Amalfi

Why Amalfi town makes the best base for the coast's ferries and buses

Of the thirteen towns on this stretch of coast, Amalfi is the practical base. Ferries and buses both start from its harbour, so every other village is a short hop away. Positano has the famous view, along with the steepest stairs and the highest prices. Ravello, on the hill above, turns quiet once the day visitors leave. Maiori and Minori have the longer beaches. Three or four days covers the essentials.

• Day one, the town: start at the cathedral of Sant'Andrea and its 13th-century Cloister of Paradise, ringed by 120 Arab-style columns. Walk up the valley to the Paper Mill Museum and back down to the Arsenal, the medieval shipyard that now tells the story of the maritime republic. Finish with an evening stroll along the marina.
• Day two, Ravello: buses climb from the harbour every half hour. Spend the day in the gardens of Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, high above the sea.
• Day three, on foot: walk the Path of the Gods, 7 km from Bomerano to Nocelle above Positano, with a great many steps. Come back by bus or by ferry from Positano. A shorter option is the Valle delle Ferriere walk, which climbs from the Valle dei Mulini right behind the town.
• Day four, by sea: take the ferry to Capri, or join a full-day boat trip that circles the island with swimming stops.

Summer rooms and the most convenient ferry departures go early, so reserve both well ahead for June to September. Ask about steps before you choose a hotel, since many sit at the top of a stairway with no lift. In winter the difficulty is finding anything open at all: many hotels and restaurants close from November to March.

Without a car, take the SITA coach from Naples to Sorrento (1 hr 10 min) followed by the coast bus. Check the current rules before you rent a car.

Late May and June on the Amalfi Coast, with dry paths and calm seas

The figures below come from Naples, the nearest long-term weather station, but the coast follows the same pattern. Late May and June are the best time. June also sees only about 33 mm of rain; the paths are dry and the sea is usually calm enough for boats.

August is when Italian families take their holidays. The pebble beach in Amalfi is packed, the coast road jams, and prices peak at the same time.

Early autumn keeps the heat, with highs around 27°C in September, though rain returns (about 89 mm). Then autumn gets serious: October averages 136 mm and November 152 mm, the wettest month. Ferries along the coast mostly run from April to October, so in winter you depend on SITA buses. Many businesses shut from November to March, which suits walkers who want empty paths and don't mind a wet day.

Two summer events are worth planning around. The Ravello Festival, held every year since 1953, fills almost two months of summer evenings with music in the hill town. The Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics brings rowing crews from Amalfi, Genoa, Pisa and Venice together on a day between late May and early July. The host rotates, so Amalfi stages it only one year in four. Lemon season is long: limoncello is made from February to October.

Sfusato lemons, limoncello and family trattorias in Amalfi

Lemons are everywhere. The local variety, the elongated sfusato amalfitano, grows on terraces cut into the cliffs along the coast. It ends up in limoncello, in cakes and on the plate. Donna Stella, a family trattoria in Amalfi, serves pizza under a pergola of lemon trees.

The pasta to order is scialatielli, thick fresh ribbons devised by the chef Enrico Cosentino in Amalfi in the late 1960s. Today it comes mostly with a seafood sauce. In the fishing village of Cetara, a few towns east, anchovies are fermented in small chestnut barrels to make colatura di alici, a clear amber fish sauce. A few drops go on spaghetti with garlic and olive oil. Fish and seafood fill most menus; the beachfront restaurants on the stradone specialise in them.

Breakfast on the Piazza Duomo. Pasticceria Pansa sells traditional Amalfi cakes in the shade, and across the square Bar Francese is where the evening aperitivo crowd gathers. Bar Flavio Gioia, opposite the ferry pier, has good gelato for the wait before a boat or bus. To take home, look for limoncello, cameo brooches and dried herb mixes for southern pasta sauces.

Prices on the coast run well above those in Naples. For a night out dancing, you will need to go along the coast to Praiano or Positano.