The Amalfi Coast was the destination that made me believe in love at first sight — with a place, not a person. The moment our bus rounded the first bend on the coastal road and I saw those candy-colored villages tumbling down sheer cliffs into the bluest water imaginable, something inside me shifted. This wasn’t just beautiful. This was otherworldly 🇮🇹🌅.

I reached the Amalfi Coast from Naples, taking a combination of the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento and then the famous SITA bus along the coastal road. That bus ride is an experience in itself — a narrow, winding road carved into cliffs hundreds of feet above the sea, with hairpin turns where buses somehow pass each other with inches to spare. It’s terrifying and gorgeous in equal measure. If you get motion sick, sit on the right side heading toward Amalfi for the best views and fresh air from the windows 🚌.

Getting There & First Impressions

My first base was Positano, and it’s every bit as stunning as the photos suggest. The town cascades down a cliff face in layers of pastel pink, peach, white, and terracotta buildings, with the Church of Santa Maria Assunta and its iconic majolica-tiled dome as the centerpiece. Walking down the stepped streets (there are hundreds of steps — your legs will know about it) past boutiques selling handmade linen clothing and lemon-scented everything, with bougainvillea spilling over every wall, felt like walking through a painting 🎨.

The beach at Positano, Spiaggia Grande, is a beautiful crescent of dark sand framed by cliffs. I rented a lounger and umbrella, spent the morning swimming in water so clear it looked like glass, and ate a fresh seafood lunch at a beachfront restaurant with my toes in the sand. John Steinbeck wrote about Positano in 1953: “It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” He absolutely nailed it 🏖️.

Top Highlights & Must-See Spots

The next stop was Amalfi town itself, the historic heart of the coast that gives the region its name. Once a powerful maritime republic rivaling Venice, Genoa, and Pisa, Amalfi punches way above its weight in history. The Cathedral of St. Andrew (Duomo di Amalfi), with its Arab-Norman design and stunning Cloister of Paradise, reflects the town’s centuries of trade connections with the Middle East and North Africa. The climb up the grand staircase to the cathedral entrance, with its golden mosaic facade gleaming in the sun, was unforgettable ⛪.

From Amalfi, I hiked the legendary Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei), and it genuinely earned its name. This trail runs along the clifftops between Agerola and Nocelle at about 500 meters above sea level, offering views that made me stop and stare every few minutes — the entire coastline stretched out below, the sea sparkling to the horizon, Capri floating in the distance. The roughly 7.8-kilometer hike took about three hours, and it’s the single best hiking experience I’ve had in Europe. Bring water, wear proper shoes, and start early before the heat 🥾.

Ravello, perched high above the coast at 365 meters, was my unexpected favorite. This tiny hilltown feels like a secret garden above the sea. The Villa Rufolo, with its terraced gardens overlooking the coast, inspired Wagner’s Parsifal and now hosts an annual music festival each summer. The Villa Cimbrone gardens are equally spectacular, with the Terrace of Infinity offering what Gore Vidal called the most beautiful view in the world. Standing at the marble balustrade with the entire Gulf of Salerno below and not another tourist in sight, I believed him completely 🌿.

More Things to See & Do

The food along the Amalfi Coast was peak Italian eating. Fresh-caught seafood prepared simply with lemon and olive oil, scialatielli ai frutti di mare (a local fresh pasta with mixed seafood), delizia al limone (a heavenly lemon sponge cake), and of course, the lemons. Amalfi lemons are enormous — the size of grapefruits — intensely fragrant, and somehow sweet enough to eat on their own. I had limoncello with every meal and regret nothing 🍋.

One practical tip: the Amalfi Coast is best visited in shoulder season (late April to mid-June, or September to mid-October). During peak summer, the narrow roads become gridlocked, prices skyrocket, and the beaches are packed. I visited in late September and the weather was still warm, the sea was perfect for swimming, and I could actually enjoy the towns without fighting through crowds 📝.

Final Thoughts

The Amalfi Coast is one of those rare places that doesn’t just meet the fantasy — it exceeds it. Every sunset is more dramatic than the last, every village has its own character, and the combination of natural beauty, history, and Italian hospitality creates something that stays with you long after you leave ❤️.

Planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast? 👉 Check out my full Amalfi Coast travel page for all the details and tips!