The Amalfi Coast is hands down one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I know I say that a lot on this blog, but it is definitely up there in the top five most breathtaking places I have ever been, at least. Five years ago I studied abroad in Rome for six weeks, and wanted to book a couple weekend excursions when I was there, since it is so easy to get around Europe once you are abroad. The number one most recommended spot I was given was the Amalfi Coast, so I had to book a trip. I booked mine through Bus2Alps , a local company, which made it so easy to get to and from Amalfi via bus for the weekend, and experience all that this beautiful area on the South of Italy had to offer.
Between the dramatic cliffs and the sparkling Mediterranean sea, the entire area is a dream land, and is a common honeymoon spot or hub for tourists. It is a place to relax and enjoy the warm weather, delicious cuisine, and scenery, and there is also so much to do and explore.
From my experience through Bus2Alps, I included my top 12 favorite things to do below, so I hope this helps you out if you are planning a trip to Amalfi anytime soon!
- Drink Fresh Limoncello
The Amalfi coast is famous for their fresh limoncello, a bright-yellow dessert drink that tastes surprisingly sweet, rather than the expected sour lemon taste. Even if you don’t typically like limoncello, I would suggest at least trying a sip as this is where you will find some of the best limoncello in the world! I also brought a few cute shaped bottles per the picture below home with me. You can find limoncello in many of the little shops in the Amalfi coast. However, I particularly enjoyed a little shop attached to Carlo’s Sandal shop in Anacapri (which is mentioned further below), at the top of the island and would strongly suggest checking it out!
2. Get Handmade Sandals at Carlo’s Sandal Shop in Anacapri
Right next to the limoncello shop I mentioned above in Anacapri, is Carlo’s Sandal shop. This little gem makes some of the most adorable hand-made sandals. You can pick one of the pre-made pairs, or you can pick out exactly which style and gems/decorations you want on your sandals, and they will make them right in front of you! They are definitely on the pricier side, but so worth it. Where else in the world can you hand-pick exactly what you want your sandals to look like; style, gems and all and watch a local hand-craft them in front of you?
3. Take a Boat Trip
One of the most amazing parts of exploring the Amalfi Coast was taking a boat trip. What better way to venture along the coast than floating through crystal-clear, blue and green Mediterranean waters? The views were absolutely breathtaking and it is an experience I will certainly never forget.
The boat left from the Island of Capri, and our tour guides were sure to point out all the pretty sites along the way. It also included the option to take a small row boat through the Blue Grotto, cliff jump, and swim in caves along the way, each of which I will discuss further below.
4. Go Cliff Jumping
The option to go cliff jumping was included on our boat trip. We stopped by a mini beach where you could climb up the rocks and jump into the gorgeous, sparkling water below. This is not for those afraid of heights, but if you are an adventure-seeker and like a good thrill this is perfect for you!
Sorry for the poor quality of the picture below, it is the best picture I could get of me jumping!
5. Row Boat Into the Blue Grotto
Boating into the Blue Grotto is such a cool experience. If you have not heard of the Blue Grotto, it is a world-famous sea cave on the coast of the Island of Capri, known for the bright blue, glowing water inside. The way the sunlight hits the water makes for the unique, bright blue water illuminating the dark cave.
Heading into the Blue Grotto does cost a little extra money (but is very worth it). You also have to pay a little extra to swim in the water, which I opted out of. To get into the cave, I was very surprised at just how small the opening was! You are helped into a small row-boat, and have to actually lie down in the boat to squeeze into the small gap that enters the cave. Once inside, your mini boat captain also sings in Italian as you float through the blue, glowing water. It was so much fun, and I would strongly recommend seeing it for yourself!
6. Go Swimming in Caves
This was another option that you could do on our boat trip. As we floated along the coast, we passed many beautiful caves. They stopped at one point so we can get out and swim through them. You do have to be careful not to cut yourself on any rocks as the water can be a bit wavy, but I had so much fun swimming and exploring these gorgeous caves!
7. Ride the Chairlift to the top of Mt. Solaro
If you are not afraid of heights, this is hands down one of the best things I experienced in Amalfi! For the best view on the entire island of Capri, with 360 degree views, you can take a small ski life to the top of Mt. Solaro. I have to admit that even though I am not afraid of heights, my hands got a bit sweaty as you are on a tiny ski lift by yourself, and it gets extremely steep at some points going up. However, the view is absolutely unbeatable, especially once you get to the top.
At the top of the mountain, there is an adorable bar where you can enjoy a few drinks like Bacardi Breezers (which became my favorite), while enjoying the remarkable view.
8. Go Shopping at the Boutiques/Walk Around and Just Enjoy the Beautiful Scenery!
The town of Capri has some of the most adorable boutiques, and I was sure to explore them and buy myself a few items. Additionally, simply walking around the island, everything is so bright and beautiful. There are pretty flowers growing, rolling cliffs, and views of the Mediterranean, so make sure to take some time to just explore and walk around to take it all in!
9. Taste the Italian Cuisine
Now, this is a given. Italy has some of the best food in the world, including the most delicious pasta and sauce, pizza, and sandwiches I have ever had. Everything tastes so much more fresh than it does in the U.S. (Sorry, America). Be sure to check out the delicious restaurants, you won’t have one bad meal! When we were in Positano, Bus2Alps recommended the Vini e Panini for sandwiches, and I swear I could eat those things everyday for the rest of my life – delicious!
10. Relax on the Positano Beach
Along with Capri and Anacapri, on our Bus2Alps trip we visited Positano. The positano beach was gorgeous and they gave us a good chunk of time to just relax on the beach, get super bronzed, swim in the glittery water, and sip on some Bacardi Breezers! Be sure to wear a serious amount of sunblock if you are here in the Summer – it gets HOT!
12. Enjoy the Nightlife
While Amalfi Coast is a very relaxing, romantic place, there are a few bars to check out and a minimal amount of nightlife. We did not get to visit this on our trip, but heard that there is a really fun cave bar in Positano! We did have fun at the bar we went to in Positano (pictures below). If you are a lady – just be warned that Italian men can be super aggressive, so be sure to go with a group!
12. Visit Pompeii
If you have time, visiting Pompeii is an amazing (and slightly creepy) experience when heading home from Amalfi. If you are not familiar with Pompeii, it is an archaeological site that used to be a full-blown Roman City, but was destroyed by the eruption of a volcano. Due to the lack of moisture and air underneath of the volcanic ash, much of the city was preserved, including actual human bodies, frozen in time.
You can pay to have an official tour here, but we opted to do a self-guided tour – completely up to you. It is definitely eerie, but something really cool to see, especially if you have an interest in Roman history.
I hope these suggestions were helpful if you have a trip planned to go to the Amalfi Coast anytime soon! Leave any other suggestions or questions/comments in the comment box below!