The Amalfi Coast: A traveller's guide

The breathtaking landscapes of the Amalfi Coast have eternally captivated travellers from Richard Wagner to Greta Garbo. Rachel Goldrick tells us why.

The Italians have a saying: “Vedi Napoli e poi muori”, See Naples and die. The origin of the phrase is obscure. An ancient Roman travel agents’ sales pitch exhorting wealthy senators to holiday here? A romantic saying of Goethe’s meaning once you have seen Naples’s splendours your life is complete? Or even a euphemism for the spread of syphilis!

Jaded travellers interpret it as a realistic assessment of your chances of survival amongst the chaotic traffic (no out of town Italian would attempt to drive here!) crowded washing line-decked alleyways and polluted, sprawling suburbs. But to have breakfast on the rooftop terrace of the Miramare Hotel overlooking the brooding silhouette of Vesuvius from across the shimmering crescent of the bay makes it all worthwhile.

Beauty and death seem eternally intertwined throughout Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Few landscapes on earth are as bewitching – deep azure coves, vertical pastel towns, sub-tropical cliff top gardens, dizzying terraces of lemon trees that seem to fall into the sea. But beauty comes at a price - life has always been hard here. Much of the area was too precipitous to even build roads on until the late 19C. Tales of fisherwomen making daily 1000m climbs to sell their catch in hilltop villages are as common place as the farmers’ terraces that crept ever nearer the smouldering summit of Vesuvius.

It is the precariousness of existence here that makes every day life so intense. From reeling in the days’ catch to making pizza in large wood-fired ovens to crushing lemons and ice in wooden barrels to make fresh granita everything is savoured as if it were the last time. A day lived on the Amalfi Coast feels as long as a week spent elsewhere.

Food and wine

Sun-ripened vegetables such as aubergines, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes never taste better than when harvested from the volcanically rich fertile slopes here. Whether they’re fried or baked as antipasti or served as a main course like peperoni ripieni (stuffed peppers). Fish is plentiful. Try alici inammorate (breaded anchovies) for antipasti or a pasta dish like spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with fresh clams). The local cheese, mozzarella is a staple ingredient whether garnishing the local pizza (it was invented in Naples) as a filling for pasta or simply raw as an antipasto. Meat is served with a garnish of Mediterranean vegetables – steak Amalfi style is cooked with capers, olives and garlic. Vines, although not plentiful due to the vertiginous landscape, flourish here since Roman times. Falerno, a velvety red, and Lacrima Tiberii were both favourites of the Roman Emperor Tiberius who lived on Capri. For something stronger try limoncello - a surprisingly strong liqueur made from lemon pulp.

Walking Choices

Networked with well-preserved mule tracks, the Amalfi coast is ideal for hikers. One of the area’s most famous hikes is the Sentiere degli Dei or Pathways of the Gods. A stunning 7 mile cliff path that offers bird’s eye views along the coastline until it finishes just off the island of Capri. Whilst not all walks in the area can claim to be quite as photogenic, nearly all include great coastal views. As you’re following ancient mule tracks you walk through many traditional villages, so opportunities for authentic trattorie lunches and shopping in local markets abound.

When you’re not walking

No visit here is complete without seeing Pompeii. Buried under a layer of volcanic ash, this is the closest you’ll ever come to experiencing what a Roman city must have looked like. Many of the frescoes were found intact. Once submerged in volcanic mud, neighbouring Herculaneum is also worth a trip - the ruins here are even better preserved as a result. Towns to visit include Amalfi, with its striped 13C cathedral and maze of medieval alleyways and hilltop Ravello famed for its beautiful cliff top gardens commanding breathtaking views over the Amalfi Coast. If you’re not staying on Capri, the island makes a good day trip. Capri Town, Tiberius ancient villa and the Blue Grotto can all be visited in a day. And don’t forget Naples with its 17C Spanish Royal Palace, archaeological Museum and attractive seafront.

Getting Around

The Circumvesuviana railway connects Naples and Sorrento, stopping off in Pompeii and Herculaneum. From Naples there are frequent hydrofoil services to Sorrento, Amalfi and Capri. There’s also a good bus service connecting Sorrento, Ravello and Amalfi. So it’s easy to get around.

Uncover the secrets of the Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast Walk: If you want to really get under the skin of the region, then our guided twin centre walk is the ideal choice. You’ll be travelling with an expert local guide who’ll make sure that you really savour the region. Together, you’ll enjoy lazy lunches in handpicked village trattorie as well maybe visiting a limoncello factory to find out how the famous liqueur is made or joining in inspecting the day’s catch in one of the many fishing harbours you’ll see on the way. There’ll also be a visit to Pompeii, and an opportunity to visit Capri on your free day.

Ravello to Sorrento Walk: If you want the achievement of feeling that you have actually walked the length of the Amalfi Coast then this is the tour for you. Starting in Ravello, you’ll hike the famous Pathway of the Gods then descend to chic Positano. From here your route takes you above the Galli islands once owned by Nureyev before arriving in the tiny fishing hamlet of Marina del Cantone – your hotel here lies in a hidden cove and can only be reached on foot. Then an exhilarating coastal hike with views over Capri takes you into the pastel coloured houses of Sorrento.