Suggestions for Amalfi
 

I am taking my mom down the amalfi coast in October. Does any one have any suggestions of places to be sure not to miss - we have about 4 days to explore that area before we head up to venice.

Anything would be appreciated.

In my opinion, Ravello is a must see due to the views and lovely formal gardens at Villa Rufolo and Cimbrione. I think Positano is a must see as well. Did you try searching on Amalfi Coast? There are many posts on all of that area. Pompeii and the other famous ruins are closeby unless you dont like that type of thing. It also depends on where you are staying.

The places you are going to want to see are Positano and Ravello, for the reasons stated above, followed by Sorrento. While in Ravello, have lunch on the terrace at the Villa Maria hotel. Leave out Amalfi if you are pressed for time, but on the other hand, if you are feeling ambitious, drive south past Salerno to the ancient Greek settlement of Paestum for a unique cultural experience. Search recent postings on this site for suggestions on accommodations in Positano. And have a great trip. It should prove to be unforgettable.

I concur with the other posters, all those places mentioned are great. Since you only have 4 days, perhaps you might consider going to Capri on one of them? IMO, Capri is "the" gem of the Mediterranean and would make a nice day trip over and not too many tourists that time of year.

Definitely take the bus up from Amalfi to Ravello and see the Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo there (magnificent seaviews to die for!) Also, Atrani is a beautiful little fishing village adjacent to Amalfi that is within walking distance even (no train service).

I would agree about Paestum. Indeed, it is very unique and has some of the most preserved ancient Greek monuments in the world - even more than in Sicily or Athens itself! Dependent on where you will be staying on the Amalfi coast, you could take a boat or a train into Salerno, then a local bus out to Paestum. The bus drops you off across the road from Paestum. We spent an entire afternoon there and loved it - practically had the place to ourselves!

Perhaps as you are heading north towards Venice, you might consider a stop about 40 mins NE of Naples in the town of Caserta. There is a huge palace/castle there that is larger than Versailles and truly magnificent. It only costs 4 euros to see the palace and another 2 euros to walk the expansive, sculptured gardens behind it. It is sort of "off the beaten path" for tourists and we saw mostly Italians there (no Americans!) Very neat place to visit.

Hi LC,

You might find the Naples/Amalfi Coast portion of my trip report helpful.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34451044

If you go as far as Paestum, the drive along the coast from south of Salerno to Maratea rivals the Amalfi Coast for spectacular scerery. Also at Maratea there is the impressive "Cristo de Maratea" statue on the mountaintop overlooking the entire Gulf of Policastro, which affords a spectacular view of both the coast and the charming village of Maratea--be sure to park near the plaza and walk the narrow streets of Maratea if you go that far. The statue is about 100 ft high and depicts Christ w. outstretched arms--truly awesome. The drive up to the statue from Maratea is much like the drive along the Amalfi Coast except the last kilometer or so is virtually "in the air"; the road is simply supported way above ground level by a number of tall support beams --you have to have faith in Italian civil engineers to drive this one!
Another possibility: From Maratea, drive NE toward Trecchina and then NW to Rivello (not Ravello, which is the popular tourist stop overlooking the
Amalfi Coast) which is arguably the most picturesque mountain village in Italy.
Imagine a dipped top ice cream cone covered w. chocolate and you have some
idea of the way Rivello drapes the peak of a tall, slender mountain high above a
beautiful valley. And you can drive all the way to the top! At Rivello, you will be very near A3, or you can loop back south to the small town of Sapri on the coast to complete the loop. The entire loop is only 50 60 kilometers, so it's
a pleasant half day drive.
Second the susggestions on Ravello, Positano and Capri as "must see".
Enjoy.

If you arevisiting Ravello,inclde visits to Scala,Minuta and Pontone.

IRA- thanks so much- I loved your trip log. I feel like half the work is done and I am more excited than ever about going!!!!

Positano, positano, positano. That is the saying... Heaven on earth. So relaxing, beautiful, and inspiring. You simply must stay there!

I concur with Ravello, Positano and Capri. Especially Villa Cimbrone in Ravello. . . . have to walk the beautiful gardens and take in the amazing views. I also agree with not spending much time at all in Amalfi, just go there to jump on the SITA bus to Ravello.