I shared a lot about the stressful part of our Italy trip, but I never really got around to sharing the magical part! After six days of exhausting travel issues, we arrived on the Amalfi Coast and finally got the chance to indulge in the food, the wine, and the beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea. We spent three days on the coast. One day exploring Amalfi, one day in Positano, and one day in Ravello.
Where we Stayed
Our Airbnb, The Little Mermaid, was steps away from the center of Amalfi. By steps I mean A LOT of steps up the steep cliff, but the views off of our balcony were 100% worth the climb up and down each day. The apartment had a private entrance, one bedroom and two bathrooms. My only complaint was not being able to find a corkscrew to open our wine! But, come on, check out that view!
We were supposed to arrive mid-day and thanks to a train breaking down and then several train delays, we didn’t arrive until almost 8:00pm. Our Airbnb hosts were very gracious and stayed in contact with us the entire time. Once we checked in and got our luggage taken care of we were absolutely starving. Our host said the restaurant La Abside would still be open, so we set out to find it. When we sat down for dinner there was sheer relief. After 6 days of exhausting and disappointing travel issue, it finally felt like vacation, and the food at La Abside was out of this world.
A Day in Positano
The next day, we were supposed to go on a boat tour to Capri, but unfortunately it was cancelled last minute due to wind. We had already arranged for a private driver to take us from Amalfi to Positano early that morning, so we went anyways. We were so glad we did! He dropped us off high up and we descended down to the main part of town along the sea.
The weather warmed up and was perfect for catching a little sun on the beach. Positano is home to the famous colorful, cliffside homes and the bright umbrellas, and it was easy to see why. It felt straight out of a magazine. We enjoyed shopping, gelato, pasta, and prosecco all day before heading back to Amalfi on the bus.
After a long nap, freshening up, and a glass of wine, we headed out for dinner alongside the water at Marina Grande. They sat us at a table inside, but as soon as one opened up on the deck, they moved us out there. The service at Marina Grande was absolutely fantastic. We finished off our meal with a delicious chocolate cake and sweet dessert wine. It was an unforgettable experience. Our waiter asked us if we had visited Ravello. He told us he likes to take his girlfriend their on the weekends as it is a city of romance, so we put that into our plans.
Exploring Amalfi
After all of our exhausting travels from Tuscany to the coast, we wanted to relax and explore Amalfi on our own. We started off the day with a quick cappuccino and a Nutella croissant in true Italian fashion. We walked all the way to the top of town until the tourists disappeared. We popped into an empty restaurant amongst the lemon groves with homemade wine and a made friends with a local dog.
We ventured back down the hill for lunch and enjoyed delicious Italian pizza at Donnastella Pizzeria Lemon Garden, where our Airbnb host had recommended. The pizza was absolutely amazing and so different from American pizza. Andrew enjoyed a beer and I sipped on prosecco.
Next was up to our apartment for a glass of wine and to get ready for dinner. We indulged in 5 course meals every single night in Amalfi to make up for all the lost dinners (due to our travel nightmares). This night we at the highly recommended Da Gemma. It was a beautiful restaurant, but definitely not the best food of our trip (especially at the high price point).
Day Trip to Ravello
As recommended by our waiter, the last day of our trip, we took an open top bus up to Ravello. The views were fantastic as the air rushed over our faces. When we arrived up in Ravello, the whether was a bit chilly, but it warmed up as the day went on. We visited the beautiful gardens at Villa Rufolo and then spent most of the day relaxing at a cafe in the center of Ravello.
We sipped prosecco and then espresso as we waited for a wedding to conclude. It was surreal. The Italian couple came happily out of the church as their friends and family threw flower petals and gave congratulatory kisses upon each other cheeks. When the wedding was over we explored a few churches, did some shopping, and ate gelato.
For our very last dinner in Italy, we returned to La Abside, the restaurant we went to on the night of our arrival. It was that good and that charming that we wanted to go again! It was everything and more. I will never forget how delicious that buttery, clam pasta tasted.
For me, the Amalfi Coast was what I had dreamed of. I would return again in a heartbeat. We had such a relaxing, romantic vacation on the coast, and our Airbnb was absolutely perfect. We felt like we were able to truly experience the culture and everything was within in walking distance. I hope to see you again Amalfi!
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