Italy Trip | Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, Pompeii, Rome

August 3, 2019

Going through the images for this Italy blog post made me hungry all over again. The food in Italy is absolutely divine… mainly because carbs are life. Hello, all the pasta!

I’m going to recap as best as possible for our entire itinerary. This trip was different than previous trips because we played a lot of it by ear and had downtime. Typically we try to maximize our time in a country to see as much as possible. This time we tried to slow down and be ok with doing less. It was delightful. Also, I still have dreams about the gelato in Ravello.

*Disclaimer* This is a long blog post with waaayyyy too many photos. enjoy!

Day 1

Amalfi

Arrived into Rome around noon and took the Leonardo Express train into the Roma Termini station. Decided to buy tickets on the direct express high-speed train to Salerno. Once at Salerno station you walk out to the main pier directly from the station (about 3 blocks.) Keep walking out to the end of the pier where you see a little hut to buy the ferry tickets. They do charge a small fee per bag, heads up. We choose to do the ferry because the weather was clear and the views are so much better from the sea!

Rome —> Salerno —> Amalfi (ferry)

Once we disembarked from the ferry in Amalfi our goal was to find our airbnb. Our Italy phone sim card was not working yet so we grabbed wine and pizza at a restaurant right off the Marina that had wifi: Bar Savoia

Coordinating with our Airbnb host was difficult without our phone working but after a minimal amount of stairs and a bit of hope and prayer, we found our Airbnb! This trip we made a point to book places with an amazing view! The only downside was that it was not soundproof so we could hear everyone walking down the stairs right outside the unit. If you stay here or anywhere in Italy I HIGHLY recommend bringing and an excellent pair of earplugs. It seemed like everywhere we stayed we could hear all the things going on outside.

Dinner at L’abside. We sat right outside on a lovely evening. The food was delicious!

STAY AMALFI AIRBNB This Airbnb was great. It was a big flat with an amazing view of the whole Amalfi town. It was very close to the main Amalfi square so it was easy to use as a hub.

Day 2

Amalfi

After heavily sleeping in we spent the afternoon taking the bus from Amalfi up to Ravello. It was easy to find the bus stop and you can buy tickets at most convenience stores. Riding the bus was fun to see the views. The bus ride takes about an hour.

Since we only had the afternoon to enjoy Ravello we made gelato a priority and found the best in the region. Literally, we didn’t find another shop that topped it. If you go to Ravello (which you should) you have to go to Baffone Gelateria. Amalfi region is known for its lemons so everything that is lemon-flavored is amazing!

We choose to wander around Villa Cimbrone based on time and it looked more appealing. I loved all the purple flowers and architecture. The grounds are very well kept and I enjoyed receiving a map. The Terrazza dell’ Infinito is amazing. It’s literally on a cliff and if you’re afraid of heights don’t look down!

While we waited for the last bus out of Ravello of the day we snagged snacks and drinks at the Hotel Ristorante Bar. It’s super convenient because we could see the bus stop so we wouldn’t miss it! The view from this bar is jaw-dropping.

Dinner at Trattoria da Gemma. We were seated inside the restaurant so we can’t attest to the view but it is right up the street from the main Amalfi square. Everything was yummy but also not very memorable.

STAY AMALFI AIRBNB

Day 3

Amalfi / Positano

Breakfast on Amalfi square- Pasticceria Andrea Pansa. Nothing more Italian than sipping your cappuccino and almost getting run over by a moped scooter. It was a wonderful way to wake up and start the day.

We took a little bit of time to wander around Amalfi. The church and the square are beautiful. Our brains loved getting lost in all the nooks and corridors but our butts and legs definitely were not acclimated to stairs. We decided to go ahead and pack up and head to Positano.

Took another ferry to Positano and again enjoyed the stunning views from the sea. The amazing cliffs and infrastructure are astounding! I also appreciated not being on a bus on the winding roads. One thing to note about the ferry is that they don’t announce which ports they are arriving at so you have to pay attention and/or ask.

After disembarking at the main port of Positano we took in the sights of the beach and looked up our hotel. Naturally, google maps took us the most direct route which included approximately 3000000 steep stairs. We expected stairs so mentally it was fine. Did I mention I overpacked like a champion for this trip? Bless my hubby for taking our rolling cases while I had the backpacks. We arrived at our amazing Hotel Poseidon and the kind front desk person very quickly assessed we had taken the stairs. Couldn’t have been the sweat pouring down our faces or how beet red we were, I’m sure. She then showed us the slightly longer way but hardly any stairs! She showed us our two room options so we could see the view and which one we liked better! I also appreciated she took the time to show us around the hotel because it is legit a maze of marble!

Since we had gotten to Positano relatively early in the afternoon we enjoyed a happy hour by the hotel pool overlooking the town of Positano. Then we walked down to the town. I loved wandering the streets! In reality, the main reason we adventured down the hill is for gelato (Gelateria Buca di Bacco). It was the most well-rated gelateria in Positano and was a bit tricky to find but thankfully we found it! The flavors we good and we went back a couple more times before we left. Since we were still a bit peckish we got snacks and drinks at La Brezza (also has free wifi, *bonus*).

Dinner was at the Hotel Poseidon restaurant and was very yummy! The view at night got even better.

STAY HOTEL POSEIDON I loved this hotel. It’s a bit of a maze to navigate but has amazing views of the whole city of Positano. Their patios are relaxing and we found their amenities to be nice. We enjoyed the feeling of privacy on our balcony even though we were literally right on the main street.

Day 4

Positano

Hotel Poseidon had a delightful breakfast included with our stay. We took full advantage.

We knew it was going to be a rainy day so we decided to walk into town and hop on the Positano local bus to see the town while it was raining. It was nice to see different areas while paying a minimal amount and getting to hop off whenever we wanted. I think we ended up doing a loop and a half.

Finally, the rain stopped we got out on the east point of the town and enjoyed the view for a while. Leisurely we walked down slowly to the water to enjoy the main beach: Spiaggia Grande Beach. Unfortunately, when we went the region was experiencing a bit of a cold snap so it was a bit chilly (at least for me but I am always cold). It definitely did not feel like beach weather!

Grabbed pizza right on the beach at L’incanto Lido Ristorante Snack Bar. The pizza and drinks were good and the view was even better!

We cruised through the plaza outside of Santa Maria Church and took a few moments to peek our heads inside.

We then wandered to the smaller beach on the west side of Positano, Fornillo Beach. It’s a pleasant short walk along the shoreline. Since it was still off-season the beach was pretty much empty so we skipped rocks from the black sand beach on the calm water.

On our way back up to our hotel, we snagged wine and cheese from the shop across the street from our hotel. We watched the sunset from our balcony and enjoyed a bottle of wine. Afterward, we went to dinner.

Dinner at Da Gabrisa Ristorante. The view was amazing, even at night. The food was also delightful! We both enjoyed our entrees.

STAY HOTEL POSEIDON

Day 5

Positano / Pompeii

We had breakfast at the hotel and took the morning very slowly. It was another rainy weather day so we opted to enjoy our hotel a bit more. Due to the poor weather, the ferries were not running that day and the bus would have taken too long so for marginally more we hired a private car to Pompeii. It was so nice and I felt incredibly fancy. The hotel actually called the car for us. After dropping us off right at the entrance of Pompeii ruins we paid for luggage storage for our suitcases and enjoyed a fascinating day in Pompeii. I loved all the incredible history and preservations. My favorite part was that the Romans had fast food joints. Mind blown. We listened to Rick Steves tour of Pompeii which if you go to any part of Italy I suggest downloading Rick Steve’s app. If you are cost-conscious like us it is a good way to still learn about the history of what you are seeing and walking through without paying more than you’ve budgeted.

Took the train from Pompeii Scavi stop to Naples on Circumvesuviana line and then took the high-speed train Naples -> Rome.

Since we had planned this day as a complete flex day we didn’t know where we would end up. So we used our train trip to research deals on hotels in Rome. We ended up booking the hotel when we got to Rome standing outside its doors.

Dinner at Babbo’s. Yummy, slightly touristy. Hotel recommendation that turned out well.

STAY in Rome Best Western Royal Santina. It was lovely, quiet, and had been renovated recently. we enjoyed our night there. We choose to check our bags at the front desk during the day when we explored Rome. I felt like my bag was safe.

Day 6

Spent the day wandering around Rome. We used a combination of our feet and the bus system to traverse the city. If you’ve ever been afraid of public transit it’s not as difficult or scary as you think. Every time we travel we have at least 1 phone with a local sim card. Google Maps is so amazing that it tells you what bus #’s to get on and how many stops. All you have to do is pay attention. Since it was the second time we had been there we wanted to explore different sites than the previous time. The only place we revisited was the Colosseum because it’s a great jumping-off point for a lot of other sites. We grabbed lunch outside the colosseum at Royal cafe Ristorante (up on the rooftop). The food was meh but the view was excellent as it’s literally across the street from Colosseum. The main thing that I was excited to see was the huge pyramid of Caius Cestius and non-Catholic Cemetary of Rome.

If you don’t like tourists and want to still enjoy a large fountain and a view of the city then I highly recommend Fontana dell’Acqua Paola. There was hardly anyone there and you got an overview of the city. As an introvert, I much preferred this over Trevvii fountain. We had gone to Trevvii last time in Rome and it was incredibly crowded at 11 pm in the non-peak season. We finished up our evening before dinner at Piazza del Popolo.

Dinner at Osteria degli amici. This place was authentic Italian and delicious. It is a bit far from our airbnb but wasn’t too bad once you got on the right bus… oops. our bad.

STAY AIRBNB IN ROME  – This place is convenient to the Roma Termini station. It’s clean and pretty spacious. There was a lot of street noise but that was common in all of our lodging this trip. It did include a breakfast voucher at the cafe across the street.

Day 7

Breakfast at the cafe across the street from the Airbnb. We only had a couple of hours before our flight left and decided to tour the crypts of St. Clement Basilica. It was fascinating to see the previous floorplans of the church through the decades. I recommend touring through the depths of the church.

Sadly, we went straight to the airport after this. Please note that there is a specific security line in Terminal 1 for US passport holders. You will not be able to scan your boarding pass at any checkpoint. This part was very confusing and no one really seemed to know where to tell us to go.

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2019-08-02_0006.jpgThe views from this Airbnb were amazing!
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Best gelato of the whole trip.
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Um, hello? Is Cersei home? This crypt gave me such GOT vibes!2019-08-02_0014.jpg
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2019-08-02_0016.jpgHi, yes. If you would like to hire me for your wedding right there I am 100% there.
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Drinks with a view? Yes please!2019-08-02_0023.jpgWhat’s breakfast without almost getting run over by a moped?
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The view from our hotel room was amazing! Totally worth it!2019-08-02_0029.jpg
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2019-08-02_0033.jpgThere were no less than 4 instagram husbands on the beach and then there was us just trying to get a good selfie.
2019-08-02_0034.jpgCafe Brezza has a wonderful Limoncello drink. The glass was particularly entertaining.
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2019-08-02_0046.jpgWe sat right on the corner of this place to grab some pizza. We wanted the best view but also risked being rained on.
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2019-08-02_0049.jpgThis was the path to the smaller less popular Positano beach. I imagine I would prefer it in the summer due to fewer crowds.
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The most ideal breakfast views at Hotel Poseidon.2019-08-02_0057.jpg
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This is after our private car to Pompeii.2019-08-02_0059.jpg
Y’all these buildings were HUGE and they weren’t even at their full height.2019-08-02_0060.jpg
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They would fill plaster into the cavities where people were and would get a full mold of the people. It was harrowing.2019-08-02_0063.jpg
2019-08-02_0064.jpgAfter working for a flooring company for a couple of years I was so here for this marble work!
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Y’all this is a roman fast food restaurant. I was astounded.2019-08-02_0066.jpg
The ruts you see in the streets are from horse carriages. They are so deep!2019-08-02_0067.jpg
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2019-08-02_0070.jpgThe photo above is the bakery! Bread is life so I was very excited to see the intact oven.
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2019-08-02_0084.jpgWe found the Circus Maximus.
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2019-08-02_0087.jpgThis was Fontana dell’Acqua Paola. I loved it so much more than Trevvii Fountain.
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The end! I literally can’t believe you made it this far. That was a lot of photos and info!

I hope this post helps you if you are planning your own trip to the Amalfi coast! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to leave a comment below.

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