3 days on the Amalfi Coast: cliff towns, lemon groves & the Path of the Gods

Skip the drive-the-coast-in-a-day blur. Base in Positano, hike the Path of the Gods above the sea, spend an afternoon in garden-perched Ravello, and finish in working Amalfi town with its paper museum and lemon valleys.

1. Day 19 am – 9:30 pm · 4 stops
2. 9 am1

   Morning on Spiaggia GrandePositano

   Positano's main beach before the crowds thicken: rent a lounger at the far end, swim while the water is still calm, and watch the town wake up above you — pastel houses stacked like a card trick. The free strip is at the western end if you'd rather not pay.

   3 min walk · 100 m
3. 11 am2

   Church of Santa Maria AssuntaPositano

   The majolica-tiled dome is Positano's landmark, visible from every boat coming in. Step inside for the 13th-century Byzantine Black Madonna, then wander the lanes behind the church — the quietest, prettiest part of town, full of linen shops and lemon soap.

   3 min walk · 50 m
4. 5:30 pm3

   Aperitivo at Franco's BarPositano

   The aperitivo terrace at Le Sirenuse, and the best seat on the coast at golden hour: the whole vertical town lit up, boats coming home, the sun dropping behind the headland. Drinks are pricey and the view pays for itself; dress up a little.

   3 min walk · 100 m
5. 7:30 pm4

   Dinner on the beach at Chez BlackPositano

   Right on the sand at Spiaggia Grande, run by the same family since 1967: grilled catch of the day, spaghetti alle vongole, and tables practically in the water. Book ahead and ask for a front-row table; the sound of the waves is the entertainment.

6. Day 29 am – 6 pm · 4 stops
7. 9 am5

   Hike the Path of the Gods from BomeranoAgerola

   The coast's great walk: Bomerano to Nocelle, about 7km along a cliff path high above the sea, with Capri floating on the horizon. Start early, carry water, wear real shoes — the path is rocky and exposed — and finish with lunch in Nocelle or a bus back down to Positano.

   10 min by train or taxi · 6.2 km
8. 1:30 pm6

   Lunch at Trattoria Cumpa' CosimoRavello

   Ravello's beloved family trattoria on Via Roma: handmade pasta, garden vegetables, and the kind of welcome that makes you stay for dessert. The portions are generous and the prices are Ravello's kindest — a necessary correction after Positano.

   9 min walk · 700 m
9. 3 pm7

   Terrace of Infinity at Villa CimbroneRavello

   Walk the Avenue of Immensity to the Terrace of Infinity, where marble busts gaze out over a sheer drop to the sea — Gore Vidal called it the most beautiful view in the world. The gardens alone are worth the ticket; go late in the day when the tour groups thin out.

   7 min walk · 550 m
10. 4:30 pm8

    Villa Rufolo and its hanging gardensRavello

    The villa that inspired Wagner's Parsifal garden: Moorish cloisters, a tower with the coast laid out below, and summer concerts in the gardens if your dates line up. Pair it with Cimbrone and you have the two great garden views of the coast in one afternoon.

11. Day 39:30 am – 2 pm · 4 stops
12. 9:30 am9

    Amalfi Cathedral and the Cloister of ParadiseAmalfi

    Climb the grand staircase to the striped Byzantine facade, then duck into the 13th-century Cloister of Paradise — white arches, palm trees, and the bones of Amalfi's maritime republic. The crypt below holds the relics of St Andrew, patron of the town.

    8 min walk · 650 m
13. 11 am10

    The Paper MuseumAmalfi

    Amalfi made paper before anywhere else in Europe, and this working museum in an old mill still runs its 13th-century presses: watch cotton rag become a sheet you can take home. The guided tour is short, hands-on, and the best hour of context on the whole coast.

    3 min walk · 250 m
14. 12 pm11

    Lemon walk in the Valle dei MuliniAmalfi

    Follow the old mill valley behind Amalfi up through terraced lemon groves — the giant Amalfi lemons grow here under chestnut pergolas, and the air smells of citrus and stone. Several groves run guided walks with tastings; go with one rather than wandering the private terraces alone.

    12 min walk · 900 m
15. 1:30 pm12

    Lemon granita on Piazza del DuomoAmalfi

    Finish where Amalfi finishes: a lemon granita on the cathedral square, made from the valley's lemons you just walked through. The square is the town's living room — fishermen, schoolkids, and everyone you have seen all week passing through.