Somehow I always find myself traveling to the most insanely romantic locations all by myself, and the Amalfi Coast was no exception. This striking coastline consists of several small villages with pastel-colored buildings, little stretches of beaches and coves, and overall an exemplary representation of Mediterranean culture. It exudes romance and is the perfect honeymoon destination, but I came by myself and still had a kickass time!
How to get there:
The closest major town to access the Amalfi Coast is Naples, which you can arrive to by train, bus, or plane connections. I arrived by plane, and from there, you can find the bus right outside the terminal that can take you to several of the villages. The most popular towns are Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Capri (technically an island off of the coast but we’ll include it here anyway), and Ravello. You can reach the mainland towns from the bus system or private car if you prefer, and then take a ferry to Capri from there!
Where to stay:
Sorrento is the biggest town with lots to do and the most budget accommodation, so I stayed here at a cheap hostel. However, Positano is undeniably the most beautiful and is where all those simply iconic photos of the Amalfi Coast are taken, though it’s more expensive and there are no hostels here (as of 2017). Capri is also heavenly, though I preferred it as a day trip from the mainland towns. Amalfi is very small and though it has a stunning church, I wouldn’t recommend staying here. Finally, Ravello is a more laid back town with less tourist infrastructure but more relaxing vibes! Where you choose to stay really depends on your personal interests. Plus, it doesn’t matter so much where you base yourself since you’ll be out exploring the other towns for most of the day!
Getting around:
There is an exhilarating bus system that can transport you between each of the above towns. I say exhilarating because these humungous buses straddle teeny tiny narrow cliffside roads with a sheer, couple hundred meter drop off of one side, and a cliff face on the other. This thrilling, scenic road twists and turns throughout, and the bus driver had to beep when turning around any bend in the road so that oncoming traffic was aware of our presence. My adrenaline was PUMPING! It was especially gripping when TWO of these big transport buses had to pass each other on the slender road! When this happened, we had to slow down and inch past each other very carefully – the whole process took like 10 minutes! There are also ferries that can take you between each town and while I’m sure they offer sweet views, you’d miss out on the above memorable experience!
What to do:
The best thing to do in the Amalfi Coast is to slow down and simply appreciate the views around you. The relaxing atmosphere will laugh at you if you try to make this vacation a strict, fast-paced to-do list. Beyond that, make sure you dedicate time to exploring each of the seductive villages. Since I was based in Sorrento, I started here. Limonoro is the village’s main pedestrian street lined with shops and restaurants. I encountered the sweetest, most energetic locals here who made me fall in love with it even more. This region is also famous for lemon production so definitely do not miss out on heavily drinking limoncello! Sorrento also has some decent views of the ocean, but I headed to Capri the next day to get the really captivating views of the sea.
Capri is a small island, but it’s big on culture and beauty. I took an hour long boat tour that circles the island as soon as I arrived and was so impressed with the striking cliffs and ocean views. This is an absolute must-do! Usually these boat excursions also include a trip to Capri’s famous Blue Lagoon, but when it started sprinkling a bit, they sadly cancelled this part of the tour. Once I got back on land I was eager to see the island from up high, so I took a bus from the base of the town to a town called Anacapri at a higher elevation. From here, you can take the funicular up to Monte Solaro, which boasts absolutely spectacular views of the island and the surrounding sea. Everywhere you look, you’d swear you were in a dream! Capri also has a couple fancy villas that you can tour, but for the sake of saving money, I skipped these and just enjoyed the totally free views that the island provides.
The next day, I rode the super fun bus from Sorrento to Amalfi. The large, detailed cathedral here was effortlessly marvelous – but beyond that, I found this little town a bit boring. There isn’t much else here, so I moved on to adjacent town Positano next.
The best for last… Positano is positively sensational. As soon as you hop off the bus and make the walk down to town, you are rewarded with simply the most stunning of views. Imagine pastel-colored buildings organized on this sprawling cliff with the bright blue ocean below… it was heaven on earth. There’s tons to do here besides relish in the views: check out the beach, where you can go for a swim or take a boat ride to appreciate the views from the water; dedicate a half-day to hiking the Path of Gods which offers even more stunning views of the coast; visit art galleries; eat fantastic food and drink wine or limoncello. This is Italy at its absolute best!
I didn’t visit Ravello for lack of time, but heard from other travelers that it was just as beautiful as other towns and much less crowded. You can also visit historic Pompeii as a day trip from any of the towns on the Amalfi Coast, but again, I ran out of time to do this.
As for traveling alone, I was in such shock at my surroundings that I couldn’t even pay attention to the fact that I was by myself. I wasn’t lonely at all – I spent as much time as I wanted staring out at my environment and didn’t have to worry about if my travel buddy was enjoying themselves. I got tipsy off wine and flirted with my cute Italian waiters at fancy, scenic restaurants. I wrote in my journal about how happy I was. There was no time to be lonely in a place as incredible as the Amalfi Coast! Though it has a reputation for being romantic and couple-y, it’s super solo traveler friend with its helpful, friendly locals and stunning views that you don’t need anyone else to appreciate with.
Other tips:
The best time of year to visit the Amalfi Coast is from May-September. It’s a bit crowded, yes, but during the winter months the town half-shuts down and you simply can’t get the same enjoyment out of it. I would dedicate at least a week to the Amalfi Coast – I spent only 4 full days here and did not have enough time to see everything that I wanted to. It is a bit expensive to visit this paradise, but nothing out of the ordinary in the context of Italy and Western Europe at large.
Writing this blog post has made me sincerely reminisce on my time in the Amalfi Coast and now I’m daydreaming to go back!
