Amalfi Coast

View of the coast from the villa at Ravello
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There are two ways to see the Amalfi Coast. By road (either bus or drive yourself) or by boat. We decided to take the car and soon discovered why most people take the boat or a bus. We have mentioned a few times how the Italian drivers are quite “assertive”. Well, put them on a narrow winding road with only a concrete wall between you and a sheer drop to the ocean and we soon had a whole list of new words for them. Luckily our little car squeezed past most of the buses, trucks and insanely ridden motorcycles without sustaining any damage, though we had to pull in the wing mirrors a couple of times.

Typical seaside village with houses clinging to steep hillsides
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Once we had gotten used to the precarious driving conditions we started admiring the beautiful scenery of what is one of Italy’s most breathtaking coastlines. Bare rocky mountains plummet down through green gorges and valleys to a deep blue sea with dozens of secluded coves and beaches. Lemon orchards and vineyards clung to the sides of the valleys and we imagined the locals would need to be pretty fit to live and work there.

one of Italy’s most breathtaking coastlines

View at dusk during the return trip
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The coast is where Europe’s jetset come to holiday and the larger towns feature many 5-star hotels and fine restaurants. Enormous super yachts and motor cruisers were anchored up off the perfect beaches around every corner.

A highlight was the tiny hilltop town of Ravello. It was similar to Taormina in Sicily, and with views to match. The town features a magnificent villa which is open to the public, and is where concerts are held on its own private stage and grandstand with the full glory of the Amalfi Coast as a backdrop.

After a late afternoon swim in Positano (we had to park about 30 minutes walk away, with 710 steps down to the beach) we had pasta on a terrace overlooking the town and then made the long journey back to Salerno, dodging scooters all the way.