Ciao Amalfi Newsletter - June 2023
New summer favorites on the Amalfi Coast.
Hello summer! I’m not sure quite how it happened, but the longest day of the year has come and gone and now summer is well and truly here on the Amalfi Coast. These sunny summer days are made for the beach, and I’m already imagining it accompanied by a pitcher of white wine with peaches. Now just where did I leave my costume da bagno?
You’ll find some general travel tips below, but before that I wanted to share some new favorites on the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, and Capri that are perfect if you’re traveling this summer. While on Capri recently, I met the great team at Capri Hydro who do kayak and SUP tours as well as lessons and rentals for more adventurous experiences like eFoil and SEABOB. They’re located right down on the beach in Marina Piccola and offer daily tours.
If you’re visiting the Amalfi and enjoy outdoor activities, check out Amalfi Outdoor Experience for kayaking and snorkeling tours along the coastline and hiking tours to the Valle delle Ferriere and Torre dello Ziro above Amalfi and the Pathway of the Lemons between Maiori and Minori. This is a great group of enthusiastic young locals and I love what they’re doing!
One of the most relaxing ways to enjoy the beauty of the Amalfi Coast is by boat and my friends at Exclusive Cruises really know how to cruise the coastline. Reach out to Valeria to find out more about their boat excursions from the Amalfi Coast, Capri & Sorrento!
Whether you’re visiting the Amalfi Coast soon or just dreaming of it, my friend Nicki who vlogs from Positano has written the perfect summer read. Her book A Boatful of Lemons: An Unforgettable Summer on the Amalfi Coast comes out on June 30, 2023. I’ve had the pleasure of reading an advance copy and it really transports you to Positano! Pre-order the e-book now here.
Happy summer traveling - or daydreaming. Stay tuned for more summer travel ideas!
Ciao from Amalfi,
Laura
AMALFI COAST TRAVEL TIPS
With the season off to a busy start, it’s time for some rubber meets the road travel tips. This month’s topic was inspired by a recent bus trip where there were two groups of travelers absolutely at a loss to find their apartment rentals. The first group got off the bus midway between Amalfi and Ravello where there was absolutely nothing nearby - even though both Italians and English speakers on the bus were encouraging them not to get off. I couldn’t find out where they were going, but I do hope they eventually got there. The other was a couple who had booked an Airbnb in Ravello, no Scala, no maybe Pontone. They weren’t even sure! By the time they got off the bus, I don’t think they were close at all to their accommodation.
So here’s the tip: I can’t stress enough how important it is to find out exactly where you’re staying before your arrival. It’s all too easy to book an apartment in, say, Amalfi, Ravello, Scala, or Positano and not be in the center of town. Most towns have several (or more!) frazioni, or outlying areas that are technically part of the town. So let’s say you’ve booked an apartment in Amalfi, but if it’s in Pogerola or Vettica it’s not anywhere near the town center. And this is NOT the sort of landscape where you’ll want to get off the bus in Amalfi if your accommodation is in Pogerola—a frazione of Amalfi—since you’ll need another bus to get there. The same goes for Pontone in Scala. Yes, it’s in Scala, but only a handful of buses a day going to Ravello/ Scala stop at Pontone, which means if you’re on one of the other buses you’ll need to know where to get off at the crossroad to Pontone.
If this is sounding complicated, imagine how complicated it will be with luggage on a hot day on a crowded bus. Especially if where you get off the bus isn’t anywhere close to your apartment or B&B. What to do? Before leaving, get your accommodation address and take a look on Google maps. Is it close to the center of the town? Not sure? Ask your hotel, B&B, or host. And, especially if you’re going by public transportation, make sure to ask about the best to arrive. Even if you have a driver or take a taxi, don’t assume they know where every little side street and staircase is to find your Airbnb. No one really uses street names for locations here, but rather says where they live next too. (Example: I live near Cinema Iris.)
So, make your arrival much smoother by knowing exactly where you’re going and how to get there. Seems straightforward, but things are rarely straightforward on the Amalfi Coast Road - and even less so on a bus on the Amalfi Coast Road.
NEWS: THE VIA KRUPP REOPENS!
After 9 years the Via Krupp, a zigzagging pathway down the mountain connecting Capri with Marina Piccola, has finally reopened. Excavated out of the mountainside, this remarkable pathway was created at the expense of the German Industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp between 1900 and 1902. While it’s been closed more than open in recent decades, it reopened this week after many years of work to secure the area for falling rocks. Even if you’re not tempted by the vertiginous walk, the view looking down on Via Krupp with the bright turquoise sea just beyond is not to be missed from the Giardini di Augusto.
KEEP READING
Here are some additional resources for summer travel and some links I’ve been reading lately:
Episode 8 of the Rediscover Italy Podcast "How and Where to Experience the Beaches in Italy” has more tips for traveling in Italy in the summer.
I’ve had some great experiences lately (and one tasty one coming up later this week - think Neapolitan pizza!) at the new Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel in Amalfi. You can read a bit about it here until I share more in an upcoming newsletter.
Two hotels in Sorrento and Capri that might not be on your radar via Livia Hengel for Forbes.
Meanwhile, this Amalfi Coast hotel might actually be heaven.
How to hike the “Path of the Gods” on the Amalfi Coast - great tips from my friend Eva Sandoval!
I’ve been waiting for the via Krupp to reopen, yay! Happy summer, see you there soon!
Two things: First - if you preorder A Boat Full of Lemons, you get a tremendous discount. Secondly - to add to the advise of finding out exactly where one would be staying, I would advise asking the landlords for the correct bus stop (if planning to arrive by public transportation). You would be able to tell the bus driver and the driver would then advise you when you were at the stop.