The Amalfi Coast defines luxury. Picturesque towns. Lavish hotels. Winding roads. Hidden coves. Views on views. Fifty shades of blue. Italian beach vibes.
A week in Amalfi is what I imagine celeb life to be like… except you get to eat pasta twice a day.
Sometimes you gotta treat yo’ self.
The Amalfi Coast is simply STUNNING. You can’t take more than two steps without coming across the most beautiful photo opt. But then you turn the corner and there’s an even more gorgeous photo opt.
One piece of advice that was given to me and I’ll pass along to you: The Amalfi Coast in its entirely is so special. Don’t try to squeeze in two nights in Positano before jetting off to Greece or Tuscany. Take time to experience how unique each town is. Take in the views in the quiet town of Ravello. Experience magical Capri at night once all the visor-clad tourists have taken the ferry back to Sorrento. Sip an aperol spritz overlooking the Church of Santa Maria in Positano.
Ravello is situated above the Amalfi Coast (high above the town of Amalfi to be exact). The views are exquisite.
Our terrace at the Belmond Hotel Caruso
The journey
Hop on a train to Naples and then drive up the mountains into Ravello. My advice –don’t drive this yourself. In fact, be VIP and splurge on a car service once you arrive in Naples. Naples can be quite the shit show, especially in high season. It’s also a tad on the seedy side. Once you’re situated, enjoy the ride… and the view. Unless you’re scared of heights…
Stay
Belmond Hotel Caruso – Set on a cliff overlooking the Amalfi Coast with an infinity pool to die for. The front desk staff greeted us with fresh lemonade and an upgrade. Winning! Upon entering our room, I immediately fell in love with the massive terrace framed with gorgeous roses and a striking view of the Tyrrhenian Sea. I was giddy. When I was told that breakfast (in robes on the terrace) was included, I was jumping up and down in excitement. Dreams do come true. But wait, there’s more. The Penhaligon bath products, the soaking tub, the welcome bottle of champagne and fresh fruit, the outdoor walkway dripping with fresh blooms… Yes, the hotel is gorgeous from the grounds to the rooms, but what makes the Belmond a true gem is the people. I’d like to give a very special shout out to JJ the concierge and the entire front desk team who welcomed us… and made a music video to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop The Feeling” with us.
Eat
Belmond Hotel Caruso Pool Bar & Belvedere Restaurant – while I typically prefer to venture outside the hotel for meals, the restaurants here at the Belmond Hotel Caruso really can’t be beat. Check out the pool bar for pizza and snacks. For a fancier vibe, head to the Belvedere Restaurant. The tuna nicoise salad was out of this world. So was the lemon spaghetti with anchovies. And if you’re not into anchovies, get into anchovies.
Sip
Palazzo Avino’s Lobster and Martini Bar – There are two reasons to go here. 1. The extensive martini menu. 2. The hot Italian bar-men. I had the fancy martini with champs (duh). My husband had the fish martini which came with a sashimi snack. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again – dreams do come true.
Explore
Villa Cimbrone – Frolic around the photo-worthy gardens and the famous Terrazzo Dell’Infinito (the terrace of infinity).
Hike Down to Minori and Amalfi – Feel free to hike back up, but you’ll be hiking up A LOT of stairs. Like thousands of stairs. So unless you’re in the mood for Stairmaster 3.0 post pizza and pasta, I recommend a leisurely hike down and a cab up.
We visited the town of Minori thanks to a recommendation from some of the staff at The Belmond who live there. It’s a quaint little town with very few tourists, which is incredibly rare in Amalfi. We had a delicious lunch at a charming restaurant – Giardiniello. The Giardiniello pizza was bellissimo. This restaurant also holds a special place in our heart because it’s where we first discovered homemade scialatilli pasta; which we proudly named “the cookie dough of pasta.” We couldn’t leave this darling town without sampling treats from the front desk staff’s favorite pasticceria, Sal De Riso. Thankful for the perfect recommendation, we brought sweets back for them.
Later that evening, we hiked down to Amalfi. Okay, that’s a lie. We cabbed down. I had an excuse – I was wearing heels. But in the right situation, you can actually hike down. While beautiful and special in its own right, Amalfi was packed with tourist shops and flocks of people. We escaped the crowd to eat upstairs at Da Gemma. The best part of the night? Definitely a toss up between Da Gemma’s fish platter for two (not on the menu. Ask for it. You won’t be mad about it) and Amalfi late at night. There is something magical about Amalfi at night when the herds of people are back at their hotels and you have the dramatic steps of the Amalfi Cathedral all to yourself.
play
Netflix and chill on your bomb ass terrace… in a robe… with champagne. Saluti and Buona Notte!
“Traveling is like flirting with life. It's like saying, 'I would stay at love you, but I have to go'”
Lisa St. Auben de Teran
