Best Places to Visit on the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast, which was the reason I had decided to visit Naples in the first place. It was a region I had admired in movies, and my curiosity had only grown with the photos I had seen. As I mentioned in my Naples post, this was also why we preferred to go on a trip with a tour company. Exploring the Amalfi Coast on our own in such a short time without renting a car didn’t seem like a feasible option. And when we had started the Amalfi Coast tour, this was confirmed. So, was the Amalfi Coast as beautiful as I had expected, or was it pale in comparison to its photos?

Steep cliffs, coastal towns built on these cliffs, endless views from the top… Narrow roads, tunnels through the rocks, and skillful maneuvers when two buses meet…This is the brief summary of our tour. Continue reading for more.

Sorrento

Our first stop on the Amalfi Coast was Sorrento. On the way to Sorrento, we first visited a factory where we tasted Limoncello and sampled other lemon-based products. I recommend trying the creamy Limoncello; the regular one is quite strong. We also took photos of the view from across the factory. I lost count of how many places we passed where I wished we had stopped if we had been driving on our own—there were views far better than the one we stopped at.

Sorrento felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It was one of the places where I felt the strongest mix of the Aegean and the Black Sea. In the squares and colors, you feel like you’re in Italy, looking at the steep cliffs feels like the Black Sea, walking through the narrow streets lined with gift shops feels like a small Aegean town, and passing by orange and lemon trees gives you the sense of being in the Mediterranean. The view at Tasso Square, named after one of Italy’s famous poets, was one of my favorite views.

If you dive into the narrow streets from Tasso Square, you’ll find Pasticceria Primavera, which has hosted many celebrities. Honestly, I don’t put much trust in places that are famous for being visited by celebrities, but since it wasn’t overly crowded, I decided to give it a try. We tasted both chocolate and lemon cream cannoli and lemon cream puff cake. The cannoli was the best and lightest I’ve had in Italy so far. The lemon cream cake wasn’t bad, but like many other desserts in Southern Italy, it was a bit too sweet.

In one of these narrow streets, there’s also a place called Nino & Friends, which we stumbled upon by chance. It offers a wide variety of treats, from cookies and candies to pistachio butter and other things that left us wondering what they would offer next if we had stayed longer. I mostly tried the lemon-based products, and I was pleased with almost all of them, though the prices in euros seemed reasonable, but converting them to Turkish lira made them a bit expensive. Although I wanted to buy something, I held myself back. Still, I recommend going in and enjoying the pleasure of sampling their products. There’s also a small branch of this store in Capri.

At the end of the narrow streets, there’s a church, and just beyond that, a viewpoint, but the scenery along the way was so beautiful that the view from the terrace didn’t impress us as much.

Sorrento is also one of the best places for shopping, both for stores and souvenirs. I suggest making use of it. You’ll find plenty of options, from sauces for your pasta to lemon-based products, magnets, and trinkets. There are also various price options for clothing.

Positano

Positano, on the other hand, was a place we only viewed from above, and I wish we hadn’t looked at it at all. What a pile of houses! I was expecting better when it comes to urban planning in Italy; yet I was dissapointed. Sure, the houses are colorful, but from above, I didn’t think it was a pleasant view at all.

Amalfi

Amalfi was one of the towns we spent a lot of time in. The Christmas decorations, the joy of sitting by the shore, and the endless photo opportunities with beautiful views—these were all in Amalfi. Oddly enough, we hadn’t liked Amalfi that much at first. 🙂

If you go to Amalfi, I recommend wandering into the side streets, checking out the back streets, and taking photos of the Amalfi Cathedral. Then head down to the shore, walk to the tip of the pier, and look back at the town. If possible, stay until the city lights up and enjoy the moment. On your way back, browse the stalls and street vendors set up along the coast, try some of their offerings, and maybe haggle a bit. If you have time, sit by the shore for a while. There are different dining options; we chose the calamari sandwich from C.i.c.a., which was both affordable and filling.

Ravello

Our last stop was Ravello, and by the time we arrived, it was quite dark. But I might have subtly insisted on visiting this place, which was also recommended by my Italian friend. Of course, because of the darkness and limited time, we couldn’t explore everything or understand much, but the square was quite beautiful, especially with the Christmas lights. It was one of the places where I felt the holiday spirit the most—the illuminated square, the church, the steps, and a huge Christmas tree… From what I understand, many classical music concerts take place in the city, and there’s also a beautiful view, though we couldn’t see it in the dark.

In my opinion, the Amalfi Coast is best visited in the spring when the flowers are blooming, and you can even enjoy the sea. Visiting in the summer is risky because traffic gets very bad. Even without traffic, it took us the whole day to visit these towns. If we had stopped at Positano, we probably wouldn’t have made it back to the hotel until night. Still, the choice is yours—I’m just giving you a heads-up.

You might want to visit my article on “Things to do in Naples“.