AMALFI advice, please!
 

I'm so excited -- have booked three nights in Amalfi in late June! It's our first time staying in this town. (Stayed in Positano 8 years ago).
There are four things I would be so grateful for help at this point...

1. A question about eating DINNER in nearby towns... (Positano, Cetara)
---How late do the ferries and busses run -- is it difficult to get back to Amalfi after having dinner in another town?
--- How much would a taxi cost, and are they easy to get? (We are two couples so can split the cost.)

2. We would love to rent our own boat and explore the coast line. Has anyone done this? Am curious as to the ease and expense of something like this, as well as beautiful places to check out. (If anyone has taken "guided" boat trip, I am also interested in hearing about that.)

3. We want to hike, but are worried that late June may be too hot. Thinking that the hike DOWN to Amalfi/Atrani from Ravello might be nice. Is the starting point easy to find?

4. Would love to hear about any outstanding restaurant or shopping experiences in the area.

Grazie!
Dina

The ferries will not be an option for you after dinner. www.coopsantandrea.com for the schedules. You can check the SITA bus schedules at sitasudtrasporti.it

The cost of a taxi depends on where you are returning from. If I remember correctly it was 100 euro to get back to Positano from Amalfi last year.

Late June may or may not be too hot to hike - you won't know until you get there. Sunflower publishes a great book on hikes on the AC that should help you.

We had a fantastic dinner at Lido Azzuro a couple of years ago - I would highly recommend it. We also love Acquapazza in Cetara.

If you are in Amalfi on June 27, you can experience the Sant' Andrea festival and the great fireworks display!

The hike from Amalfi through the Valle dei Mulini is wooded in parts and would possibly offer cover. It takes you by ruined paper mills and small waterfalls. Very nice and easy hike.

Dina, I'm in the early planning stages for a trip to the Amalfi Coast/Naples, grappling with where to stay on the AC.
Where did you decide to stay in Amalfi?

After much research, we picked the Miramalfi. The chaise lounges on the rocks by the water are what really sold me. Also, even the cheapest room has an ocean view and balcony. Plus very good reviews for the most part on Tripadvisor.

ekc -- we arrive on the 28th! too bad.
thanks for the transportation sites.

That's OK, because there is another saints celebration in Cetara on the 29th! So you could go to Cetara, have dinner at Acquapazza (be sure to buy a bottle of their colatura), stay for the processional and fireworks, then pre-arrange for a driver to pick you up and take you back to Amalfi. We did that a couple of years ago (we always stay in Positano) and had a great time.

I am sure the tourist offices in Amalfi and Ravello would also have hiking maps.

That sounds great! How much do you think a driver would cost?

It isn't far from Amalfi to Cetara, so maybe 50 euro? Your hotel would also know. Just be sure to pre-determine the meeting point with the driver, as the town will be packed - Festival of St. Peter (San Pietro).

Grazie mille, dina!

anyone have any experience with boat rentals?
thanks!

HI dina4, I'm following for the boat recos too. I know there are many charter companies and most seem to offer charters with or without a skipper, and pricing seems to be competitive. There are also many defined cruise packages, these often involve a circle around and & stop in Capri, grottos, faraglioni and some time anchored for swimming. These can be pretty small group, like 8-15.

We'd like to rent a boat for a day as well so I'm following for personal accounts and recommendations :)

I would ask your hotel for a couple of recommendations for boat rentals. Most of the boat company recommendations I see on this board are from Positano.

Just chiming in to say ditto on the Valle dei Mulini. We were there on a sunny late May day and it was a wonderful respite from the heat (and crowds of the town). The sunflower or cicerone books area great investment if you would like to hike.
I also second the rec to visit Cetara--if the festival night does not work out for some reason, just go for lunch and you can take the bus.
Everybody knows everybody, so it is always good to get a recommendation for a driver, boat company, etc. from your host.

Thanks for the tips. We can always ask when we get there, of course.

Yehyeh -- we have been to capri, so were thinking we just wanted our own boat to putter up and down the coast a bit and have fun swimming, etc.

i'll post back if i hear of anything myself.

I haven't used them, but you can try:AmalfiBoatrentals.com, or Positanoboats.com.

Not the same thing at all, but we did take a water taxi from Positano to Nerano, with a stop along the way for swimming in a cove. The ride there and back was incredibly turbulent. I assume you are experienced sailors??

Ciao

We've eaten at Da Costantino - http://www.dacostantino.com/inglese.htm - on two separate occasions. Fantastic food at very reasonable prices. The view is breathtaking. I strongly recommend you pre book window seats for the sunset.

Dina: You are on the right track with Cetara, and Acquapazza; you should also eat at San Pietro.

We took the buses there and back; they run until around 10 or 11pm (check the schedules but I am almost certain this will be true in late June) and we had no trouble taking the bus back to our base in Amalfi on that visit when we based in that town. they run about every hour or so as I remember. Bus stop on the main road just above San Pietro and a block or so north of Acquapazza.

Getting from Amalfi to Cetara before dinner on the bus we once had a small problem getting a seat (the buses were packed with local vendors making their way back to Salerno at the end of the day). But we went quite early and ifi you go an hour or so later, you should be fine.
Or, take the taxi, as EKC suggested; I'mm guessing in the range of 50-70e--fares seem very pricey to me in that area, but ask the hotel.

(Last year we had a car in the shoulder season; there is a public parking garage in Cetara which is a good thing, as it is near impossible to find street parking.)

Sorry to be terse here: I am away from home and without my usual info at hand! But one thing for certain: I am more than happy to provide whatever help I can, and I KNOW you will have a fabulous trip, and that we all will have a wonderful time reading about it here!

Come to think of it, I need to plan an Italian trip very soon! So busy helping my sister who plans to travel from Naples south to Sicily, via Ravello, Maratea, etc etc in May......not had time to think of my own plans!!

Thanks, eks. I have taken so many notes from your amalfi trip a few years back, and it actually convinced me to use amalfi as a base!

50-70e for a taxi seems high, especially if that's one way. ugh. but DEFINITELY want to get to cetara so we'll figure out a way. we are obsessed with italian tuna, so do not to want to miss this town!!

we are actually heading to sicily after amalfi. considered heading down the coast, but decided on the "fast" (5 hr!) ferry from naples to panarea (repeat visit after last summer!) and then on to sicily thru milazzo. we are heading back to taormina, which we loved so much, and hope to explore some wineries on mt etna.

when i get more organized, i will start a new post to narrow down restaurants...

Your hotel would best advise you on best mode of transport back to Amalfi after dinner. Do not consider the SITA bus -- in the middle of a weekday, we waited over an hour for a bus that was supposed to come within minutes. Their schedule seems on the whim of the driver or traffic. We have a treasured memento photo of the four of us sitting on a curb waiting for the SITA bus. But it was a glorious day in late March so who cared really. We had a great lunch at Chez Black in Positano, still well reviewed, right down on the beach. Le Sirenuse definitely worth a drink or meal in Positano, where we're staying "next time." As we were staying in Sorrento, we did not have dinners on the AC, but instead lunches. I would be very, very careful on the boat rentals, coastline is severe and could you assume to know the currents, etc.? Buy sandals & eyelet in Positano and coral in Ravello!

alice -- we also ate at Chez Black and had drinks at le sirenuse! loved both. used positano as a base on our last stay on amalfi coast.

yes -- am a bit weary about the busses.

we've boated a lot, so i'm not too worried. i did look up AMALFIboatrental.com, and they have outstanding reviews on tripadvisor with a lot of people having fabulous experiences renting boats and going all the way to capri!

There are a couple of restaurants in Positano that we return to whenever we are there:

LO GUARACINO, on the seaside path that runs from the town dock to Fornillo Beach ( right hand side up a small staircase about 1/4 mile from town dock). Great pizzas, handmade pastas, stunning water views.

IL CAPITANO about three blocks down from Hotel Poisedon on Via Pasitea: Excellent food, tables almost right on the water. Lovely place.

SARCENO D'OR: Hope I'm spelling this right! Again, further up Via Pasitea. Half the restaurant is tables right on the street, the other half is in a tiny house on the other side of Via Pasitea. Really good food, reasonably priced, funny waiters/waitresses! Love it.


And... in Montepertuso, a mountain village about a 10-15 min. drive from Positano: La Tagliata. Some of the best food I've ever had ANYWHERE.

Lastly, because I saw it mentioned in a post above, I just wanted to reiterate that the shoreline is not for amateur sailors. Not that you are necessarily, but you really need to know what you are doing!

As I mentioned, we took a water taxi to lunch one day, and the "skipper" was struggling at times with the very strong current. He laughed it off, but we could see that he was having a very difficult time.

I forgot BUCCA DI BACCO, in the center of Positano on the beach. Just across the way from CHEZ BLACK. We thought the food was wonderful, and the views were gorgeous. In case you are interested, they also offer cooking classes!

About the tuna, and the anchovies, from Cetara: It is tricky to shop there if you are going for dinner, unless you dine on the early side. I know you will buy the garum from Acquapazza, but there are also small food shops that are worth a look. Just make sure you get there while these are still open...

Dina: PLEASE post your itinerary! I have never been to the Aeolians (my sister plans to head that way in May); and would dearly love to visit in the near future.....was Panarea your favorite?
I plan to re-read your report very soon to boost my enthusiasm!

Agree with eks, get to Cetara early, do some shopping, then have an aperitivo until dinner time.

WWK -- thanks for all those great positano restaurants. we will definitely go there one day, as our friends have never been.

ekc and eks --
what time do you think the shops close -- 6? 7? good to know we have to get there early to shop!

eks -- our itinerary this summer is below. it's sort of a "returning to places we love for more great food and wine" trip. we have been to all these places before, with the exception of Amalfi.
-- fly LAX to Brindisi
-- 4 nights near Ostuni at Masseria La Rascina (went there 2 years ago and fell in love)
-- 3 nights in Amalfi at Miramalfi (dropping puglia rental car in salerno and taking ferry over)
-- 3 nights in Panarea at Hotel Cincotta (taking ferry from naples, as i mentioned earlier)
-- 3 nights in Taormina at Hotel Imperiale
-- 3 nights in Rome at Excelsior (we are starwood loyalists)
-- flying Rome to LAX

I would guess they close around 7 - it is southern Italy after all. :-)

Re: dropping your car in Salerno and taking the ferry over, be sure you know the location of the office relative to the ZTLs and if it is not near the train station you may need to get a cab to the dock. Obviously, be sure to get there in time for the last ferry.

ekc -- what is a ZTL? i did look on google maps and the hertz address is very close to the train station. and, if i remember correctly, the port is a short walk to the dock?

Hi!
We stayed at the Miramalfi about 3 years ago and it has remained as one of our favorite hotels in Italy. All rooms are sea-facing but there are 2 buildings. One is set way back while the other is more front-facing (more expensive). If you can get one of the rooms in the front building, preferably a corner one, you'll have a gorgeous view not only of the sea but also of Amalfi town.

The pool area was what drew me to choose this hotel. It is small but looks like it was carved from the rocks. It gets busy mid-day to early evening but we are early swimmers so no big deal. If you want to swim in the sea, there are ladders from the pool area that will get you down as well as loungers laid out on those rocks.

Breakfast is on the top floor with magnificent views.

Have fun! We are also off to Puglia in September, staying near Martina Franca.

Dina that trip sounds like a dream! How do you travel from Milazzo to Taormina?


ZTL: Limited traffic zone, so you are almost assured of getting a ticket if you drive into it unknowingly. Something like Zona Traffica Limitada (pardon my Spatalian!)

You might ask the hotel about the closing times of the Cetara shops. Remember that there are food shops both below the Amalfi Drive (sea side) and on the mountain side, along the main street that has the restaurants.

I will mention that I bought a nice-sized jar of anchovies there (packed in oil) but somehow in the transport they got so shaken up that they lost their shape and I was left with bits instead of the whole fish. Does not affect the flavor but does not look as pretty in case you wanted to give them as a gift.

Interesting article mentioning Cetara anchovies (by respected cook/author)

http://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-ma...#axzz2rhe5CJ7S


https://www.gustiamo.com/shop/salted...ra-by-nettuno/

Dina, if you are going to be driving anywhere in Italy, be sure to read up on the ZTL. Even small villages have them. Check with the Hertz office and they can tell you if they are located in a ZTL AND how to get to the office without going through a ZTL. I will also check with a friend of mine who lives in nearby Raito.

Yes, the ferry dock is very near the train station - just a 10 minute walk straight out the door.

I also FB messaged my friend who owns Acquapazza about the closing times of the shops in Cetara and I will let you know if I hear back from him.

Just heard back and he said most of the shops stay open until around 7, although in the summer some stay open until 9.

ZTL -- ah yes... we've gotten a camera ticket before for driving down a wrong street.

Joy -- thanks so much for the room tip! we reserved a "superior" room -- but i'll email the hotel and make a request.

ekc -- that's great to know that they stay open that late. we don't like to eat too early, so it will be nice to stroll around the town and do some shopping.

eks -- last year, we drove a rental car to milazzo and parked it in a garage while we were i panarea. it was easy and cheap. this year we won't have a car, so i arranged for a driver through Sicily Life. transport for 4 people with luggage from milazzo to taormina 120 euro.
thanks for the links to articles. will check them out.

thanks so much everyone!!