The Amalfi Coast

Now for the second part of our day in the port of Naples: a drive up the Amalfi Coast from Amalfi to Positano. We started with some free time in the town of Amalfi, where we visited the impressive cathedral, had some iced coffee sitting outside in a little cafe, and walked through some shops.

Amalfi Cathedral

We bought some candied lemon peel in a pasticcieria. The Amalfi region is known for its lemons in many forms: limoncello, candied lemon peel, huge lemons for sale in every grocery store and roadside stand, and lemon motifs on the brightly-colored ceramics.

Delicious-looking pastries for sale in Amalfi

After visiting Amalfi, we started off on our drive along the steep, winding coastal road. The towns and beaches are situated on dramatic cliffs by the sea, like this little beach in a narrow gorge:

A beach on the Amalfi Coast

Our driver was from the small town of Praiano, which we passed through, so he recommended a local family restaurant, La Brace, with a great view of the coast from our terrace table. It's zucchini season here in Italy - one town that we passed had banners touting the upcoming Zucchini Festival - so I ordered a delicious spaghetti with zucchini. 

Eating lunch in Praiano on the Amalfi Coast

We ended our drive in the town of Positano, although our schedule didn't permit us to spend any time there. Here's a view that gives you some idea of the spectacular Amalfi Coast:

A view of Positano