Tales of the Amalfi Coast’s sun-soaked beaches and gorgeous colourful villages perched on cliffs high above a turquoise sea had meant that it was always a destination high on my Travel Wishlist. Fortunately, Laura decided it was the perfect spot to celebrate her birthday, giving us the impetus to hire a lovely villa and finally wander those little alleyways in person. While sadly I got quite sick the last couple of days of the trip (no fault of the Amalfi!) and therefore couldn’t quite fit in everything I wanted to see, that just means I have an excuse to go back again! However, before I collapsed into a feverish heap, here’s the amazing sights we were lucky enough to take in.
Joe and I flew into Naples and jumped on the ferry to Sorrento. Having previously experienced the havoc of Neapolitan trains, I was glad to soak in the views of Mount Vesuvius in the relative calm of the ferry. Gazing out at the bay, we watched as the colours of Sorrento speedily came into view.
It felt like we had stepped into a movie set – and of course, Sorrento has featured in many! Those towering cliffs, rainbow-hued mansions overlooking the sea… it was pure heaven. Add to that the classic sun lounger set up on the stone piers extending out into the calm waters of the bay and I’m sure you’ll understand why I couldn’t help snapping away. But even better was to come.
You can walk up the steep roads to the main part of Sorrento town or, for a mere €1, hop into the lift to whisk you to the top!
Sorrento, you had me at hello.
Joe and I happily soaking in the sun and views
Looking across the Gulf of Naples to Mount Vesuvius
There’s not much that will lure me away from views this glorious, but a grumbling stomach and the promise of Italian pasta might just manage. We wandered a little way into town and discovered Ristorante La Lanterna tucked into a gorgeous alley.
An Aperol Spritz and the promise of pasta makes me a happy lady!
The Aperol was refreshingly cold and the seafood pasta was delicious – what more could you ask for?!
Sorrento is famous for its’ lemons and limoncello, but who could resist this fruit?!
After wandering Sorrento’s pretty streets and having a chill underneath the palms, we met up with the rest of the crew and headed to our villa in Massa Lubrense. Located partway between Sorrento and Positano, this is a great spot if you have a car and want to be a little removed from the craziness (and high prices) of the main Amalfi towns.
The next day was one we were all SUPER excited about – living our best lives on our own private launch as we boated around Capri for the day!
It was a splurge for us but let me tell you – it was completely worth it. We felt like rockstars as our capitano plied us with cocktails and snacks as we sped towards Capri. Laura certainly knows how to celebrate!
Gorgeous Capri
We stopped off for lunch at Bagni Tiberio, a popular spot for relaxing and dining. I think something like 40% of my meals on this trip were seafood pasta of some kind and I am entirely satisfied with that – they were all delicious!
The rest of the day was devoted to alternating between sunning ourselves and swimming – not a tough ask by any stretch of the imagination! We had also intended to visit the Azure Grotto (Blue Cave) but when we saw the line of boats queuing up and weighed that against time in our own practically-private bay, it was an easy decision to pass by the caves this time.
One of our swim spots – pretty great!
So stunning
Sadly, after that I started feeling pretty awful, although fortunately no hospitalisation required. But thank goodness for Joe because trying to find an Italian doctor on a Sunday, then explain to them pain symptoms and understand a diagnosis was not exactly easy!
Fortunately after getting some ultra-strong pain relief and antibiotics on board, I felt (sort of) well enough to join the rest of the team in Positano. I would have had to be unconscious before I would miss out on a place I’d heard so much about! And Positano rewarded me with these stunning views (and more seafood!).
While I can’t recommend getting sick while visiting the Amalfi Coast, I do definitely recommend a visit – don’t be put off by the tales of crowds! We went in late September and it was still warm enough to swim, but not so busy that the towns were impossible to drive through or restaurants too crowded. And with all this beauty awaiting you, how could you resist? I know I’ll be back one day for the rest of this gorgeous coast.
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Have you ever visited the Amalfi Coast?
Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – check out their travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!