Italy | Amalfi Coast
Ravello
Luxury Villas on the Amalfi Coast – Terraces, Lemon Groves and the Sea Below
The Amalfi Coast was not built so much as stacked. For fifty kilometres the Lattari mountains drop almost vertically into the Tyrrhenian, and the villages cling to them in layers – pastel houses, lemon terraces, domed churches, and stairways that take the place of streets. It is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, and one of the most demanding to choose a house on.
Our luxury villas on the Amalfi Coast are chosen with that in mind. Above Positano, for the view and the town below. In Praiano, halfway along and noticeably quieter. High in Ravello, among the gardens, with the whole coast at your feet. And on the gentler Sorrento peninsula towards Nerano, where the sea is easier to reach and the road less dramatic.
What they share is the thing that defines life here: a terrace built for the view, a pool that seems to run into the sea, and a garden of lemons and bougainvillea. We will also tell you what a photograph will not – how many steps lie between the road and your door.
The essence of elegance: Luxury Villas and Hotels on the Amalfi Coast
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Italy | Amalfi Coast
Nerano
Italy | Amalfi Coast
Sant'Agnello
Exploring the Amalfi Coast
A coast built vertically
The single road that links the villages, the SS163, is carved into the cliff and is famous for its bends, its views and its summer traffic. Between the road and the sea lie the houses, the terraces and the stairways; above it, the lemon groves and the mountain paths. Everything here is measured vertically – in steps, in terraces, in the height above the water – and that is precisely what gives every house its view.
The practical consequence is that the sea is often better reached by boat than by road, and that the choice of village shapes the whole week.
Positano, Ravello and the villages between
Positano tumbles down to its beach in a cascade of pink, ochre and white, and remains the coast's most glamorous address. Praiano, a few kilometres east, has the same views, fewer visitors and some of the best sunsets on the coast. Amalfi, once a maritime republic that rivalled Venice, is built around its striking cathedral. Ravello, three hundred metres above the sea, is all gardens, music and silence. And east of Amalfi, Minori and Maiori have the only real sandy beaches, and a more local rhythm.
Capri, and the sea as the real road
On this coast the most elegant way to travel is by water. A boat from Positano or Amalfi reaches Capri in under an hour, passing the Li Galli islands and coves unreachable by road. The Blue Grotto, the Faraglioni rocks and lunch at a beach restaurant on the island make one of the great days of any Italian summer, and a private boat is the only way to do it without crowds or timetables.
The firstclass holidays Experience: More Than a Stay
On the Amalfi Coast, the view is a given. What separates a wonderful week from a tiring one is everything a listing tends to leave out: the steps, the road, the parking, the distance to the sea. That is where our work begins.
Chosen With the Practicalities in Mind
We look at the view last, because almost every house here has one. First we look at access. How many steps between the road and the door, and whether a porter can carry the luggage. Whether a car can reach the house at all, and where it can be left. How long it takes to walk down to the village, and how long it takes to walk back up in July. Whether the sea is reachable from the property, or only by boat.
Then the house itself: the terraces, the shade, the pool and its position, the kitchen, the space for a group. The result is a short list we can describe to you honestly – including which houses suit guests who would rather not climb.
The Arranging Is Half the Holiday
This coast rewards preparation more than most. A private boat to Capri or along the coast, which is the single arrangement guests are most glad they made. A driver rather than a hire car, because the coast road in August is no place to learn. A table in Positano on a Saturday night, a lunch at a beach restaurant in Nerano, a concert in the gardens of Ravello. And a chef at the villa, which on a coast where every dinner out involves stairs is often the better evening.
People Rather Than a Platform
The same people throughout, in your own language, from the first enquiry to the morning you leave. We will tell you plainly how long the transfer from Naples really takes, and whether the village you have in mind suits the week you are describing.
Discover the True Essence of the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast Must-See
Positano
The coast's most photographed village, and deservedly so. The lanes down to the Spiaggia Grande are lined with boutiques and linen shops; the beach is busy and lively; the view from the water, arriving by boat, is the one that stays. Early morning and late evening are the best times.
Ravello, Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone
Ravello's two great gardens are among the most beautiful in Italy. Villa Rufolo inspired Wagner and hosts the Ravello Festival of summer concerts on a terrace suspended over the sea. Villa Cimbrone ends at the Terrace of Infinity, a belvedere of marble busts looking straight down the coast.
The Path of the Gods
The Sentiero degli Dei runs high above the coast from Bomerano to Nocelle, above Positano, and is one of the finest walks in Italy – around three hours, with the whole coastline below. Walk it in the morning, from east to west.
Amalfi and its cathedral
For three centuries Amalfi was one of the great maritime republics of the Mediterranean, trading with Constantinople and the Arab world and rivalling Venice, Genoa and Pisa. Its code of maritime law, the Tavole Amalfitane, was followed across the sea for centuries. The town that gave the coast its name is small today, but its past is written all over it.
At its heart stands the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, reached by a broad flight of steps from the piazza. Its striped facade of stone and marble, its bronze doors cast in Constantinople in the eleventh century, and its crypt holding the relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle make it one of the most remarkable churches in southern Italy. Beside it, the Cloister of Paradise, built in the thirteenth century as a resting place for the town's noble families, is a quiet courtyard of interlaced Arab-Norman arches and palms.
Capri
Of all the days on the Amalfi Coast, the one guests remember most is Capri – and the way to do it is by private boat. Leaving Positano, Amalfi or Sorrento in the morning, you cross to the island in under an hour, passing the Li Galli islets and the cliffs of Punta Campanella, and arrive before the ferries unload the day's visitors.
A boat lets you see Capri from the water, which is how it is most beautiful. The Blue Grotto, entered lying back in a small rowing boat, glows an unreal blue when the light is right and the sea is calm. The Green and White Grottoes are quieter and just as striking. And the Faraglioni, the three great rocks off the southern coast, can be passed through by boat under the arch of the central one.
Pompeii and Herculaneum
In AD 79, Vesuvius erupted and buried two Roman towns in a single day. Rediscovered in the eighteenth century, they are now the most complete picture of daily life in the the ancient world that exists anywhere.
Pompeii is vast: a whole city of streets, houses, bakeries, baths, theatres and frescoed villas, including the celebrated Villa of the Mysteries. It needs at least half a day.
Herculaneum, smaller and less visited, was buried by a different kind of flow, which preserved it even better – upper floors, wooden beams and furniture, and mosaics still in place. Many visitors who have seen both prefer it.
Evenings on the Amalfi Coast
Dinner with a view
The coast's evenings are about the table and the light: a terrace in Positano as the village lights come on, a restaurant in Praiano at sunset, a trattoria in Ravello after a concert.
Nerano and the beach restaurants
On the Sorrento peninsula, the bay of Marina del Cantone at Nerano is famous for its seafront restaurants, best reached by boat for a long lunch. It is also the home of spaghetti alla Nerano, made with fried courgettes and Provolone del Monaco.
Summer concerts in Ravello
The Ravello Festival runs through the summer, with concerts in the gardens of Villa Rufolo. An evening there is one of the most memorable things the coast offers.
The Table on the Amalfi Coast
Lemons, anchovies and the sea
The sfusato amalfitano, the coast's large, fragrant lemon, is in everything: limoncello, the delizia al limone dessert, and pasta. Colatura di alici, an anchovy sauce made in Cetara to a Roman recipe, is the coast's secret ingredient. Fish comes straight from the boats; mozzarella di bufala from the plains just to the south.
Wine
The Costa d'Amalfi DOC is grown on vertiginous terraces around Furore, Tramonti and Ravello, from native grapes found almost nowhere else. Small producers welcome visitors, and a tasting above the sea is unforgettable.
Dining at the villa
A private chef, working with the morning's fish and the lemons from your own garden, is the most relaxing way to eat here – especially for families and for guests who would rather not face the stairs twice a day.
Shopping on the Amalfi Coast
Positano's linen and sandals
Positano is known for its linen clothing and its sandals, still made to measure in small workshops while you wait.
Ceramics and paper
Vietri sul Mare, at the eastern end of the coast, has made hand-painted ceramics for centuries. Amalfi still produces its traditional handmade paper. Limoncello and lemons travel well too.
The Climate of the Amalfi Coast and Best Travel Period
The coast has a warm Mediterranean climate. The season runs from April to October; most infrastructure close in winter.
May, June and September are the months we recommend first: warm, long days, open restaurants and a manageable road. July and August are hot and at their busiest, when the coast road and the villages are crowded – a villa with a pool and a boat becomes essential. April and October are quieter and lovely for walking, with a cooler sea.
Arriving at Your Villa on the Amalfi Coast
By air
Naples (NAP) is the main airport, with direct flights from the UK, Germany and much of Europe, and connections from the US via Rome or other European hubs. The transfer to Positano takes around an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, longer in summer traffic. If wished, we arrange private transfers, and private arrivals through Firstclass Jets.
By sea
Ferries link Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento, Salerno and Capri through the season. A private boat transfer from Naples or Sorrento is an elegant way to arrive and avoids the coast road altogether.
On the coast
We generally advise against driving yourself: the coast road is narrow and slow in summer and parking is scarce and expensive. A driver is the better option, and for the villages and Capri, boats are best. We arrange drivers, a car through Firstclass Cars where it makes sense, and boats through Firstclass Yachts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which village should we stay in?
Positano for glamour, boutiques and a lively beach. Praiano for the same views with fewer people. Ravello for gardens, music and quiet high above the sea. Amalfi for history and a central position. The Sorrento peninsula and Nerano for easier access and families. Tell us how you picture the week and we will suggest the village before the house.
How many steps are there? Is the villa accessible?
The Amalfi Coast is built on cliffs, and many houses are reached by steps, sometimes many of them. We know the access for each of our villas and will tell you honestly before you book – including which are reachable by car and which suit guests who would rather not climb.
Do we need a car?
Usually not. The coast road is slow and parking is difficult. A private driver and boats are the better way to get around. On the Sorrento side, a car is more practical.
How do we get to Capri?
By public ferry from Positano, Amalfi or Sorrento, or – much better – by private boat, which lets you see the coast, the Blue Grotto and the Faraglioni at your own pace. We would be delighted to arrange it for you.
When is the best time to come?
May, June and September. July and August are the busiest months; April and October are quieter and cooler.
Is the Amalfi Coast suitable for families?
Yes, with the right house. Families with young children generally do best on the Sorrento peninsula or in a villa with easy access and a safe pool area.
Can you arrange a chef, a driver or a boat?
Yes, and on this coast all three change the week. This is the part of the stay we are best at.
How far in advance should we book?
For June to September, six to nine months. The best villas with good access go first.