Imagine yourself driving on the side of a cliff, top down, the wind blowing in your hair with the bright blue ocean to your side with the most colorful homes you’ve ever seen serving as the most amazing backdrop ever??? This is your reality when visiting the Amalfi Coast! The Amalfi coast consists of many small towns with so much charm and beauty that it honestly takes your breathe away! My family and I ventured to this picturesque part of Italy on a “day trip” from Rome a few years ago. Our itinerary consisted of 4 must see towns: Ravello, Amalfi, Positano and Sorrento. Keep reading below to see how you can plan this trip too!
Planning a “Day Trip” to the Amalfi Coast
As I sat at home planning out our Roman Adventure I decided a 9 night stay in Rome would be amazing but if I could add an extra day or two in Venice or Amalfi my heart would be content. My husband and I had ventured to Venice many years before being parents but we had never made it to the Amalfi Coast. After re- watching one of my favorite movies, Only You, I decided it was a done deal and we were heading South to the coast!
After much research and reading extensive customer reviews, I decided the best tour guide for us would be the LovelyAmalfiTours. They had private tours, great reviews and the price was just right! It is important to note, that at this time in our lives, it was vital for us to have a private tour because our daughter was 2 years old. I had visions of us on our Amalfi tour with a screaming child and ruining everyone’s experience so I felt it would be a much better experience for us to just go solo and avoid that possibility. Okay, back to the LovelyAmalfiTours…there were so many options to choose from but in the end we chose the Private Day Tour, Full Amalfi Coast (Ravello-Amalfi-Positano). I knew we would depart from Rome and would need to take a train from Naples to get picked up and then dropped off in Sorrento, where I booked a hotel for the night. Once I made all the final arrangements and everything was confirmed, we were set and ready to go!
From Rome to Naples (Train Station)
The morning of our departure, we packed a day bag and headed to the Rome Termini train station. We chose an early train ride to Naples to ensure we got as much time out of our Amalfi Coast adventure! The train was fantastic, as we traveled on a weekday, so we were practically the only passengers on the train. When we arrived in Naples it was very packed and I began to feel unsure on how we were going to find our guide. We exited the train and followed the crowd towards the front and then stopped as we saw a row of signs with peoples names on them. Then we saw a sharp Italian dressed man who immediately recognized us, probably because of our stroller, and introduced himself as Enrico out guide! He immediately helped my husband with our bags and led us to the van into Naples.
Naples to Ravello
As we journeyed off to Ravello, we got to know more about our guide and the beautiful sites we were about to visit. We made a quick detour off the highway to get a view of the active volcano, Mt. Vesuvius in the early morning hours. I was shocked to see how many homes and businesses are on the path of this volcano. The thought of it possibly erupting one day with such a large community below is a little frightening but still eerily beautiful. Back on the road again, we finally made it to the quaint town of Ravello. We got dropped off at the main square where there were plenty of gift shops, cafes and views galore! My daughter was ready to stretch her little legs and run around as we took in the beauty surrounding us. The biggest attraction in Ravello is the Ravello Festival that happens once a year during the summer. Each summer since 1953 the Ravello Festival honors a famous German Composer, Wagner. They hold a live concert on the Villa Rufolo stage overlooking the gorgeous Tyrrhenian Sea. One day we will go back to visit Ravello during that magical time in the summer!
Ravello to Amalfi
As we left the town of Ravello, we entered the famous winding roads of the coast to get to the town of Amalfi. Enrico was awesome enough to play Italian music and really get us into the Italian spirit. As we got closer to the main square the crowds were large and the beach was packed! We pulled into the parking area of the beach and instructed to walk towards the pier to get a much better view of the gorgeous town. As we walked towards the water we could smell the humid beach air and tons of sunblock. We reached the end of the pier and glanced back to see this most amazing view of Amalfi! We were the only ones on the pier for a few moments so I took advantage and snapped as many pictures as possible. After about 20 minutes or so we decided to head into the town and visit the Piazza del Duomo aka the Amalfi Cathedral. After touring the outside of the Duomo, we grabbed a quick bite to eat and people watched. After our relaxing stop we got up and went shopping at a few souvenirs and then it was time to find Enrico to get to our next stop, Positano!
Amalfi to Positano
We left Amalfi with souvenirs in hand and were super excited to visit one of the most famous spots of all the Amalfi, POSITANO. We drove no more than 15 to 20 minutes and we were almost there! It’s really cool how close all of these town are to each other. Before we reached our final destination, Enrico had us stop at this really cute fruit stand with lots of fresh fruit and lemons before entering Positano. Our guide explained how this was the perfect spot for a panoramic picture with the coast behind us. The view and ambiance was spectacular and well worth the impromptu stop!
After this unexpected photo shoot we were on way to the heart of Positano. More winding roads and lots of beautifully colored homes on the cliffs of this magnificent town. Our first stop in town was to grab some lunch that our guide was kind enough to schedule. The restaurant overlooked the boats, yachts and the amazing blue ocean below. For lunch we had a traditional Italian lunch that consisted of a caprese salad, bruschetta, pizza, spaghetti, wine, deserts and limoncello. Our daughter loved the pasta while we enjoyed the wine and scrumptious limoncello!
Lunch was fantastic and then it was time to head into town and do a little shopping. There are hundreds of stores down these tiny cobblestone sidewalks, definitely not stroller friendly, with tons of people on either side. As we maneuvered ourselves down the cliff we stopped into a few local shops to buy a few items to remind us of our time in Positano. We also made a quick gelato stop since it was hot and our little one was starting to get fussy. We took many more pics and then found Enrico to head into Sorrento.
Positano to Sorrento
It is important to note that Sorrento was not on the official list of the “Full Amalfi Coast Tour.” We had made a special request months in advance to ensure we had a direct ride from Positano to our hotel in Sorrento. Time for a memorable moment story…as we drove into Sorrento, Enrico and I were having a great conversation as my hubby was in the back with our daughter. As Enrico talked, using his hands to give emotion (real Italian gestures), with Italian music on and the gorgeous Amalfi Coast in view, he grabs a scarf from the middle console and begins to wrap it around his neck very nonchalantly. Mind you it’s at least 90 degrees outside. I’m watching trying not to react as I can see my husband, through my peripheral view, inching closer and closer to me with the most bewildered look of disbelief on his face. I could tell he was shocked that he was deliberately wrapping a scarf around his neck! In his defense it was very HOT outside but I did NOT want to acknowledge him because I just knew he would say something stupid which he says he would have. To this day he asks “Who does that?” as he mockingly states he must’ve had a chill creep up his neck, LOL! Needless to say, it is a moment we both will NEVER forget! We arrived in Sorrento after about a 25 minute ride. We settled into our room which overlooked Mt. Vesuvius and the town of Sorrento. We were both very impressed with he view.
As we decided what to do next, before the sunset, we found a children’s park located directly across our hotel and a lemon orchard across from that! It was pure luck because I honestly had no idea these two important spots were so close to us. My daughter had a blast at Parco Giochi “Don Luigi Verde” where she was able to ride cars, play on the swings, go down the slides, jump on the trampoline, play air hockey and so much more! After playing in the park for quite some time we ventured to to the lemon grove named Giardini di Cataldo. The lemons were green, it was late August but we still got to walk around and sample some fresh limoncello.
As the sun began to set, we headed back to our hotel and had a delicious dinner with a wonderful view of Sorrento. We went upstairs and before bed I decided I wanted to wake up super early the next morning to watch the sunrise! No one else volunteered to watch it with me so I did it on my own. YOLO!! So at 6:20am I woke up and watched the gorgeous sunrise all by myself and let me just say it was completely worth it! It was an incredible moment with the most beautiful colors of orange, pink, purples and reds I had ever seen.
After this breathtaking sunrise we had breakfast delivered to our room which everyone happily got up to. I have to admit, European breakfasts are my absolute favorite because I’m not a huge breakfast eater. Pastries, cappuccino, juice, and yogurt are all the items my daughter and I need to survive the mornings! I can’t say that my husband agrees because he prefers a more westernized breakfast. Just look at the spread below, everything was so delicious!
Sorrento to Naples
After breakfast we got ready to embrace the next 8 hours of Sorrento with no agenda. We asked the concierge where the main area of Sorrento was located and then ventured off to explore. Once we reached the main piazza you had options of going down several narrow alleyway streets so we randomly chose a path and started walking. The streets were filled with tons of stores selling everything from souvenirs, toys, clothes, limoncello, food, gelato, fresh fruits, lemons and more!
We did some shopping and decided it was time for lunch but most importantly lunch with a view. As we searched for the perfect restaurant we stumbled across one called La Pergola. This restaurant is located directly on top of a cliff overlooking the most beautiful blue waters of Sorrento and Mt. Vesuvius. Let me just say we were incredibly lucky because not only was our food phenomenal but our daughter at that moment decided it was time to take a nap! The cool breeze and sounds of the water must’ve done the trick. We had an amazing lunch with a gorgeous view!
After a delicious lunch, we strolled through the town once more and grabbed a few more souvenirs before heading back to the hotel for our private ride back into Naples. Enrico came back for us and told us he had planned a very special surprise for us on the way back. He arranged for us to visit one of the oldest and best pizzerias in all of Naples, L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele! If you have ever watched the movie Eat Pray Love, this is the pizzeria Julia Roberts and her friend visit while in Naples. It is a very authentic pizzeria that serves only two types of pizza: the margarita and the marinara. Enrico advised us to try both pizzas to get the full experience which we happily obliged to! In order to get into the restaurant everyone must grab a ticket and wait for your number to be called out and then you can walk into the restaurant. Enrico grabbed our tickets and after about 15 minutes or so we were ready to walk in! The experience was exquisite and the pizza was by far the best we have ever had to date. The pizzas are so simple but yet so incredibly delicious!
Summary
We had a fantastic time on our two day getaway to the Amalfi Coast! When visiting the coast be prepared to do a lot of shopping, eating, sunbathing, picture taking and just relaxing with endless amazing views! I highly recommend the Amalfi Coast for families who want to venture away from Rome for just a few days because it is so worth it. We absolutely love day trips!
We loooove Amalfi . We definitely want to go back & enjoy it without our kids 😁. Hopefully soon!
Such a romantic destination for two lovebirds! Positano is picture perfect but very expensive and Sorrento is beautiful but not nearly as expensive. All the best towns are located near each other so you can take a taxi anytime! Positano to Sorrento is only about a 35 minute drive away. Hope soon for y’all too!