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The Amalfi Coast

My Dream Come True

By Elaine GallagherPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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The beauty of the Amalfi Coast from the road.

The Amalfi Coast is a 50-kilometer stretch of coastline along the southern edge of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, in the Campania region. It’s a popular holiday destination, with sheer cliffs and a rugged shoreline which are highlighted with small beaches and pastel-colored fishing villages. The coastal road between the port city of Salerno and clifftop of Sorrento brings you past impressive villas, adjoining vineyards and cliffside lemon groves

A view of the cliffs and magnificent villas.

People who’ve been there know that it is almost impossible to convey the beauty of Italy’s Amalfi Coast in words and pictures — you truly have to see it to believe it. This was a dream come true (and on my bucket list) when I got to visit and embrace the beauty of the Amalfi Coast.

The way the locals fondly describe their Amalfi Coast is as a piece of heaven on earth, and they are correct. On the Mediterranean Sea between Naples and Salerno lies the famous and scenic Amalfi Coast with unexplainable landscape of sea, beach and mountains. When you see pictures of the Amalfi Coast and wonder if this is in fact what it looks like, it looks exactly like that, but in person you have to stop and just hold your breath.

The Amalfi Coast is home to spectacular seashores surrounded by rock-strewn cliffs with Mediterranean villas tucked inside the cliffs. Amalfi is famous for lemon groves, warm summers and mild winters. When we visited with temperatures reaching almost 100 in the brutal heat of July, the breezes off the cliffs made it very bearable as you were just overtaken by its beauty.

The Amalfi Drive, the only land route to the Amalfi Coast ranks among the most scenic drives not just in Italy but throughout the world. We traveled by bus and there were times when the roads, although brushing the beautiful landscape, were so narrow you felt as if you would hit the oncoming traffic. Definitely not a road for the inexperienced driver. Because of the narrow roads, tourists and drivers pulled over at various points to admire the beauty so you had to be extra careful driving those wavy roads.

The bluest water.....

For those of you brave enough to get behind the wheel, this is an exhilarating drive to say the least. For those who wish to sit back and enjoy the scenery, there are other means of transportation that will take you on this journey. Buses regularly run up and down the Amalfi coast allowing visitors to get on/off at the destination of their choice. This was how we saw it with our tour group which was perfect for learning all about the history of the Amalfi Coast and seeing all the small towns as we drove and stopped.

You can also hire a private driver to do the driving for you although this is a pricey option. If I have the opportunity to visit Amalfi again, this may be my choice so I can stay a bit longer in each of the areas we visited.

The Amalfi Coast is by far one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Europe. Blue skies, coastal mountains plunging down to the azure blue sea, picturesque harbor towns, beaches, and rich green olive groves and lemon terraces.

Depending on your interests, I recommend at least 3 days in the area, but if you really want to see all the best places near the Amalfi Coast, it's best to spend at least 5 days on the Amalfi Coast. Amalfi which is situated at the foot of Mount Cerreto, is one of the most popular towns along this dramatic coastline but the surrounding towns are worth your visit as well.

A Little Bit about the surrounding towns:

Positano is a beautiful, little beach town in Italy, famous for its colorful buildings, excellent restaurants, and an ideal location to stay as your home base on the Amalfi Coast. You can walk the very hilly streets and window shop in quaint boutiques, or grab a slice of heavenly pizza, as you breathe in the culture and beauty of this Italian village.

Sorrento is located approximately a 90-minute drive south of Naples, Sorrento is one of the most popular places to visit in Italy. This is due to its many points of interests, shops, bars and restaurants as well as its vicinity to the renowned and picturesque Amalfi Coast. Please read my article Sweet Sorrento for more information on the beautiful city. (https://vocal.media/wander/sweet-sorrento)

Ravello is known for musical events, including the Ravello Festival, which is connected to the composer and his symphonies. The town boasts its cultural roots. You can just stroll the alleyways, enjoy the architecture and piazzas and absorb the town's history. My best memory of Ravello is enjoying lunch at La Vecchia Cantina overlooking the cliffside and beautiful water views of Amalfi. We were given a fancy lunch that included homemade ravioli and meatballs, a superb Perciatelli Alfredo and plates of Italian specialties such as olives, prosciutto and cheese delicacies.

The view from La Vecchia Cantina

Praiano is a town and community in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of southwest Italy. It is also situated on the Amalfi Coast. We did not get to stop here but enjoyed the tour through this quaint, European town alive with Italian culture and history.

Driving the Amalfi Coast (called Vietri sul Mare) is the most beautiful (and sometimes stressfully dangerous) ride you will ever experience in your life. I can still see the sharp turns coupled with a beautiful mountainside picture of absolute beauty and serenity. Yes, I hope to return to the Amalfi Coast and explore it a bit further but I feel so satisfied having experienced this beautiful wonder in the country of Italy, where my ancestors originally lived.

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About the Creator

Elaine Gallagher

I am an elementary educator and freelance writer. I enjoy writing about education, health and fitness and every day life issues. You can find my writing at egallagher.contently.com and my blog, Just Me, https://egallagher713.wordpress.com

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