Amalfi coast recommendations?
 

I'm going to the Amalfi coast in a couple of weeks. Any recommendations for non-overtouristy places to stay and hike? Wondering about Ravello as a base. Also, how necessary is it to book places to stay in advance there? (We'll arrive around Oct. 10.) Thanks much.

Ravello is a great place to stay, and if you're looking for non touristy but wonderful hiking routes, I strongly suggest to go to Torello, Montepertuso and to try the breathtaking Walk of the Gods.
For more information have a look at:
http://www.summerinitaly.com/guide/

they have useful info!

Ravello is very quiet and a good base for walking but be aware it's a lot cooler than the coast - we were cold in June, in the shade & at night. And we live in Scotland !

thank you! I found the thread from a few months back in which ekscrunchy gave lots of great details about the Amalfi area. But if you have other reccs, please do send them along.

Going in October, do you think that it would be possible to just wing it, e.g., land somewhere and make the next few days' reservations on the spur of the moment? We had a great trip like this in Umbria in 94, but when we tried it again in Venice/Tuscany it was very hard to find places. Not sure what Amalfi is like right now.

Ravello is very nice. I like Amalfi quite a bit too.

Try the town of Sant Agata sui due Golfi, a neat little town, very non touristy, great hiking opportunities (nice 45min hike to Sorrento)as well as hikes down to the ocean thru vineyards and lemon groves. The town has a couple of great restaurants/pizzerias, some small shops and cafes, and the people are extremely friendly. Buses in town to anywhere on the Amalfi Coast. Good luck
Mike

October is still very busy in the area between Sorrento and Amalfi. I'm sure you'd be able to find accommodations, but it might take some time. If you aren't picky and have a generous budget, I don't think it would take too long. But, me?, I'd book something before arriving.

The entire area is fairly touristy, and places that are less so are away from the coastline. Several lovely places have already been mentioned, but keep in mind that using these towns as a base without a car involves heavy reliance on buses and/or taxis. If your focus is more on hiking and less on seeing the entire area, you can stay anywhere.

Ravello is very beautiful, but if you're planning daytrips, it's more out of the way, so it takes longer to get anywhere. Positano and Amalfi are closer to things, and Sorrento is closer to Naples and Pompeii if you're interested in those.

I always want to have a hotel booked ahead of time because I don't want to waste vacation time looking for something, but I know there are others who do wing it.