Amalfi Coast? Anyone Been?

[triffictits]

I have never been to Italy but would love to go. I love hot weather, nice hotels and near a beach. In the evenings I like going out for nice food etc but don't like anything that is too touristy.

I have had a look at Amalfi Coast and it looks lovely....has anyone been, or has anyone got any recommendations? Whereabouts did you stay, what area/hotel etc?

Thanks for any help or ideas!

[feedthegoat]

We stayed in Sorrento a couple of years ago.

We thought the Amalfi coast area was very beautiful but there is no getting away from the fact that it was very busy and very touristy wherever we went. Capri was probably the busiest place we went and tbh more stressful than relaxing. We didn't even go peak season either (it was mid October).

We particularly liked Amalfi and Ravello along with the obligatory boat ride along the coast.

There are lots of lovely places to eat and we did enjoy some pleasant evenings just wandering around. We had a lovely meal at a place in the much quieter Marina Piccola area of Sorrento out over the sea.

We never really found much in the way of real beach though which was a shame with a toddler in tow It wasn't really the ideal place for a small child but people were very welcoming wherever he went. Circumstances dictated the destination as it was my grandma's request that we all had a holiday as a whole family in her favourite place in the world when she died. So we had a bittersweet family holiday in her honour .

We did have a nice time but I think it would have been better in 20 years time without ds in tow. I also have to admit, whilst I'm probably past Ibiza these days, I felt a little too young for Sorrento .

[ClaireDeLoon]

Been a few times, to Sorrento and Amalfi. It is very lovely. Both are, I think, very relaxed. I really liked the food there and there are some lovely restaurants.

Like feedthegoat says there aren't any beaches but there are some nice hotels with lovely pools. In Sorrento there are a couple on the sea front near the town centre that have pools in the gardens, I stayed at one and it was very nice although I think a little pricey.

I quite liked Capri but then again I was with a few likeminded girlfriends and we just found a lovely restaurant on the other side of the town that looked over the rest of the island and had a very long lunch.

[squeaver]

years ago, dh and I went to Positano. Fabulous, fabulous.

Not sure about the area for kids though.

[pipsqueak]

love it - we went to positano . it is busy - we were there off season in late septmeber and was just right but the roads are uber bendy and i imagine could be a bit difficult in peak season .. would recommend though

[mummatoone]

Grand Capodimonte Hotel in Sorrento is gorgeous, very romatic, fabulous food and a lovely walk down into the town of Sorrento.
Evenings are I suppose what we know as low key with families eating out in restuarants with babies, children all together. We were in bed by 11pm most nights as everything shuts down.

We went to Capri and to be honest its posers paradise full of designer shops Versace, Armani, PRada etc... Extremely expresive small beer and diet coke (I was preg!) £9.00 and that was 5 yrs ago.

Its a beautifully scenic, lovely, relaxing, very romatic place to be...very different from hols weve been on before.

All hotels are very rustic and historic, very traditional furnishings. Food is fabulous and plentiful - pasta is usally is served as a starter.

[selby]

We spent a week mid Oct a few years ago based in Sorrento. It's a great sightseeing base but there's no escaping that it's fairly commercial. However, we really enjoyed it and did day trips from there to Capri, Naples, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello & visited Mount Versuvius, Pompeii & Herculaneum. We stayed in a bog standard hotel near the main ferry port - central location but nothing else to reccommend it. We did splash out one evening for dinner in THE hotel out there - the Excelsior Vittoria where there's a private lift down to the ferry port to Capri so you can avoid clambering down the numerous steps with the rest of the riff raff. HTH

[SparkleandShine]

I have stayed in Sorrento and would probably base myself somewhere else nearby for another trip - Positano was lovely (but also busy) but there were lots of small coastal villages.

If you look on www.tripadvisor.com there are some good hotels listed round the coast from Sorrento, however they were all fully booked when we went so we had to stay in Sorrento!

Have also stayed here Sicily - nice place, Taormina is super (better less grannified than sorrento) and you get a lot of similar feel and scenery. Also there are pebble beaches, and you can go and see where the Godfather was filmed!

[gallery]

Has anyone stayed in self catering villa type accommodation with pool around that area? I am thinking of going next May and looking for ideas but got 2 little ones will be 2 and 5

[Jehnavi]

Been a few times, to Sorrento and Amalfi. It is very lovely. Both are, I think, very relaxed. I really liked the food there and there are some lovely restaurants. www.europevoyage.net/sorrento-italy-tourism.html- Like feedthegoat says there aren't any beaches but there are some nice hotels with lovely pools. In Sorrento there are a couple on the sea front near the town centre that have pools in the gardens, I stayed at one and it was very nice although I think a little pricey.

I quite liked Capri but then again I was with a few likeminded girlfriends and we just found a lovely restaurant on the other side of the town that looked over the rest of the island and had a very long lunch.