The SS163 Amalfitana, the coastal road that winds along the southern edge of the Sorrento Peninsula between Positano and Salerno, is widely considered one of the world’s great drives. Cut from the cliff face in the nineteenth century, it requires a certain sang-froid to navigate — the road is rarely wide enough for two vehicles and passes through tunnels barely taller than a bus — but the views it offers, of sheer limestone cliffs plunging into an impossibly blue sea, of villages clinging to the rock face like barnacles, of terraced lemon groves whose fruit hangs yellow against the green in every season, are worth every moment of concentration.
Day 1-2: Positano
Day 1-2: Positano — Begin at the coast’s most photogenic village, a cascade of pink and white houses tumbling down a cliff to a beach of dark volcanic sand. The crowds are inevitable in high season, but the early mornings and late evenings are quiet enough to reveal the village’s essential character. Eat at La Tagliata, a family-run restaurant perched above the village on a terrace with views that will make every meal feel celebratory. Order the maccheroni al ragù and the grilled fish, and stay as long as the evening allows.
Day 3: Praiano and the Path of the Gods
Day 3: Praiano and the Path of the Gods — The Sentiero degli Dei, the Path of the Gods, is the finest walk on the Amalfi Coast and one of the finest in all Italy. Beginning at Bomerano above Agerola and descending to Nocelle above Positano, the trail passes through panoramic landscapes of a kind that make the effort of the climb — and there is real effort involved — feel trivially easy in retrospect. Pack water, wear good shoes, and begin early to avoid the midday heat.
Day 4: Amalfi
Day 4: Amalfi — The former maritime republic that gave the coast its name retains traces of its medieval grandeur in the magnificent Arab-Norman cathedral and the warren of lanes behind it. The Arsenale della Repubblica, where the great galleys were built, is now a museum. The pastifici sell pasta in every conceivable shape, and the limoncello made here from the Sfusato Amalfitano lemon is the finest version of that much-abused liqueur you will find anywhere in the world.
Day 5: Ravello
Day 5: Ravello — High above the coast, connected by a vertiginous road that climbs past terraced gardens, Ravello is the coast’s most refined destination. The Villa Rufolo, with its gardens suspended above the sea, and Villa Cimbrone, with its Terrace of Infinity, are two of Italy’s most celebrated garden experiences. For ancient ruins nearby, see Pompeii revisited. Ravello’s annual music festival, held in the Villa Rufolo gardens in July, is one of the most beautiful concert settings anywhere.
Day 6-7: Cetara and Vietri sul Mare
Day 6-7: Cetara and Vietri sul Mare — End the week in the fishing village of Cetara, famous for its colatura di alici — an anchovy sauce of extraordinary intensity that is the direct descendant of Roman garum — and in Vietri sul Mare, the coastal town famous for its hand-painted ceramics. These are places where the tourist infrastructure is thinner and the authentic life of the coast more immediately present. Take the ferry back to Positano across a sea that has turned rose-gold in the late afternoon light, and feel the rare satisfaction of a week perfectly spent.
