The Amalfi Coast is a lover’s paradise. Tucked away on the Western coast of Italy, South of Naples, the Amalfi Coast offers a variety of romantic destinations to please any budget. From five-star hotels with Michelin star dining to affordable Airbnb rentals for a more laid back feel, this honeymoon destination was the highlight of our 10-day honeymoon adventure through Italy.
My husband and I are not individuals who like crowds or heavily touristy areas, so we opted to stay in a quieter fishing village, Praiano. Praiano is a little over a thirty-minute bus ride to the famous town Positano and the town of Amalfi, depending on traffic. The town itself has so much to offer, even for a town with a little over 2,000 residents. From boating excursions to beach clubs, to luxurious dining, Praiano is quickly becoming recognized as a romantic vacation destination.
To get to Praiano, we took the train from Rome to Salerno. We then hopped on the ferry boat to Amalfi and paid for private transport from Amalfi to our villa in Praiano. We had been traveling all day and wanted to be able to locate our Airbnb easily since we had read there were 100+ steps to climb up from the bus stop in the center of town. Since we traveled with just our backpacks, we awarded ourselves with splurging a little on our transportation costs.
We found an Airbnb to accommodate us for our five-night stay and it was perfect for our time on the coast. We had a private one-bedroom villa with an outdoor terrace almost as big as the indoor accommodations! Our host greeted us with homemade limoncello, lemon cake, and lemon ice cream that was absolutely to die for! The rental came complete with a small, fully-equipped kitchen, comfortable bed, and a bathroom with all the essentials. Any time we were at the house and not sleeping, you could find us on the terrace. The Amalfi Coast has some of the most beautiful sunsets we’d ever seen, and it seemed as if each night, they kept getting better and better.
Experience The Coast By Boat
We chose I’Uomo e il Mare for our private boat tour along the Amalfi Coast and they did not disappoint! They come prepared with yummy snacks, beach towels, masks and floaties, beer, and plenty of Prosseco which made our tour that much more enjoyable.
Touring the Amalfi Coast by boat was one of the most memorable experiences we had during our honeymoon in Italy and why it is #1 on our list. We opted for the Amalfi Coast tour versus the Capri island tour and were so glad we did. Our boat captain said that about 90% of the customers they get, opt to do the Capri tour, yet this tour only has one or two options for jumping out into the vast, warm sea. The Amalfi tour, however, offers MULTIPLE jumping-off spots to swim, along with sea caves, waterfalls, and unbeatable views.
As we were based in Praiano, we walked down to La Praia beach where we were able to check-in for our 9 am excursion. Once on board, we began our tour heading north towards Positano.
The boat tour will travel to Positano regardless of the option you choose as it is such an iconic town. We grabbed a few photos in front of the world-famous beach and continued our journey a little further north of town where we came across our first beach! We had the entire beach to ourselves as it was only accessible by boat. It felt so amazing to jump into the clear, blue, warm water. We easily could’ve stayed in the water all day, but there was more to see!
The first beach stop was the northern most location for our tour so from here we headed west towards a unique, privately owned island that is known for their vibrant summer parties and is clearly visible from the shore. After circling the island, we continued our excursion south towards Amalfi.
Along the way we saw the Fiordo di Furore, an incredible natural arch, the town of Amalfi, a few sea caves, a waterfall coming down from Ravello, and multiple stops for swimming. When we did the tour in mid-September it was just getting into jellyfish season and we did encounter a few that stung us lightly.
The tour lasts almost 8 hours and it was a truly magical and high-recommended experience to view the beauty of the Amalfi Coast.
Fiordo di Furore
Hit The Beach
A visit to the Amalfi Coast is not complete unless you hit the beach! A variety of beach options exist up and down the coast. From crowded public beaches, to beach clubs and quieter, more low-key beaches, there is a beach for everyone.
We opted for the Gavitella Beach in Praiano most days as this was walking distance from our Airbnb. The Gavitella Beach is located down a steep, scenic path from the middle of town. Next to the public Gavitella Beach is the Cala Gavitella Beach Club which we enjoyed on our first visit to the beach. They have umbrellas you can rent daily, on a first-come-first-serve basis, amazing views, and as many pina colada’s or Cuba Libre’s you can think of served to you by their wonderful staff.
Other popular beaches include:
- Marina Grande, Positano
- Cavallo Morto, Maiori
- Spiaggia Arienzo, Positano
- Santa Croce, Amalfi
- Fiordo di Furore, Furore
- Marina di Praia, Praiano
Taste The Local Cuisine
We don’t have to tell you the food in Italy is out-of-this-world, but in case you forgot, IT IS! The Amalfi Coast is no exception. With the ocean at its side, the Amalfi Coast offers up amazing seafood such as octopus, prawns, sardines, muscles, clams, and much more.
Along with the abundance of seafood, the traditional dishes like pasta and pizza are equally as good here as they are throughout Italy. We didn’t have as much time to explore the coastal towns of Positano or Amalfi as we enjoyed Praiano so much, but any town you visit will have a variety of options to fancy your appetite.
Hike The Path Of The Gods
While we didn’t have a chance to hike this amazing path, but we do wish we set aside the time to do so. This hike takes you high above the coastal towns and provides breathtaking views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The main section of the trail runs from Positano to Agerola, about 4 miles and 1,600 ft. above sea level.
Soak Up Coastal Life
When it comes to visiting this region of Italy, it is not hard to feel relaxed anywhere you stay along this picturesque coast. The warm climate, cool coastal breeze, and unbeatable views immediately put us in vacation mode. Don’t feel bad about not visiting every town along the coast. Immerse yourself into one or two towns to really get a feel for everyday life in these unique communities.
We enjoyed our daily walks down almost 1,000 steps to the beach (our Airbnb was literally at the top of town), visits to the local grocery store, tasting different restaurants each night and sipping on the local limoncello and prosecco. We also saved the Amalfi Coast for the end of our Italy honeymoon, so after rushing around Florence and Rome we were ready to kick back, relax, and celebrate our union as husband and wife.
Are you planning a honeymoon in Southern Italy? I’d love to hear your questions or comments!