Italy

A coastline of villages

Southern Italy's Amalfi Coast is one of the Mediterranean's most dramatic stretches of coastline, a narrow road threading between cliffs and the sea past villages such as Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. The Amalfi Coast is best explored slowly, with boat trips between villages often easier than the coast road itself during busy periods.

What to pair it with

Naples, with its historic centre and access to Pompeii's ruins, sits within reach of the coast, and the island of Capri makes a popular day or overnight trip by boat. Lemon groves terrace the hillsides above the coast road, and the region's cuisine, built around seafood, lemons and local mozzarella, is worth building time around rather than treating as an afterthought. Our Amalfi Coast Escape itinerary combines several of these villages with time on the water, and our comparison with Santorini is worth reading for travellers deciding between Italy and Greece for a similar style of trip.

Timing your visit

The coast is at its busiest and most expensive in July and August, when narrow roads and small villages struggle with visitor numbers. May, June, September and early October bring warm, settled weather with noticeably lighter crowds, and are generally the most comfortable months to enjoy the coastline on foot or by boat. Travellers combining the coast with the rest of the country often add a few days in Rome or Florence before heading south, given the relatively short onward train or drive to Naples.