The Amalfi Coast with its rugged landscape is one of Italy’s beautiful vacation destinations. Certainly it’s a favorite of mine, as you know by now.
I find myself wondering how homes, hotels and restaurants were built on these cliffs and hillsides which seem almost impossible to reach.
Navigating the narrow winding streets by car are difficult at best. I cannot imagine a large truck with construction equipment could make it to some of these locations. This bus and RV barely have enough space to pass each other without scraping the side walls or knocking the mirrors off the vehicles.
No wonder many of the areas are pedestrian only and it takes over 300 steps to walk to your hotel on the beach.
But it is all worth it… every part of it, even when you find yourself cursing under your breath that you wish you had lost weight before this trip, so you could climb all the staircases and inclined walkways without feeling like you needed an oxygen mask.
Italy is full of charm, and the Amalfi Coast is a gleaming example of that loveliness. I have found it to be my favorite place to go, over and over again.
Sheer beauty prevails as the steep rocky cliffs of the Amalfi Coast meet the undulating waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Tiered colorful towns appear, which were once simple fishing villages.
From Sorrento to Salerno, this scenic and breathtaking coast with its rocky precipices, small hidden caves, and postcard-perfect beaches, leaves me awe-struck.
The Amalfi Coast is tranquility and allure without limitations.
If you like this post you may be interested in my latest book, Colors of Naples and the Amalfi Coast, with original photography, available on Amazon.com
margieinitaly 
Nice, Margie. And it’s frustrating when you see the little old lady, steady but sure, going about her daily routine, up and down the hills with an armful of things.
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Thank you so much Karen…Yes I agree about the elderly women waling up all those stairs with their groceries but they seem to pride themselves that they do this every day. I checked out your blog and discovered that you are an author! I am definitely putting your book, Calabria: The Other Italy on my reading list! http://www.amazon.com/Calabria-Other-Italy-Karen-Haid/dp/1634132300 I just ordered it.
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Thanks! My book grew out of 4 years living, working and traveling in Calabria. I published it a little over a year ago.
And as for those sturdy old women, they are the embodiment of the “If you don’t use it, you lose it” philosophy.
Ciao!
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The idea is drill into the mountain or clif side with large beams that extend into the rocky structure as far as the building will extend beyond it. Don’t you hate it when the magic is tarnished with reality. OK, here is the real truth, little creatures that love Almalfi take turns holding the homes and hotels up close to the cliff side.
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At any rate it is a lot of work!! Thanks too Bonnie for the humorous aspect!
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Who doesn’t love Italian mountains? Truly one of the most beautiful places in the world! Looking forward to your new book, Margie.
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Grazie mille Kathryn!!!
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I love that crazy road and this quote from John Steinbeck – “Flaming like a meteor we hit the coast, a road, high, high above the blue sea, that hooked and corkscrewed on the edge of nothing, a road carefully designed to be a little narrower than two cars side by side.”
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Thank you for sharing that Steinbeck quote, Andrew..It is a great description of the Amalfi Coast road!
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Beautiful, I cannot wait to go and see this for myself. The goal is next May!
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How wonderful Tony! So glad you are adding it to your itinerary next May! You will think you died and went to heaven!
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I got so horribly carsick on the bus from Sorrento, I couldn’t get further than Amalfi even though Ravello wasn’t so much further…Feel disappointed about that now.
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Sorry to hear that Andrea…I know a lot of people can’t take all the turns on the Amalfi Coast road without getting sick..Another alternative is to take a ferry from Sorrento to Capri and then from Capri to Amalfi..There is a bus that takes you to Ravello from there and it is only 20 minutes and nothing like the Amalfi Coast Drive
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Oh, I love the Amalfi coast, Margie. What stuck with me most were the precipitous terraced hillsides.What do you do when there is no flat land? You build a stone wall, then fill it in, plant trees. Then you repeat. We stayed at a place that had grapevines underneath lemons trees, which were planted underneath very tall olive trees. Amazing, three crops simultaneously on the same small piece of land. And the best limoncello ever! Can’t wait to return.
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