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Planning a trip to Amalfi

Pauline

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I spent days looking at vacation rentals in the town of Amalfi on the Amalfi Coast. Positano or Praiano are the places to stay on the Amalfi Coast - a great selection of rentals and roads through the town so you don't have to climb so many steps. There are many steps in Positano, but the road snakes through town and a bus goes around, so you don't always have to climb them.

But I wanted to be in Amalfi because of the nearby hiking. The rentals in Amalfi all seem to require going up many steps. The ones in the center of town where it is flat all seemed to be on the 4th floor so had 80 or 90 staircase steps. Any with a view were up the pedestrian lanes with 200+ steps.

We spent two weeks in Positano last May and loved it (except that it was very crowded and the buses were sometimes full and not fun). We did a few great hikes from Positano and two from Amalfi. There are many more in the Amalfi area and I wanted to do them this time.

You can tell from the past tense that the trip is not going to happen. I almost booked this lovely place from Summer in Italy - Casa Lazira. It hangs on the cliff, well above the coast road, with views of the harbor and the sea, but it is 220 staircase steps to the apartment when starting from the coast road and 280 when going up the pedestrian alleys from town. I put it on hold and canceled it two days later. I think the stairs will be killer, especially after a day of hiking which will have a lot of stairs to climb up from the valley.

We once stayed in an apartment in Locarno, Switzerland with 200 steps - straight up from the street. We were much younger then and it was still daunting.

I did find some nice places in town, with only 55 steps up to the 4th floor. Loft Apartments. I wanted a 2 bedroom place because a friend was going to join us for part of the time. These apartments are probably small but look very nice and are at the back of Amalfi, away from the sea, near the Paper Museum. There are only shared outside areas and I was hoping for a table outside the door for morning coffee. One of the Loft Apartments does have a small private outdoor area.

The main problem with this trip is that I left it too late. I started looking several weeks ago, blinked, and three weeks had gone by. There are limited flights from London (two a day from Gatwick and one is 6am!) and all the good prices were gone.

I looked up the weather for end of March/early April and it shows temps in the mid 60sF with lots of sun and maybe some rain. We had temps around 70 and a few days of rain last year in May.

So, this post is just me moaning that we don't get to go away before Easter.

Photo showing the hiking trail - many steps down to Amalfi.

amalfi-3333.jpg
 
Hi Pauline
Yes, I've walked a number of times from Ravello to Amalfi (~ 1200 steps) and IIRC 3 times I've done the reverse route. Now that is hard work! We did have one very unfortunate incident when we'd just arrived for our 2nd trip and were so eager, we went tearing down the steps from Ravello to Amalfi at breakneck speed. Just as the thought crossed my mind this was dangerous, the brains of the operation missed a step and turned her ankle (not horizontally, but vertically). She was in such pain that when one of the usual local guard dogs barked at her, she screamed something unrepeatable back at it, and it whimpered off in fear of this terrifying human! It took about a month to recover (the ankle not the dog, I think the dog may have needed counselling).

The locals don't seem to appreciate the paths either, much preferring the car. I think they think us tourists slightly deranged for enjoying the old routes built for donkeys! They are an exceptional criss-cross of the coast though and would be quite a shock to someone familiar with Cinque Terre coastal paths "Where is everyone?!!! This place feels deserted."

L'Altracostiera (a local travel agent / tourist agency) have a good listing of rental properties. Frustratingly they don't list prices (just availability) but if you have to ask the prices, it also means discussion on steps can be had at the same time. We've used them 3 times and have found them pretty clued up / fair. The properties are normal houses / apartments, so can vary. We stayed in one in Pogerola, which is on a regular bus route, so you have access to the paths, but can get around without them.

My favourite path so far, is actually very good for not having many steps. The valley of the mills (in Julian Tippett's still excellent pocket book) combines gentle woodland slopes, descending to a stream crossing, leading into the remnants of the old paper mills and finally back into civilisation. I think we saw a single person during the ~ 90 minute walk. I also loved one not in the Tippett guide, heading out of the inland side of Ravello, that simply meandered through the woods as far as we wanted to go. A handful of steps in Ravello and no more after that!

So for the apartments near the paper mill, yes definitely not a problem, and the Piazza up there has a somewhat strange humdrum feel, oddly quite appealing if the tourists have been out in numbers further down the main street. Fitting in as much of the valley of the mills walk as you want would work, as you have the downhill bit on the return. Otherwise get the bus up the hill and walk down.

Another walk I'd cautiously recommend, is the seemingly short Amalfi to Atrani route, starting below the Duomo in Amalfi. It can take ~ 20 minutes, but it is a most strenuous 20 minutes with some steep steps. The road route makes for a much easier return. Worth it though for the quirky charm of Atrani, which like the woodland walks, is a joy on a hot day. I also once had a morning to myself, so veered off that route upwards to the distinctive colonnaded building. It's the main cemetery and I'm glad I went. Whilst very much not a tourist attraction, and I did argue with myself whether I should go in, I found it a most soulful place, with joyous photos of lost relatives giving a positive rather than negative emotion. Joyful calm.

I'm definitely trying to talk you into going, and May is a wonderful time to go (March / April can be quite a bit cooler / more variable). It's either that or October for us, but I did once go in early July (1990), which was blisteringly hot.

If I can't persuade you, maybe Mrs Doyle can :D
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Link for L'Altra Costiera - vacation rentals on the Amalfi Coast.

Thanks for that agency recommendation.

We did the Valley of the Mills walk last year and loved it. I used the Cicerone Guide. There were other people walking it when we did it last May, but it was not overrun. As you say, none of the trails were - except Path of the Gods. We made the mistake of starting in Nocelle when everyone starts at the other end, so we passed a lot of hikers. We didn't do the whole trial - just went out and back from Nocelle.

I was planning to do that walk to Atrani and I think there is a pedestrian tunnel on the way back, near the new parking lot, to avoid walking on the road. I thought we might stay in Atrani, but since we were going off season I thought Amalfi would be better. After your description of the walk from Ravello, maybe that is a good place to stay. We did one walk from Ravello, a circular walk from the Cicerone Guide, that went on lanes all around the valley and through several villages, then ended up in Pontone, where we climbed back to Ravello. On the Valley of the Mills walk we were in Pontone again but this time walked all those stairs down to Amalfi.

I have been looking at Amalfi on Google Maps with Street View and 3D view and wondered what that distinctive colonnaded building above Amalfi on the east side was. A cemetery!! That would be interesting.

I think we have missed it for April but am now thinking we might go in May for a week, combining it with a week in Tuscany or Umbria.
 
Hi Pauline
Ravello is very special indeed. It can't grow out of control and the limited sized buses / scarcity of parking means it never gets overrun, though I do recall it busy when the music festival was on - though that might have been due to Prime Minister Andreotti being there.

On my first visit, as dusk settled over the coast, I was mesmerised by the view, so much so that one of my friends came over to ask what the problem was - had someone offended / annoyed me? There was nothing of the sort I assured him, just look at that view!

Accomodation can be a mixed bag. Our 1st stay had much to enjoy, though by the time we returned it had been bought out to be converted in a recuperation clinic. That was about 180 steps below Ravello. We then stayed in an apartment that might still be there, basic facilities, but with a pool and a grassed area, based on a quiet pathway about 100 yards from Villa Rufulo (down via dei Rufulo, through the arch, then turn right and only 6 steps involved!). After that another apartment, even closer to the main Piazza, on the bottom end of via Santissima Trinita, opposite what is now a Murano Glass shop (what? - in Ravello?!!!). Ideal for warmer weather than we went in (it is traditionally cool/dark). The shower was literally a small alcove that might fit a supermodel! Apart from that it was good, with some quiet outdoor seating and the location was wonderful.

Ravello is pretty rubbish for exploring the coast. Amalfi & Minori are easy (we'd walk down and bus up unless we felt full of energy). Scala is also very easy, as are some very small hamlets. Torre dello Ziro is a little further than it looks, but the views over Amalfi are amazing, albeit I don't particularly like heights, so it was a little disconcerting to feel like you were suspended above the town in mid air!

regards
Ian
 
Pauline, we stayed a week in Ravello on our long trip, back in 2005. The house we rented is still listed online. http://www.rent-holiday-homes.com/Holiday-House-RAVELLO--Italy-d326.html We loved staying there. It was a walk from the main piazza and there were steps, but they were not steep steps. This house is right next to the Villa Cimbrione. We walked down to Amalfi twice... Kelly and I took the bus up both times, but Charley was squeamish about the bus and walked up the second time. Another day we walked around the valley to a restaurant on the other side. I liked Ravello because it was flat. We loved it up in Ravello so much that we didn't do as much around the Amalfi Coast as we had originally planned.

Here's my old review on SlowTrav... guess you better read it fast! http://slowtrav.com/italy/vr/review.asp?n=1501
 
For anyone following this thread, we are going to Italy, but after Easter and we are not going to the Amalfi Coast. We will save that for another time. We are doing 10 nights in Basilicata, in the mountains, and a week in Spoleto - that is the plan right now, I am booking it tomorrow. I'll start a new thread for advice.
 
For anyone following this thread, we are going to Italy, but after Easter and we are not going to the Amalfi Coast. We will save that for another time. We are doing 10 nights in Basilicata, in the mountains, and a week in Spoleto - that is the plan right now, I am booking it tomorrow. I'll start a new thread for advice.
We will be nearby in Assisi for the last few days of our trip May 6-9. Spoleto is one of the towns we want to see. I can't believe all my times in the area I have never been there. Maybe we will run int0 you!
 
I am in my typical obsessive planning mode. ( AND my daughter is getting married here in 2 weeks so I should be concentrating on that instead)
We've never been to the Amalfi coast. I am thinking Positano for just 2 nights to get a taste. We want to spend a full week in Naples and I guess the coast would be afterwards--April2018.
Anyway--Is Positano the quintessential location for the Amalfi coast?
Any recs for BnB's there?

Thanks all.
 
Hi Jan
An odd suggestion from me, as I'm not a fan of the place, and technically it's not even the Amalfi coast, but would you consider Sorrento? The reason is purely logisitical, as for just 2 nights, the ability to take a direct train from Napoli to Sorrento might make logistics much easier. Sorrento is also ideal for Pompeii or Herculaneum if they appeal, but also has some decent walking trails and makes for an easy enough day trip to Positano.

Is Positano the quintessential location for the Amalfi coast?
I'm not sure any location is, they each have their charms:
Positano for good views/step hill/beachfront, pastel coloured houses, slightly iffy plumbing.
Ravello for arguably the best views, calmness and serenity, slightly posher, bit of a pain to get to/from
Amalfi, for more ground level views, good services, Andrea Pansa cakes, transport hub, prefer being a short walk out of town to get some elevation
Atrani, for the coolest escape in hot weather, in a remarkable piece of architecture, with A'Paranza seafood restaurant, but can feel subterranean when the good views are elsewhere
Pogerola, for less touristy, slightly humdrum, but good views
Maiori, for that beachfront holiday and the avoidance of hills/steps, though seems to miss a little soul
Minori, surprisingly good for food shopping & eating out, with a decent roman villa to explore, but limited options vs some of the others
etc. (and I'm sure someone can do a similar precis for Praiano)
 
For the Amalfi Coast, Positano is the quintessential village. IMO it is the most picturesque of the villages, has a great selection of beaches, shops, restaurants, and hideways. I usually rent an apartment there each June, so I may be biased. ;-) If you want to experience the AC, then stay actually on the AC, not Sorrento. To get to Positano from Naples, take a 30-minute train from Naples to Salerno, then a 70-minute ferry ride to Positano. Seeing the AC from the water is a lovely way to arrive!
 
I agree with @Engred . Positano is the place to stay, but give it more than 2 nights if you can. We loved our 2 weeks there last May. @Gail Hecko knows the hotels there. She brings groups to Positano each spring.

We spent 2 weeks in Sorrento in 2001 and it is centrally located but when we visited last year it was packed with cruise ship tourists. Staying right in Positano will be fun.
 
I tend to agree with Positano also. We stayed there 5 nights and had a car, but it was in late March so everything was very uncrowded. We visited Amalfi and Ravello one day - just stopping along the coast to admire the views. Another day we spent in Pompeii. Another day was spent in Capri, taking the ferry from Sorrento. Our final day was spent walking around Positano, stopping to shop, eat and see the sites. We thought Positano was very centrally located.
We had the most amazing apartment - high up with views over the entire area. The downside was that it was 93 steep steps up to it!
 
I stayed in Praiano at a wonderful apartment called Casa Matilde (Summer In Italy) recommended by (Mimi) a fellow Slow Traveler. The apartment is up some stairs (common in Amalfi Coast) but it had the most beautiful sunset views (no Wi-Fi though or at least they didn't have it back when I visited). The town itself is not as pretty as Positano as it is more linear but it was in the middle between Positano and Amalfi and I found it to be a wonderful base. There is a sweet church up the hill. The town of Amalfi is where you can catch the connecting buses to other towns like to Ravello, Minori, Maiori and down to Salerno so I could catch the train to see the greek temples in Paestum. I also did a quick day trip up to Naples from Praiano as well. If memory serves me right I took a bus to Sorrento, then a train into Naples for that day trip. I had already seen Pompeii on another trip, but didn't spend any time in Naples. I also did a two night day trip to the island of Capri. If you can, I agree with Pauline about spending more than two night there.

It was a 15 minute bus ride to Positano or Amalfi and so I made several trips to Positano sometimes just to have dinner at Chez Black right on the beach. I got that recommendation from Mimi too and was not disappointed.

Of all the towns, I think if I wasn't staying in Praiano, I would want to have stayed in Positano too. But I do love that apartment in Praiano.:) This was my view from the living room in my apartment.

SUNSET IN PRAIANO.jpg
 
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If you can spend 3 nights, look at renting an apartment at Casa Caldiero. We stayed there our last trip and booked it for our next trip. Great views and a fantastic location.

Admin adding link for apartments: Casa Caldiero
 
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Yes in terms of locations I would rather have a week on the Amalfi Coast and 2 nights in Napoli, rather than the other way around. Not that Jan might not have really good reasons to want a week in Napoli, and we're all different.
 
This trip did not happen in April as I had planned. Instead we went after Easter to Basilicata and then Umbria. Now I am thinking about this trip again but doing it the first two weeks of November. Has anyone been to the Amalfi Coast off season?
 
I have been on the AC in October and it was still lovely - mostly nice weather (some showers) and few crowds. However, in November things will be VERY quiet. At least in Positano, most of the hotels and restaurants will be closed, although certain restaurants will be opened as determined by the town counsel, as people do live there. If you don't mind spotty weather, I think it would be a nice time to visit.
 

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