July - August 2023

Amalfi Coast & Naples ~ stunning coastline views, Home made limoncello and the best pizza’s in the world!

Well hello there …

10 Years ago I joined my partner on a business trip to Salerno, we linked a few vacation days to visit the Amalfi Coast. But time was very limited, so we did it in a rush, no time to relax and to “dolce far niente”. In the meantime my stepdaughters have grown up and with the assumption that it could be one of the last years that they still want to join. We gave them more say in the choice of our summer destination. Being crazy about pizza, pasta and the interest in football by the youngest an in ancient history by the oldest, the choice fell on Naples. And although I prefer not going back to places I already visited, the beauty of this coast stuck with me, and the desire to explore it further at a slower pace made me agree.

Practical wisdom

The Amalfi Coast is a stretch of coastline in Southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Salerno. It belongs to the Italian region of Campania, located on the south side of the Sorrento peninsula. The area runs from Positano in the west to Vietri sul Mare in the east.

It is a UNESCO world heritage site, renowned for its crystalline sea and rich history. The coast is named after the town of Amalfi. It’s a very popular jet-set destination, which is reflected in the prices.

We decided to stay at 2 places, 6 nights in Massa Lubrense, located south from Sorrento and 2 nights in Naples. Massa Lubrense is less crowdy than Sorrento and is offering splendid views on Capri Island. From here to Vietri sur Mare, the furthest point we visited, it’s only 2h15 minutes drive along the coast. Depending of the traffic offcourse! It is known as one of the most beautiful roads to drive on. The villages are picturesquely beautiful and the sea is intensely blue. But it’s crowded, very narrow at some points, and with numerous hairpin bends. Although Christophe, my partner did a terrific job, driving us, I couldn’t avoid shouting when one of the very numerous mopeds made a dangerous manoeuvre or an oncoming car came a little too far over the centre line. If I would have been the driver, I think they had to replace the brake discs after returning the rental car :-) Taking a full covereage insurance is a must and not a recommendation here! In the cities, if there is 1 driving lane, they make it double or even triple. The law of the strongest or the one with the most guts clearly applies here …

During the week at Massa Lubrense we sheduled 1 day excursion to the Amalfi Coast, 1 day excursion to Capri and one 1/2 day excursion to Pompeï and Vesuvius (although it’s closer to Naples), 1 evening at Sorento and we took 2,5 days rest at the hotel. Afterwards we returned the car and took a taxi to Naples, for a 2 day visit.

The tourist hotspots

  • SORRENTO
    Located on a rock plateau high above the Gulf of Naples. In Sorrento, you will see lots of limoncello shops, gelaterias, stores selling handmade sandals and ceramics, and outdoor cafes and bars. This is a fun place to visit in the late afternoon-evening, to see the highlights and have dinner. There was a bus stop right in front of our hotel and the drive only took 10-15 minutes. Ten years ago we visited a lemon grove, were they showed the process of brewing a refreshing limoncello. If you want to buy some, Limonoro is apparently the most popular limoncello shop. This place is also offering an immense range of hotels, although many are already a bit outdated and not well-maintained. I personnaly prefer to stay somewhere less touristic and crowded. But for young people on a budget and looking for some nightlife, Sorrento is the best option!

  • POSITANO

    Positano clings to the hillside, turning each sunset and sunrise into a photographer’s dream. Upon first glance, it almost resembles a giant pyramid, with traditional and colorful buildings and boutique hotels built on every level. Positano started life as a fishing village but has now grown into one of Italy’s most beautiful and popular towns. In the 50s, this town was discovered by the international jet set, flourishing since then through the creation of flattering fashion, numerous art galleries, boutique hotels and quality restaurants. The best time to go to Positano is in the shoulder seasons: May – June - September – October, like we did 10 years ago. I was so charmed by this place! But we were very limited in time, so we just stayed there for less than an hour. I was so excited to visit it again! And although it still has it’s beauty, coming in July, perishing of tourists and boats, it unfortunatly appealed less then the first time. To park our car, we paid €10/hour!

  • PRAIANO

  • AMALFI

  • RAVELLO

  • MAIORI & MINORI

  • VIETRI SUR MARE

  • POMPEI

  • VESUVIUS

  • NAPLES