Looking for things to do in the Amalfi Coast, Italy? Here’s where to stay, Amalfi Coast beaches, Positano restaurants, Capri, and more!

Things to do in Amalfi Coast Italy | Positano

The Amalfi Coast, Italy has been etched in our memory since Alex and I visited on our honeymoon. The vibrant blue water, dizzying cliffs, and quaint lemon and olive groves make it impossible to forget. Once you’ve been to the Amalfi Coast, it’s in your blood. So as much as we love travelling to new places, Alex and I were absolutely dying to go back. So we said: you know what? Let’s do it! We returned to the Amalfi Coast, Italy seven years later, ready to see whether it was as good as we remembered. Here’s all the things to do there: including where to stay in the Amalfi Coast, Capri Italy, Amalfi Coast beaches, Positano restaurants, and more!

Best Beaches in Amalfi Coast | Positano

Positano Italy

Was the Amalfi Coast, Italy just as good seven years later as it was on our honeymoon? Absolutely. This gem is Positano. Positano is the most picturesque of the towns on the Amalfi Coast. If you’re wondering where to stay in the Amalfi Coast, Positano is a great option. On this trip, we stayed in a small village right above Positano called Montepertuso. It was a short walk from Positano, so we got to see this view every morning when we walked into town. We wouldn’t necessarily recommend our Airbnb, but Montepertuso is a great spot and much quieter than Positano.

If you’re looking outside of Positano at where to stay in the Amalfi Coast, might we recommend where we stayed for our honeymoon? The bed and breakfast is called Punta Civita and has the most incredible views of the coastline! It’s located between Ravello and a smaller village called Atrani so it’s slightly inconvenient to get to and you have to take the bus to many of the Amalfi Coast towns. However, the views are to die for.

Positano restaurants | Amalfi Coast Positano

Positano restaurants

One of the best meals we had on the Amalfi Coast Italy was at restaurant Da Vincenzo in Positano. The Linguine alla Napoli was to die for. The pasta cooked to perfect al dente and topped with a perfectly tangy tomato sauce studded with olives and capers. Da Vincenzo’s patio a beautiful view of Positano (above). We went there during the day because it worked out well with our other plans, and it was lovely to see Positano in all its splendor.

Because on this trip we stayed right above Positano in Montepertuso, this time we tried a few restaurants there as well. Since Montepertuso is so closeby, these can be considered Positano restaurants too!

  • La Terra (Montepertuso) – This restaurant is up in the hills and has spectacular views! It’s totally romantic and worth it just for the ambience. The food was also quite good; classic Italian.
  • Donna Rosa (Montepertuso) – This one was a little pricey, but family owned with good food!

Positano restaurant | Pasta puttanesca

Amalfi Coast beaches

To be honest, we have not been to all of the Amalfi Coast beaches! However, our opinion of the best beaches on the Amalfi Coast is finding places that are a bit off the beaten path. There are two main beaches in Positano: the one right at the center of town and one just west of town called Fornillo Beach. There’s also a wonderful, more secluded cove at the east end of Fornillo beach, just on the other side of the restaurant. There are way less people in this area, and you can leave your valuables on your towel without worrying about it here. We had remembered this beach from our honeymoon and were able to find it again. Here are a few snaps of our favorite beach in Positano. (For help on the location, notice the small cove at the bottom of the photo below.)

Best beaches in Amalfi Coast | Amalfi Coast beaches

Things to do in Amalfi Coast | Best Beaches in Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast Italy | Positano | Amalfi Coast Beaches

Amalfi Coast Italy | Thistle and Mediterranean

On Amalfi coast beaches…get gelato!

On our honeymoon, I remember eating a delicious peach gelato on the beach in Positano. I remember finding it right off the main beach, at a little counter that was attached to a restaurant. With nothing to go off of than our memories of 7 years earlier, we found the same place! And sure enough, there was that peach gelato. And it was just as I remembered: tangy and refreshing, with little chunks of frozen peaches throughout the fluffy golden gelato. It was such fun to relive one of the memories that inspired my love of food in the first place!

Amalfi Coast Italy | Peach gelato

Amalfi Coast hiking

Our favorite part of the Amalfi Coast is the hiking. There are hundreds of trails, most of them the old “roads” before new highways were cut into the hillside. The vistas are amazing, and you can end up in someone’s olive or lemon groves if you aren’t careful. Each time we’ve come, we’ve brought a book that helps navigate the trails (though it’s still easy to get lost!). Here’s the Amalfi Coast Hiking guide book we used. On our honeymoon, we literally got lost in a lemon grove and were scrambling to figure out way out of it before it go too dark!

Amalfi Coast Italy | Where to stay in Amalfi Coast

Hiking on Amalfi Coast Italy

Where to stay in Amalfi Coast Italy

Hiking in Amalfi Coast Italy

On this visit to the Amalfi Coast, one of our favorite hikes was up to a huge, round hole in the mountain that towers above Positano. Up at the top, there were no other people in sight. Alex and I sat looking down on Positano, listening to the traffic and boat horns echo up from the beach below.

Amalfi Coast Italy | Where to stay in Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast Italy | Amalfi Coast Positano

Amalfi Coast Italy | Amalfi Coast Positano

Capri Italy

Capri Italy

Capri Italy is an easy 30-minute boat ride to the island of Capri. This was one of our favorite spots on our honeymoon, so we couldn’t wait to go back. The day was a bit cloudy at first and looked like it was going to pour, but luckily the sun surfaced for the majority of the day. Capri Italy is a pretty swanky location, and the main part of the island is filled with all sorts of swanky shops and restaurants. But don’t worry: it is possible to do Capri on a budget! When we went on our honeymoon, we brought a picnic and literally spent NO money except for the boat ticket to get there! What we’ve loved to do when we go to Capri is to go hiking. Since many people go for the shopping and eating, many times the hiking is not very crowded. The photo below is of the Arco Naturale, a natural arch that’s part of one of the hikes.

Capri Italy | Arco naturale

Capri Italy | Insalata caprese

Of course when in Capri, get the Capri salad! Ordering Insalata caprese (or, Capri Salad) was something I’d been looking forward to the entire trip. It tasted absolutely divine after a day of hiking. And on this trip to Capri, we made sure to spring for some tangy lemon and orange granitas. They’re essentially flavored Italian ice and so, so refreshing on a hot day.

Capri Italy | Lemon and orange granitas

Capri Italy | Il Faraglione

Our favorite part: the best known sight in Capri Italy is Il Faraglione, a formation of three iconic rocks. This is the view that everyone knows and loves! We were looking forward to photographing this incredible spot, but were worried the cloudy weather wouldn’t cooperate. Luckily, by the end of the day we were able to get a bit of blue sky to snap these shots.

Capri Italy | Il Faraglione

Capri Italy | Il Faraglione

Capri Italy | Il Faraglione

Capri Italy

Capri Italy

Here we are leaving Capri to head back to Positano. Just at the end of the day, some sprinkles started to fall! The weather had cooperated perfectly for us, giving us sun just when we needed it. In all our time on the Amalfi Coast, this has been our one bout with rain. It’s typically very sunny in the summer!

Amalfi Coast Italy | Amalfi Coast Positano

Amalfi Coast Italy | Amalfi Coast Positano

Ravello Italy

On our final day, we took a day trip to Ravello. Ravello is an Amalfi Coast town that’s high up in the cliffs. It’s famous for its beautiful villas, built for the rich and famous, and utterly killer views. Alex and I came on our honeymoon, and I felt like a visit to the Amalfi Coast wouldn’t be complete without seeing Ravello again.

Our favorite part is Villa Cimbrone, a villa in Ravello built in the 1900’s with gorgeous gardens open to the public. We came back to see one special place: the Terrace of Infinity. It’s one of the more beautiful views in the world, we think. Scroll down to see…

Amalfi Coast Italy | Ravello

Amalfi Coast Italy | Ravello

This! The Terrace of Infinity. It’s an extraordinary place, up on this balcony with the blue sea stretching for miles, surrounded by angelic looking statues. It makes you feel both insignificant and special, all at once.

Amalfi Coast Italy | Ravello | Terrace of Infinity

Amalfi Coast Italy | Ravello

Amalfi Coast Italy | Ravello | Terrace of Infinity | Villa Cimbrone

Amalfi Coast Italy | Terrace of Infinity | Ravello | Villa Cimbrone

Amalfi Coast Italy | Terrace of Infinity | Ravello | Villa Cimbrone

Amalfi Coast Italy | Terrace of Infinity | Ravello | Villa Cimbrone

Amalfi Coast Italy | Ravello

Amalfi Coast Italy | Via Rufolo | Ravello

And one more iconic Amalfi Coast shot in Ravello! Here’s the photograph you see on the cover of all Amalfi Coast guidebooks (if you’ve never seen one, you’ll recognize it now). It’s in a different villa called Villa Rufolo, which sits just around the corner from Villa Cimbrone. Since we had come that far, I insisted on going into that villa as well to snap that lovely shot.

Amalfi Coast Italy | Amalfi Coast hiking

More Amalfi Coast hiking

After visiting these villas, we hiked down from Ravello to catch a ferry back. Though we had taken the bus there, we decided to walk back down to get our exercise. Steps like these are everywhere on the Amalfi Coast: they connect all the towns to each other! And they’re much better going down than up. Walking on these steps and paths is one of my favorite memories of the Amalfi Coast. You’ll pass by quaint little doors set into the rock walls, and even baskets of lemons being sold on the honor system. Also, there’s typically not many people on the steps even in high season, so it feels secluded and secret.

Amalfi Coast Italy | Positano | Lemons

Amalfi Coast Italy

Amalfi Coast Italy | Green door

The evening of our last day in the Amalfi Coast, we decided to hike all the way from the beach at Positano to our favorite “hole” towering above the town near Montepulciano. After squeezing through tiny paths and steep inclines, we made it to the top and gazed over Positano one last time.

Amalfi Coast Italy | Montepulciano

Amalfi Coast Italy | Montepulciano

The Amalfi Coast is absolutely stunning, and we are so grateful to have been able to take another trip there.  It was so special for us to revisit a culture and place that meant so much to us early in our marriage. We left feeling rested and relaxed, though we’d been on our feet constantly! Thank you so much for letting us share these memories with you.

Have you ever been to the Amalfi Coast, or thinking of taking a trip there? Let us know your thoughts or questions!

More travel posts

Amalfi Coast and Capri Travel Guide | A Couple Cooks

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

60 Comments

    1. Thank you so much for this blog, my husband and I are going to Rome and Amalfi coast in September. We now have some great recommendations thanks to you!!! If you have any recommendations for Rome we would sooooo love to hear them! Thanks for all the beautiful work! Deanna.

  1. Gorgeous! My husband lived on the Amalfi coast for six months during college and we have pictures that he took on the trip. We plan on going there as a family of four when the kids get older :)

    1. Wow, what a wonderful experience for your husband to live on the Amalfi Coast! It will be an amazing trip to return with your children – something they’ll never forget! Thanks for sharing :)

      1. Hi Sonja
        My husband and I are headed to the Mediterranean on a cruise in sept. The cruise ends in Rome. We plan on staying for a week after to explore. We do we start to plan our trip
        Thanks Gail

  2. Positano is a magical place. I was there 2 years ago and loved it – strolling down the winding streets and ending up on that gorgeous beach at the bottom. Our drive along the Amalfi Coast to get there was a bit hair-raising with our tour bus driver going a bit too fast, driving one-handed while talking on his cell phone! Your beautiful pics bring all the memories back!

    1. Haha, your bus ride sounds about right! We rode the buses when we went on our honeymoon, but this time we opted for hiring a car to take us there — that bus ride is quite an experience! :)

  3. Beautiful photos! My boyfriend and I are headed to the Amalfi coast next month! Will definitely check out some of these hikes and the restaurants you recommended.

  4. Trust me, I know how weird this sounds…but I have tears in my eyes because these photos are so gorgeous! My husband and I are hoping to take a big European vacation for our 10 year anniversary in 2 years, and this has been on my “must see” list since I first saw ‘Under the Tuscan Sun.’ So gorgeous!

    1. Oh, so sweet (and not weird at all)! I also get emotional about beautiful places :) You must go — you will be blown away by the beauty. Where else do you plan to go?!

  5. The first holiday I went on with my boyfriend was to the Amalfi Coast so it has a very special place in my heart (not least because I figured if we could spend five days together without arguing, it probably meant we were good for life). I loved seeing your pictures and being reminded of our time there again xo

See More Comments