Italy Trip Part 2: the Amalfi Coast

Today, I am SO excited to share my absolute FAVORITE part of our Italian trip with you– the Amalfi Coast! When we started planning our trip to Italy, there was no question that the Amalfi Coast HAD to be one of our stops and it did not disappoint. In fact, the Amalfi Coast (and more specifically, Positano) is now my favorite place in the whole world. Seriously, it’s that good.

Overall Experience:

Gosh, where do I begin? Without question, it is the most beautiful and unique place I have ever seen. The blue waters, the cliffside villages, the incredible food, the kind people, great shopping– everything was just amazing! From the moment we got there I was already planning a trip back. We only spent 5 nights there but I could easily have done two weeks in the Amalfi Coast.

^^This was our lunch almost every single day and it was sooooo good and fresh!

^^As you can see, I have a real life toddler diva on my hands.

Is it kid friendly?

Hmmm… okay, so when I first started researching how kid-friendly the Amalfi Coast was, I only found one blog that mentioned they had traveled there with kids and that it was tough. But I found a whole bunch of travel threads and forums that repeatedly said DO NOT GO THERE WITH KIDS. So needless to say, I was pretty nervous about how we would manage, but I think it was Olivia’s favorite part of the trip.

Let me break it down for you: is it stroller and toddler walker friendly? Not exactly. Every town is basically built into the cliffside so the sidewalks and streets are kind of steep and narrow (not exactly great for a toddler that always wants to walk). But it’s totally fine for pushing a stroller down the hills. It’s when you have to go back up that you need to prepare for a serious workout. Eric and I also think that it totally depends on your attitude going into it; if you know what to expect and know that it might be a little challenging then it’s no big deal. But if you’re super opposed to schlepping then leave the kids at home.

On the other hand, this was also our most laid-back leg of the trip and we spent most days by the pool at the hotel or down by the beach. No major sightseeing or waiting in lines. All of us, especially Olivia, loved it!

Places to eat:

The food in Positano was stupefacente! Eric took the reins when it came to our dinner reservations and he hit it out of the ballpark every single night. These were our favs:

Chez Black This place is right on the beach in Positano and a great spot to people watch. The food was delish and it is definitely a fun place to be.

Next 2 Oh em gee this restaurant was good! It’s got a great all white vibe to it and you immediately feel like one of the cool people. Every single thing we ate here was YUMMY.

Donna Rosa One of our favorite restaurants out of the whole trip. It’s kind of off the beaten path, high up in the cliffs of Positano. It is a super small, family run affair– the mother and daughter cook and the father and other daughter serve tables. The spaghetti bolognese was the best we’ve ever had and the chicken cacciatore just melted in your mouth!

^^To get down to the beach from our hotel you could either take the elevator or go down 350+ steps! One day Eric ran up the steps for a workout!

Things to do:

Aside from sitting poolside and swimming in the Tyrrhenian Sea there are other things to do in the Amalfi Coast, but we didn’t really do any of them! Ha!

Capri My mom stayed back at the hotel with Olivia one day so that Eric and I could take a day trip to Capri (which is definitely NOT kid friendly). Capri is an absolutely gorgeous island but unless you have a hankering from some serious designer shopping (think Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Louis, Ferragamo) then there’s probably not much else there for you except the scenery.

^^Pics from beautiful Capri! This was the best lemon ice stand everrrrr!

Shopping If you are looking for some more affordable shopping, we loved Positano. They had cute little shops and boutiques and great stores to pick out souvenirs. The Amalfi Coast is known for their ceramics so there are plenty of ceramic stores where you can buy beautiful hand-painted serving dishes, ornaments, signs, etc. No cheesy or hokey souvenirs. The coast is also known for it’s lemon groves and it is where the famous limoncello is made. And there was one shop that sold everything lemon– limoncello, lemon soap, lemon candy, lemon fragrances, etc.

Beach/Pool The Amalfi Coast doesn’t exactly have the white sand you might be thinking of as they are made up of tiny pebbles. But there are  plenty of hidden and very cool beaches and they can get pretty crowded.

Where to stay:

If you are planning to go to the Amalfi Coast during peak season (June – August) then I recommend you book far in advance. We booked in March for our trip in July and really struggled to find a hotel in Positano, which is why we stayed in Praiano (the next town over that was a 10 minute bus ride away). We stayed at the Grand Tritone Hotel and loved it, but would definitely stay in Positano next time (at either the Sirenuse or the Marincanto). We spent most of our evenings in Positano and it would have been nice to just walk to the restaurants as opposed to taking the very unreliable and super hot bus system.

Just looking at these photos makes me want to go back again. Like, tomorrow! John Steinbeck wrote a column in Harper’s Bazaar in the 50s about Positano (you can read it in full HERE) and one line in particular became very popular and so fitting for the way I feel about this stunning place: Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.

So true!

Have you ever been to Positano? Did you love it or did you LOVE it?! 🙂 And don’t forget to check out my posts on Rome + Florence!

XO,

L

 

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