This is Part 3 about our January trip to Italy with my cousins to celebrate our 40th and 45th birthdays. Previous posts include Landing in Naples and Exploring Pompeii and A Free Day in Naples.
A Day with a Plan!
We actually had a pre-planned itinerary for our third day in Italy: a private tour of the Amalfi Coast, including stops in Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. Not wanting to rent a car and navigate the Italian roads and traffic ourselves, Nate booked a private tour through Viator. Our driver, Pietro, was scheduled to pick us up bright and early at 7:30 a.m.
I was most excited about this day for Katrina, because her wish to see the coastal towns like Positano inspired our trip. Unfortunately, the morning started off not-so-bright, with cloudy, drizzling skies. But that didn’t stop us from seeing some amazing sights!
After an early breakfast, we met Pietro waiting at the hotel’s entrance, and he helped us into a spacious van. He admitted that he didn’t know a lot of English, but was able to communicate that we would have about an hour’s drive to our first stop and 45 minutes to an hour in each of the towns.
Once outside of Naples, Pietro navigated the winding, curvy highway along the Gulf of Naples and the Amalfi Coast. It didn’t take long for us to catch thrilling views of hillside communities and the rocky coastlines above turquoise waters from the van’s windows.
First Stop: A Drippy, Dreary Positano
In the town of Positano, the highway narrows down to a single, one-way lane. Pietro pulled into a public parking lot, gave us general directions to shops and the beach, and told us to return in 45 minutes. It was clear we were visiting off-season, because many of the shops and restaurants were closed, and there were very few people on the narrow cobblestone paths.
We wandered through the sleepy town, down stone steps to a rocky beach while the sky continued to drip and drizzle on us. Not a single soul could be seen. We picked up a rock or two, snapped a few selfies, and Vanessa and Nate braved a trek closer to the water, getting their feet drenched after underestimating a wave.
We marveled at the view of the hillside town, its pastel buildings seemingly stacked on top of each other. On our way back up to Pietro’s van, we stopped into one of the few open shops. An (apparently very friendly) elderly shopkeeper watched over us as we browsed tightly packed shelves and tables of lemon and Positano themed souvenirs.
With little time to explore more, we returned to the van ready to move on to our next destination.
Next Stop: The Narrow Streets of Amalfi
After more breathtaking views along the scenic highway, Pietro parked the van near a central piazza in Amalfi, another picturesque town with colorful cliffside structures hovering over turquoise waters. While still not bustling with crowds of tourists, this city was a little busier with vehicles and foot traffic. With more lounge-friendly beaches, we could tell it would be a hot spot in warmer weather.
On foot again, we passed through the central piazza, walked along the main road, and stopped for spritzes at a beach side restaurant. We then explored some of the narrow streets and alleyways that wind deeper into the town. With limited time, we couldn’t wander too far, but enjoyed seeing what we could of the shops, restaurants, street art, unique architecture, fountains, and other aspects of the town.
It wasn’t long before we had to head back to Pietro’s van for the ride to our last destination. We all agreed, though, that Amalfi would be great to visit again in a more beach friendly season.
Stop 3: Street Cats and Limoncello in Ravello
Further and higher up from the coast, but still with stunning views, Ravello is about a 15 minute drive from Amalfi. Pietro parked the van in another public lot, gave us general directions, and let us know when we should return. We climbed up a staircase to a piazza lined with ancient stone walls, a church, a cafe, and the tower entrance to a villa.
Similar to our other two stops, many of the businesses seemed to be closed for the off-season. However, we passed our time with a short walk through a tunnel that led to an amazing view of the coast. Here we learned a bit about the Ravello Festival, a centuries long summer tradition that includes art shows, performances, and orchestra concerts at sunrise and sunset. How amazing would that be?!
There wasn’t much more for us to do in Ravello, but there were cats! The street cats are apparently protected by Italian law and are cared for by the community. And they’re friendly! We couldn’t resist stopping to pet a few, and one even hopped into my lap!
Before heading back to the van for our return to Naples, we stopped into a wine and liqueur shop that was offering free samples of limoncello and meloncello. Vanessa and I agreed, meloncello was not for us.
And that, in addition to the hour drive back to Naples, concluded our tour of the Amalfi coast. I apologized to Katrina that it ended up being a dreary day weather wise, but we agreed it was still well worth it. How often do we get to see such views in the Midwest?!
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