If you’re still at a loss about where to spend vacation next year, look no further than southern Italy’s Amalfi coast and the Island of Capri – the perfect place for a week-long getaway.
If you’re interested in a one-week sojourn on the Amalfi Coast and Capri, let me tell you a bit about my trip to the area. But right off the bat, a caveat emptor: It’s not a particularly budget-friendly holiday, but you could always cut down on the length of your stay; it’s totally up to you! It might be busy, but the best time to take a trip is July or August when the weather is unlikely to throw up any nasty surprises. All you have to do is go, relax and enjoy the sun.
A trip to Amalfi isn’t the cheapest vacation, but there are some ways to lighten the burden on your wallet. For one, there’s no need to insist that your hotel room has a sea view – there will be plenty of chances to soak in the sea, and foregoing a view from your room will certainly save you from overspending.
After arriving in Naples by plane, grab a taxi – there’s no reason to rent a car, as a cab will be more than enough to reach your destination.
Ravello
Take the road to Ravello, a town situated in the hills. The trip, which you should take without entering Naples proper or the coastal road, takes about 55 minutes using highways and other roads. From the 350-meter-high Ravello, you can survey all that is before you, including Amalfi, Positano, and Capri.
There are plenty of hotels in this small town, but only two hotels – Palazzo Avino and Hotel Caruso – that are really worthy of a night’s stay. We stayed in the town for a night last time, enjoying a meal at Palazzo Avino and sleeping at Hotel Caruso.
ROSSELLINI’S
Palazzo Avino’s restaurant, Rossellini’s, boasts a fantastic selection of wines and a well-regarded menu. You can select something to eat from the à la carte menu, but if you are dedicated to food, then plan to come to World's Best Restaurants 2023 15 Rossellini’s at 8:30 p.m., open a nice bottle of wine, and let yourself go with the flow of the menu until 11 p.m.
RAVELLO MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Ravello Music Festival starts in June and runs until mid-September, offering concerts every Friday and Saturday and, occasionally, on weekdays. You’ll have a chance to sample the performances by different musicians each time; sometimes, it might be an orchestra, and sometimes, it might just be a soloist. Alternatively, you could go for a quick dinner and watch a Saturday night concert at the Ravello Music Festival from a terrace with a sea view.
A word to the wise, though: The concert can be popular, so book a seat for the performance when you reserve your hotel room. Otherwise, you might find yourself stuck in the back rows or, worse, without any seat at all. Because the concert starts at 9:30 p.m., it’s best to plan to eat at 7 and finish by 9 to make it to the performance on time.
In such a case, may I recommend selecting your meal from the à la carte menu. After that, sit back and enjoy the sunset – but things will be even better if your concert under the stars also features a full moon! On my last trip to Ravello, I hadn’t booked a seat at the concert and, what’s more, I hadn’t even eaten lunch. As such, I abandoned myself to the joys of Rossellini’s gastronomic menu and delicious wine. During one of my previous visits, however, I did get the chance to watch the concert and the mesmerizing view. Needless to say, it was wonderful in every sense of the word.
SANTA CATARINA
The next day, head for a sightseeing tour of Ravello, including the local museum, if you so desire. Soon, however, the time will come to decide whether to head for Amalfi or Positano, two charming towns on the Amalfi Coast.
If you choose Amalfi, you can stay at Santa Caterina – a place whose food is so exquisite you need never eat anywhere else in town, including lunch (provided that you make sure you have a light lunch, of course).
Santa Caterina is a newly restored, luxurious hotel in a historical building on a cliff above the sea. The hotel has two elevators inside the mountain that whisk you down to the sea, where you can find Metin Ar 16 sun beds, beach umbrellas, and waiter service.
Although the coast here does not have any sandy beach, there is a beautifully located pier.
SAN PIETRO DI POSITANO
If you opt for Positano instead, I suggest you try the Hotel San Pietro di Positano. After some breakfast, a chance to catch up on reading under an umbrella, a swim, a sailing trip with the hotel’s boat, and light lunch, prepare for dinner at 7 p.m. in the hotel’s restaurant, a location that sports a Michelin star and a great service team.
The founder’s grandchildren run the hotel, while the waiters are veterans who have been working at the establishment since the age of 20. Everybody at the restaurant treats you as if you were staying at their very house. The food and the wine are remarkable, but most importantly, they never try to take advantage of their customers – something that doesn’t necessarily ring true for many seaside establishments around the world.