A day out on the Amalfi Coast
General information A drive along the Amalfi coast from Positano to Amalfi offers stunning and breathtaking scenery . Visit the Emerald Cave near Vettica Minore by boat . Enjoy the superb view of the coast from the 13th Century Gothic Villa Rufolo in Ravello . Spend a full day visiting the awe�inspiring site of Pompeii , visiting the remains of the villas containing both vibrant and delicate frescoes . Herculaneum is nearby and also worth visiting .
The Greek site of Paestum has outstanding Doric temples . In the resort of Amalfi stroll along the Via Genova and the Via Capuano taking in the typical architecture of Campania with the flower�covered balconies , narrow alleyways leading to fountain�filled little squares . Take the chairlift on Capri to Monte Solaro or walk to the Migliara Belvedere for a view of the lighthouse .
On Ischia visit the beaches of Citara and Maronti and enjoy a morning ’ s walk to Monte Epomeo for panoramic views of the coast . Well�worth visiting is the often forgotten island of Procida between Naples and Ischia , with its vines and fishing , flat roofed white houses and atmosphere most characteristic of the region in bygone days . Vietri for ceramics . Stalls of lemons , garlic and peppers .
Festivals Ravello � music festival June to July , Capri the festival of San Costanzo on 14 May , the festival of Sant ’ Antonio in Anacapri on 13 June and the festival of Madonna della Liberta in Marina Grande in September , Positano has Lo Sbarco dei Saraceni on the second Sunday in August .
Gastronomic highlights Neapolitan cuisine is now famous the world over for its use of tomatoes , pizza , mozzarella cheese , dried pasta and lemons . Local specialities include Mozzarella in Carrozza , Panzanella alla napoletana , Pasta alla sorrentina ( with scamorza cheese and tomatoes ), Sartu ( an elaborate rice pie stuffed with meats , sausages , mushrooms
etc ), Timballo di Maccheroni ( also elaborate with maccheroni baked in a pie and a sauce of chicken livers , mushrooms and black truffles ), Carciofi ripieni alla napoletana ( baked stuffed artichokes ), Coviglie ( a mousse�like dessert ), Sproccolati ( sun�dried figs on sticks ) and Sfogliatelle ( breakfast pastries ).
The region produces a number of excellent red and white wines . The most famous white is called Lacrimi Christi , from vines grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius . Taurasi from Avellino is a full�bodied red . Capri , Ischia and Sorrento all produce their own local wines .
Cultural highlights The House of the Vettii at Pompeii , The baroque Palazzo Reale at Caserta , Villa Jovis in Capri , the Doric temples of Paestum , ‘ Modesty ’ by Antonio Corradini in the Cappella Sansevero in Naples , the Gothic church of San Lorenzo Maggiore in Naples , the Majolica tiles in the cloisters of the 14th Century Santa Chiara in Naples , Michelozzo ’ s tomb of Cardinal Rinaldo Brancaccio in the 14th Century church of Sant ’ Angelo in Naples .
Our two centre recommendations The Amalfi Coast is most readily combined with Rome and Lazio , Sicily and the southern regions of Puglia , Calabria and Basilicata . Worth considering is a two centre stay within the Amalfi Coast , combining perhaps Capri and Positano or Ischia and Capri .
How you get there By air Airport at Naples ( Daily flights with British Airways from Gatwick ). The hotels on the Amalfi Coast are about 90 minutes by car from Naples airport . We can also offer you flights from UK regional airports to Naples . Hire�cars We include a hire�car with our hotels on the Amalfi Coast ( except those on Capri , Ischia and one in Sorrento ). However , you may prefer a private car transfer instead .
A day out on the Amalfi Coast
A day ’ s excursion to Capri from Positano staying at the Hotel Poseidon
From Positano take the hydrofoil at about 8.30 to Capri . Relax and enjoy the stunning scenery of the Amalfi Coast from the sea as you travel along the Sorrento peninsula passing places such as Marina di Cantone .
You then spot the greenish mass of the island of Capri in the distance and the multi�coloured vibrancy of the Marina Grande approaches . Perhaps pause for a coffee at a harbour�side cafe at Marina Grande before taking the funicular up above the port to the town of Capri . A mass of alleyways , squares , gardens and shops opens out to stunningly beautiful vistas of gardens , villas , cliffs , sea and sky . Stroll along the Via Tragara , pausing every so often on a shady bench to take in the atmosphere or to admire the views .
Then enjoy a leisurely lunch perhaps of a ‘ Caprese ’ salad and grilled ‘ Spigola ’ with lemons and olive oil . After lunch you might want to explore the Certosa or treat yourself to Italian fashions in Capri town before taking the hydrofoil back to Positano . A fitting end to an enjoyable day is dinner at the simple but very characterful trattoria the Blue Grotto in Positano .
Much treasured from the days of the Roman Empire until the Romantic poets of more recent times , the area south of Naples is strikingly attractive
Average temp . in ° Centigrade for the Amalfi Coast . Source : Italian State Tourist Office . 30
25 20 15 10 5 0 J F M A M J J A S O N D
ISCHIA
Naples
AMALFI COAST , CAPRI , ISCHIA AND THE CILENTO
Pompeii
IE174 EXH469
IE138
IE236 IE180
CAPRI IE434 Sorrento IE183 IE52 PositanoRavello
IE62
Amalfi IE61