After a few days in Almafi we decided to travel about a half hour north to another coastal town called Positano. Notorious for pastel colored buildings and beautiful cliff views- this is the most iconic part of southern Italy. We checked into an adorable family owned B&B and headed straight to the beach (it only took 500 steps LOL). When we finally got there it was the golden hour & the views of the town were absolutely STUNNING! 

We stayed a family owned property in Positano called II Gabbiano. Each one of their twenty rooms has a sea view & a free breakfast included. Just beware of hidden fees like getting cappuccinos or snacks from the hotel staff (they are not free - yikes!). Another quirk of the hotel was that each time you left you had to give them the metal key to your room so that you wouldn't loose it. One major perk of the property is that it is only about a ten minute walk to the heart of downtown and a lot of popular restaurants.

1. Go to Capri
My Dad likes to joke that we never stay in one place for long... While this may be true - you cannot miss the opportunity to go to Capri. From the docks of Positano it is a 20 minute ferry ride to the island, and will only set you back 30 euros roundtrip. Initially, I felt like the island was VERY VERY touristy. But once we took a bus to upper part of the Island (also referred to as Capri) I fell in love with the traditional Italian shops & stunning views. While we were there we took a chair lift to the top of the highest point of the island. Although, the single seater chair lift up the steep cliffs was incredibly scary I would definitely recommend doing it. 

2. Go Restaurant Hopping 
I decided to embrace the high carb Italian diet by trying different pastas, pizza, and local favorites like gelato. The best part is you won't gain any weight because it will be a cardio workout up all the stairs to get back to your hotel afterwards.

After an almost 9 hour plane ride, 6 hour time change, and 2 hour drive up the treacherous cliffs of the Almafi Coast sits atop a picturesque mountainside. My parents were brave enough to rent a BMW despite the many warnings of narrow roads, spotty navigation, and lack of signage. I sat in the back seat biting my nails directing them on our GPS. Amidst our jet lag & exhaustion we arrived at our little bed & breakfast just before sunset. Since this was my first time traveling abroad I thought I would share about how wonderful it all was, but also my tips if we were to do the trip again. 

The hotels in the Almafi Coast & Ravello are all very small, family owned, and can be super expensive... It is best to travel towards the beginning of October when it is considered the slower period to find cheaper rates. We stayed at an adorable B&B just outside of the downtown Almafi called Hotel Villa Felice Relais. There was a bus you could take for only 2 euros to go around the area & was fairly easy to use. If you want to be right in the action I would recommend staying in downtown. The prettiest hotels I have ever seen in my entire life were called Santa Caterina in Almafi and Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello.  

1. TAKE THE BUS TO RAVELLO!
This place is absolutely magical. It is located about 15 minutes north of Almafi. Taking the bus up the sides of the steep mountain were absolutely terrifying, but if you can get over a fear of heights it is so worth it. Downtown Almafi can be packed with tourists but this is a much quieter and relaxing town. There is amazing shopping, cafes, and many photo ops. 

3. Hang on the Beach 
The beach here may be a bit rocky, but the beautiful landscape is hard to pass up. We hung by the coast at a little beach club & restaurant and had some aperol spritz. The weather stays beautiful until November 1'st and plenty of people were still swimming. *Tip* The stairs to get down to the beach can be daunting. It was at least 400 stairs from our hotel to get to the water... Be prepared for a workout! 

4. Head to a Winery
You cannot go to Italy without visiting a winery! My brother found us a lunch & tasting on Airbnb about 45 minutes from Amalfi. It is all family owned & the staff was extremely knowledgeable about the winery. We sampled five different wines, had a spaghetti lunch, and ate delicious cake for dessert. You can find the tour here. 

Lunch
Right on the waterfront is one of the top restaurants in Almafi called Marina Grande. The staff here is so nice & I had the absolute best pasta I have EVER eaten. The food is very reasonably priced and you cannot beat the waterfront views. 10/10 would recommend.