco and Aperol.
While there I also found a nice restaurant there that offered a shuttle service so we were able to get out for dinner that night. It was called Funiculi Funicula and it was a really lovely spot.
Day Four
I spent the better part of the day transiting back and forth to the airport to collect a new rental car. I got home around 4 pm and we just went back to the beach to chill out; this time all of us went. Tired from the day I just took refuge on the balcony and enjoyed the evening quiet. The original plan had been to go to Pompeii but, in truth, with the temperatures as hot as they were that probably wouldn't have been a pleasant experience anyhow and I've been there before so I wasn't too upset by the loss of the outing. I would have to be content to just look at Mount Vesuvius from the shores in Sorrento.
Day Five
This was one of the two more scripted days were were most looking forward to. Today we had a trip planned to Capri. We needed to get to Sorrento by 10:30 to catch a ferry over to the island where we'd make our way from the Marina Grande where the ferries land to the Southern shore and the Marina Piccola where our Capri Blue boats tour would launch from.
I'd arranged parking ahead of time at the Marina Piccola Garage (this one is in Sorrento right near the ferry terminal not the marina on Capri itself). It was a valet parking and worked out great. We had enough time to sit for a couple of iced lattes while I sorted our boarding passes for the ferry in my Apple Wallet.
It was about a 25 minute ferry ride from Sorrento to Capri booked through Ferryhopper for about 21 Euro each. During the ferry trip we were able to see our beach and Villa as we passed by. Once in Capri there I quickly made my way to the ticket office to buy tickets (2.20 Euro) for the Funicular that would take us up to Capri Town. The ticket office is located at the entrance to the marina boardwalk and is not exactly right by the actual Funicular. After waiting for a couple of groups ahead of us (the Funicular takes about 70 people at a time) we were aboard and heading up.
At the top, we walked all of 2 minutes down the Via Roma and found a taxi stand that would fit our group. Most taxis there can take 6-7 people as they are large open air styles. We made the short trip to the Marina Piccola where we had about an hour to kill. My daughter played in the super tiny beach area there while we sat (where we could see her) and had some light appetizers at the Sirene snack bar. The pic below is one I found on TripAdvisor but imagine about 120 people crammed into that little space and that is what it looked like when we were there!
The Capri Boat Tour
We loved this tour. It consisted of a 3 hour trip which we were able to personalize a little bit. Not wanting to go to the Blue Grotto (as I'd already been there on a previous trip) we decided to focus upon the southern shore and maximize our swimming time. We visited the Green grotto, the White grotto, and we went under the famed Faraglioni di Mezzo arch.
I'd booked it about 3 months before the trip as they fill up fast and I wanted to get a good boat. I opted for the larger Gozzo Fratelli Aprea (with skipper) which allowed for 10 passengers including skipper. It has a large sundeck, awning, outdoor shower and WC. Comfortable cabin, bathroom with shower, living area with air conditioning, stereo and a fridge in the galley.
Simply put, it was amazing. Our skipper Raphael was awesome and we were able to visit all the spots we wanted to and got in a good hour's worth of swimming. Overall it cost us 620 Euro, which for 7 people and 3 hours was a great price.
We also made sure to tip Raphael well since he was so accommodating. There was a little mix up at the end where the owner had forgotten to let Raphael know we were to be dropped off at the Marina Grande instead of back at the Marina Piccola so that we could make our ferry trip home in time. After confirming it on the phone he pushed that boat engine and gave us an awesome thrill ride at max speed for the next 20 minutes to make it! My daughter loved it, her grandparents not so much...
We had a little extra time before the ferry left so we wandered around the shops in the Marina Grande for a little bit before boarding and heading home. The last ferry for Sorrento leaves Capri around 7:00 PM but we were on a slightly earlier one just to make sure we could collect the car from the garage before it closed.
More Images from Capri
Day Six
This was the second scripted trip which saw us catching a small ferry from the Marina della Lobra down the coast to Positano and then further down to Amalfi. We'd have a couple hours in Positano and then around 5.5 hours in Amalfi. With that much time I'd made plans to get ourselves up to the town of Ravello when we arrived in Amalfi. I'd never been to Ravello and this was a place I have long wanted to visit.
The day started early with a shuttle coming to pick us up at 7:30 to take us to the marina. The trip to Positano took about 2 hours and it was wonderful. There were about 30 passengers on the boat and our guides made stops along the way giving us the history of various landmarks and villas along the way. It was a fantastic way to travel the coastline as opposed to suffering in miles long traffic jams on a crowded bus. Plus I had no intention of driving that coastal road.
Arriving in Positano by sea is amazing. The town is beautiful and as you approach it looks like a postcard. Getting around in Positano requires a lot of stairs. I mean hundreds of stairs. When we'd previously stayed in Positano our hotel boasted an elevator that would take you down closer to the beach. It was closer, that is true, but it still left some 240 steps to go down! Good way to burn off all those pasta calories, I guess.
I had hoped to visit a small cafe we went to before called La Zagara but for some reason it was closed on Wednesdays so we instead went to the courtyard of Hotel Palazzo Murat. This was a charming hotel and it was the perfect spot for a late breakfast. Their avocado toast was wonderful.
Most of the seating area is reserved for hotel guests but if you arrive outside of peak seating they can find you a table. If you are looking to stay in Positano this one will run you easily 900 Euro a night in peak but it is a pretty high end hotel. My last stay in Positano was at the Hotel Vittoria and it was an amazing 3 star hotel that you can stay in for as low as $99/night (it was only $60/night when I stayed there in 2014).
After that we did a little wandering and shopping before making our way back to the dock to continue our journey. It was about another 90 minutes to get to Amalfi and consisted of much the same with a few stops here and there to take in the sights.
We were told about historical Villas and Monasteries or Convents that were now luxury 5 star hotels that cost thousands of dollars per night depending on the room. Most had their own helipads.
We even saw what was once Sophia Loren's Villa. She had a helipad too BTW.
One other famous sight was the bridge where cliff diving world championships are held. It is a beautiful arched bridge over the Fiordo Di Furore. The athletes dive from a 28m dock surrounded by the sounds of the sea under them and enter the waters below at speeds of 100 km/h. There is a small beach that you can reach by climbing down numerous steps from the highway above. Even though the beach area is almost constantly in shade, it remains a highly popular spot due to the breathtaking scenery around it.
During our tour I'd been talking to one of our guides and he gave some tips on getting to Ravello including recommending taking a taxi as soon as we made port to ensure we'd have time to explore. It was good advice. On arrival I quickly found a taxi stand, located right near the marina in a large traffic circle and it had some larger vans so we could all go together.
The drive takes about 15-25 minutes each way depending on the traffic light. There is a long section of the road that is so narrow it can only accommodate one way traffic so at either end of the stretch there is a traffic light that allows alternating traffic every 10 minutes. The cost for us was 230 Euros which included the return trip. We were already 7 so we filled up the taxi but if you are a smaller group you will likely share the ride with others just to make the trip worth it for the driver.
My boat guide mentioned that the taxi service was about 15 Euros per person so it added up and it was a very good idea to prearrange our return trip. When we first arrived Ravello was so quiet and empty I was surprised. But apparently we were just one of the first to show up because after a couple of hours the town became packed with tourists from the various ferries and buses arriving in Amalfi and there was a lot of people vying for the limited supply of taxis returning to Amalfi later in the day.
I'd exchanged WhatsApp info with our driver in case our planned pick up time changed but ultimately we kept to our schedule and the taxi was waiting for us just as expected.
Ravello was absolutely gorgeous and I was so happy we'd made the plans to visit. We arrived just outside of the Piazza Centrale near the Duomo di Ravello (a church with murals).
The Piazza is full of little shops and restaurants/gelaterias so there is a lot to see even just there but the real draws to Ravello are Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo.
Villa Cimbrone
Villa Cimbrone is about a 14 minute walk up and down narrow streets and stairs from the central plaza. It is actually a 5 star hotel but you can access the gardens and some buildings after you pay an entrance fee (10 Euro adults, 7 Euro children). It is worth the hike and the fee. The Villa gardens and grounds are a sight to see. There are various statues and structures that are amazing.
The first reliable mentions of Villa Cimbrone can be found on the 11th century, during Ravello’s golden era. The origins of its name come from the rocky outcrop on which it stands: this was part of a large estate with lush vegetation covering over eight hectares that was known as “Cimbronium”.
It initially belonged to the aristocratic Acconciajoco family. In the mid 1300s it passed into the hands of the powerful and wealthy Fuscos, a noble family from Ravello related to the Pitti family in Florence and the D’Angiò from Naples. The views are stunning with the best view coming from the Terrazza dell'Infinito which, as the name suggests, is a terrace with a nearly infinite view.
Just below the terrace is a small bistro called Il Balcone di Lucille that has some cocktails, slushes, gelato and some light snacks.
Inside the bistro there is a door that leads to a small balcony and if you suffer any kind of vertigo you will want to keep away from here.
I walked outside to the edge and was sent reeling backwards at the sheer drop below the balcony.
It must have been straight down about 300 feet before tumbling down the hillside to the sea below. It caught me a bit off guard to say the least.
I spent an hour plus exploring the gardens and buildings I had access to and then made my way back. I could easily have stayed another hour there as there is so much to see but I needed to keep moving.
More Images from Villa Cimbrone
Villa Rufolo
Villa Rufolo is located near the central plaza and also costs a small fee (8 Euro) to enter. The Villa was originally a blend of Arabic, Sicilian and Norman architecture but over the course of a millennia it evolved with the cultures around it. Cloisters were added in the 18th century, while large gardens typical of the 19th century also were incorporated.
The grounds here are also quite extensive with a considerable amount to see. Unfortunately I did not have much time left so I kind of rushed through. My phone battery was also perilously low so I'm afraid I don't have much for images.
Shortly after I rejoined my group (we had split up all wanting to do something a bit different in our time there) we sat for a bite to eat and then made our way back to meet up with our taxi. We returned to Amalfi and crossed the Amalfi Coast road and through the arch that led us to the Via Lorenzo d'Amalfi which is the main street in Amalfi and is lined with dozens of shops and restaurants.
One of the most common sights in Amalfi are lemons and lemon flavored ices, slushes, sorbets and liqueurs. There are lemon themed dresses, shirts, bags, bikinis, etc. They REALLY love their lemons on this coast!
Then it was back to the ferry for a straight shot back to The Marina della Lobra. There was one or two brief stops we made to view other sights but for the most part we kind of just sat and dozed during the 3.5 hours it would take. The shuttle picked us up back at the marina and in 10 minutes we were back home in our Villa and had to start packing. It was our last night in Italy sadly.
Day Seven
The next day I dropped off two of our guests who were leaving on a different flight. They had arranged a bus trip out to the Napoli airport from Sorrento on the Curreri Viaggi line so I drove them into the bus station early that day. The bus station is easy to get to so I was there and back in about half an hour. The rest of us had a late flight so we checked out and made our way back to Sorrento where I parked in that awesome parking lot again.
We spent the bulk of the day walking around the shops in Sorrento. There is a really nice beach area down the hill but it was a LONG walk down and we didn't really have what we needed to swim so we just stayed up top in the Villa Comunale di Sorrento which was a small park with fantastic views.
There was a small monastery near the park called Chiostro di San Francesco which we spent a few minutes touring. There was also a quaint, free museum featuring Leonardo da Vinci's life and inventions, plus it was very cool inside. I mean as in chilly which, after wandering the streets in 31 degrees Celsius heat, was most welcome!
We stopped for a late lunch and decided to make our way to the airport early so I could try and sort the rental car situation out. Some time later we were relaxing in the Priority Pass Pearl Lounge (read about how to upgrade your travel experience like access to those lounges here) eating some light tasty snacks that seemed to change every 10 minutes. After a couple hours relaxing here we made our way to our gate and were headed back to Turkiye.
Ciao Italia!
Apart from the car rental glitch this trip was absolutely outstanding. We saw the key things we wanted to see, and they did not disappoint. The people were welcoming and friendly. The food and wine were amazing, as it usually is in Italy. We had a good mix of sightseeing and downtime, something I have learned to include just so that you have time to relax, reflect, and process the experiences.
It really was a dream to spend a week on the Amalfi coast.
Il Digestivo
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