The Amalfi Coast: A Fairytale

How can anywhere be so intricately beautiful? How are all the different blue and orange and yellow and pink houses positioned so perfectly on top of the other? How do lemons grow to be that big? These were some of the questions I left with after visiting the Amalfi Coast this summer. I actually found out about the lemons on a local lemon tour- keep reading. From the likes of Kylie Jenner to Jay & Bey, it is the billionaire's Mediterranean playground. But if I can afford it, you certainly can too. The stunning coastline extends from the Port of Salerno to the Gulf of Naples, with charming, picturesque towns dotted along the way. From the shy little municipality of Furore, to the luxurious Positano, Italy has left me astonished. Again.

This could be the prettiest place I've ever been to.

Hotel Scapolatiello

It could be easy to assume that you need a bucket of money to really enjoy the Amalfi Coast, but I can confirm that this is false. As with anywhere, there are compromises that can be made to enjoy this luxurious destination. Our beautiful hotel made the trip even more enchanting, mostly due to the scenic surroundings, but also, because it was a huge steal. I found this fairytale hotel on booking.com, about 4 months before we went in August. Located in the mountains between Salerno and Cava Di'Terreni, it was more than affordable for 3 people for 5 days (price details at the bottom), as it wasn't in one of the major tourist hotspots. Yes, you may spend a few euros on a taxi up and down the mountain, but you are surrounded by panoramic views and typically Italian hanging gardens. It was easy to forget that I had a job or any other worldly existence.

Eating breakfast and sipping on a caffè e latte out on this terrace, overlooking the Lattari and Picentini mountain ranges was delightful. Their dinner options were full of flavour and authentically made with local produce.

Stunning right? This is just the hotel. Obviously after seeing this, I couldn't WAIT to explore this Mediterranean paradise.

Amalfi

You can catch a ferry from Salerno to Amalfi in 35 minutes, for €8 one way. Amalfi is an old port town, and is the smallest of the three I visited. Its small beach and tiny lanes are enchanting, the streets are scented by the lemons growing on the surrounding terraced cliffs. By sea is the best way to get to the main towns, as you can see the astonishing landscape, the cliffs that drop into the sea and the houses that sit on the edges of them. It’s either that chance perilous cliff-side bus journeys, where in typical Italian fashion, the roads are definitely not wide enough.

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The Amalfi Experience: Aceto Lemon Tour

When you arrive in Piazza Duomo, you are greeted by the sweet and subtle scent of lemons. Then, after walking around for approximately 7 seconds, you will see that lemon products are really the only thing vendors are selling! You simply cannot come to Amalfi and not find out more about why this region is steeped in this citrus fruit.

Every morning at 10.30am, the yellow buggy will be waiting at the bottom of the steps of the Cathedral, to take you up to the lemon terraces. We did the short tour which lasted about 1.5 hours, for £20, which is a very fair price for the region - see the website for more options.

When you get there, you are met by Salvatore Aceto, son of Luigi (could they be more Italian?!), whose family have owned these lemon terraces for centuries. You’ll also have stunning views of the surrounding scenery.

At the end of the tour, they leave you with their produce! A glass of the most lemony lip-licking lemonade, and a moist, melt-in-the-mouth lemon cake, and as if that wasn’t enough, different types of tangy limoncello to kick start your day.

lemonade and lemon cake made with aceto lemons

Capri

As our ferry sailed closer, the sun beamed down onto the angelically carved island of Capri, and I couldn't wait to get off. Ferries to Capri from Salerno are very early, and don't seem to run more than once a day, so make sure you plan ahead! Alternatively, they are more frequent from Positano. Look at her in all her glory;

Capri is a true Mediterranean island, and has been inhabited for thousands of years, namely by the Emporer Augustus. Capri shares its name with the main town and is where you find yourself landing as you come off the boat.

From Capri, we managed to get a driver to take us on a private boat around the Island. This is an essential way to see Capri, but you need to haggle , haggle, haggle. If you don’t haggle in Italy, you may as well forget your budget! We got our trip down from £180 to £135 for an hour and a half. Yes this is still expensive, but the experience is unparalleled. Though if you get seasick, this may not be the trip for you...

Then you'll stop for a swim...or maybe a photoshoot.

After you arrive back in the Marina, take an open top taxi up to Anacapri, the less 'touristy', and sublimely beautiful town at the top of Mount Solaro. In the taxi, you get spectacular views of the coastline. Once you reach Anacapri, breathe in all its charm and wander down the enchanting narrow cobbled pathways, past the sweetly fragrant citrus perfume boutiques, to the pathways around the side of the island which host these magical views of the mainland and Mt Vesuvius.

Eat off the beaten track at L'Angelo del Gusto in Anacapri - you won't be disappointed!

Pictures don't really do Capri any justice, it really is a dream destination.

Positano

The Finale, and what a way to end this trip. Positano could easily be the prettiest town in Italy. It is covered in lemons, pergolas and perfectly aligned orange sun beds. We were SO lucky that we were in Positano for Ferragosto, a Catholic festival which sees the whole country celebrate a feast day with a firework celebration after dark. Could you possibly imagine watching a firework display in one of the most breathtaking places in the world? Here is Positano...

Head up to Le Sirenese Hotel for stunning views of the town. Whilst it is a luxury hotel and falls outside of most people’s budget, you can freely walk in and take in the view on their balcony overlooking the iconic mosaic dome.

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Wearing heels in thirty degree heat to walk around a cliff-side town may not have been the most wise decision of my twenties, so we headed down to the beach to relax with Positano towering over us. You will need to hire beach chairs which are about 15 Euros each, but trying to lay down on those pebbles is simply not an option. Buy a bottle of wine, or in our case a bottle of Aperol and some prosecco, and tilt your gaze upwards :)

After calling repeatedly, we secured front row seats to eat and watch fireworks at Covo Dei Saraceni,a five star luxury hotel that offers a selection of traditional cuisine, again, at a very reasonable price.