Why the Amalfi Coast?
I first visited the Amalfi Coast in 2017 to attend the most spectacular wedding in Positano – without our 2- and 4-year-old children. We couldn’t afford to stay in Positano itself, so we stayed in Montepertuso at a B and B called Il Pertuso for 80 euros a night. Montepertuso is a mere 15,000 step descent to Positano -which we did twice. This herculean descent is highly recommended as it offers a real insight (a chance to peer in the windows) into the day-to-day life of the locals whose houses nestle within the mountainous terrain. Staying in Montepertuso has many benefits: the most stupendous views of Positano and beyond; it won’t bankrupt you and you are within walking distance of the amazing restaurant La Tagliata https://www.latagliata.com/ (I wanted to revisit in 2023 but it wasn’t possible ☹). I really recommend a sunset dinner here – the views alone are money well spent.
Amalfi cast its spell in 2017 and I have yearned to return ever since. So, when I found a cheap Wizz Air flight from Abu Dhabi to Rome (we currently live in Dubai) for 400 AED each (approx. 100 GBP) I immediately wanted to take my children to Montepertuso to recreate the magic of that first trip for them. But… I soon realised there was zero chance of us staying anywhere near Positano in July on our budget; anything reasonably priced had been booked by people far more organised than me months in advance. So, I undertook some extensive research which I’ll share with you and hopefully save you some of your very valuable time and money.
The Best Location for Families on the Amalfi Coast: Minori
Forget Positano – stay in the lesser-known spots for a more authentic experience.
The blog mamalovesitaly recommended staying in Minori. After some further research I decided this would be a great location for a number of reasons. Firstly, Minori is close to lots of popular spots on the Amalfi coast including the gateway town of Salerno and the exquisite Ravello. Secondly, staying in Minori would allow us to walk the famous Path of Lemons: a scenic 5km walk through lemon terraces from Minori to the neighbouring town of Maiori. Finally, Minori is home to some very impressive deserts as recommended by Stanely Tucci himself at Sal De Riso https://www.salderiso.it/
Accommodation in Minori
We prefer to stay in apartments rather than hotels because they offer the space and flexibility, we need as a family with an 8 and 10-year-old. We stayed at Zaffiro House and paid 418 Euros for 3 nights – it was excellent value for money. The owner was also terribly kind. Wizz Air decided to leave every passengers’ luggage in Abu Dhabi when we flew into Rome – so we had nothing. Luckily, I was able to buy swimwear and a couple of outfits for us all in Salerno before boarding the ferry to Minori. However, Maria our host brought us toiletries, hair and toothbrushes and other necessities which was much appreciated.
Every evening at Zaffiro House we sat out on the extensive terrace with a takeaway and a glass of local vino whilst the sunset merged into twilight; at dusk Ravello would start to twinkle on the hillside directly above us – magical. We all loved the pizza from Pizzeria O’Sarracino produced in the classic Napoli style. My husband and I got fritto misto from Pescheria Andrea’s twice– it was delicious and only 8 euros a portion! They also sell wine and are happy to offer guidance on making a selection. The only problem was walking fast enough up the hundreds of steps to get the food back to our accommodation whilst it was still hot. There’s also several supermarkets and delicatessens and we found the owners very patient and willing to help regardless of our dire Italian. So, it is very possible to eat well on a budget in Minori.
The Steps
It would be remiss of me to not discuss the steps if recommending Minori for a family holiday. There are a lot of steps. More than you can ever imagine. Our children were old enough to cope with these. If you have smaller children or your children aren’t used to walking (our kids were dragged across the Pennines in the UK come rain or shine to walk our dog) then the steps could be problematic. I suggest two solutions for reducing the number of steps you will have to tackle. You could either: stay closer to the beach – Minori is steep but relatively flat near the beach; or make sure your accommodation is on the flat main road – though this does climb away from the coast. Another option would be to stay in the much larger but flatter neighbouring town of Maiori. You would only be able to use a pram if following these suggestions.
Things to Do in Minori
There was plenty to keep us busy during our stay and we could have easily spent a week in Minori.
Path of Lemons
This walk along the historic paths used by Amalfi lemon producers offers jaw dropping vistas. However, the walk/ climb to the starting point is not easy from the beach. Once you reach the starting point you leave the road behind and follow a path that curves along the hillside towards Maiori. Along the way you should definitely stop and support one of the local lemon granita sellers. It will take you around 2 hours at a steady pace. At the end of the walk you drop into Maiori where you can have lunch or head to the beach.
Day at the Beach
In Minori, you can either use the small public area on the beach for free or hire a lounger for the day. Lounger hire can be variable in price so do check out a range of offerings before making your choice. The beach in Minori, like most on the Amalfi coast, is a shingle beach and so exiting the water can be quite painful and induce a comedy performance: “ooh, ow, ee, argh!” If you want to avoid the performance wear water shoes – you will thank me. The beach at Minori is very small, so if it fills up you can head to the much bigger beach at Maiori – a 5-minute bus ride away. We hired a lounger in Maiori after our Path of Lemons Walk and had a lovely afternoon relaxing on the beach. Be sure to shop around regarding the price of a lounger as prices can vary significantly.
Aperitivo
I know that the Aperol Spritz is currently having a moment but if you’re in Amalfi you MUST try the Amalfi Spritz. The Amalfi Spritz is made with the local limoncello and is Amalfi in a glass: zingy, moreish and intoxicating. We discovered this tipple whilst waiting for our ferry at the port in Salerno. After the stress of delayed luggage and a frantic hour buying new clothes for everyone, I was very hot and bothered. An Amalfi Spritz sorted me out and will always make me remember that moment looking back at Salerno and my worries slipping away.
Transport in Minori
The Amalfi coast is serviced by the SITA bus and is very reasonably priced. If you want to travel away from the coast, for example to Ravello, the bus or a private taxi is your only option. However, if you want to travel along the coast the best way to travel is by ferry. The ferry is more expensive and can get very busy but is a great way to way to travel up and down the coast in relative comfort with astounding views.
I would not recommend hiring a car if you stay in the centre of Minori unless your accommodation provides you with an allocated space. Parking is very limited on the narrow streets and expensive in long stay car parks.
Another Location for Families on the Amalfi Coast: Cetara
This blog https://www.nickkembel.com/cetara-italy-guide/ suggested Cetara as the perfect location, so we split our stay between Minori and Cetara. Cetara is very different to Minori so offered the perfect contrasting stay. Cetara felt much more Italian – not a bad thing, but it did mean the restaurants didn’t open until 7pm – quite late by British standards!
Accommodation in Cetara
We stayed at Tenuta Fuenti perched on the mountainside outside the centre: B&B Tenuta Fuenti Fuenti – Cetara – en (bed-and-breakfast.it). This meant we had beautiful views from the terrace, but we were much farther out of town than I had realised when booking. The B and B was great value at 340 Euros for 3 nights for a family of 4. We also had access to the kitchen here, so we cooked pasta with the local colatura de alici (anchovy sauce – salty and delicious) and ate whilst watching the sunset over Salerno in the distance.
I would highly recommend Tenuta Fuenti if you have hired a car as they had off-road parking, so this accommodation could offer the perfect base for a self-drive holiday on the Amalfi Coast.
Things to Do in Cetara
Explore the Smaller Beaches
Cetara has its own main beach but there are smaller, more peaceful beaches dotted up and down the coast. We visited Spiaggia del Lannio accessed by a path from the tower on the hill just outside Cetara. This means you can walk here from the centre or walk down to the beach if you stay at Tenuta Fuenti like us. In fact, a very kind Italian gentleman took pity on me and the kids and gave us a lift down to the beach: this tells you everything you need to know about the kindness of the locals here. Spiaggia del Lannio has a beachside bar, loungers for rental, as well as a small free section which does fill up early – so set your alarm. My son loved the rockpools here and we also spotted an octopus whilst snorkelling. Definitely worth at least a morning of your trip.
Dine with the Locals
Cetara’s main street that runs down to the beach is lined with local restaurants and artisan shops. There’s a real Amalfi vibe on a summer’s evening but do note restaurants only open after 7pm. Prior to this time everyone is enjoying an aperitivo and watching the sunset at one of the beautiful beach bars.
Take to the Water
The only way to see the Amalfi Coast is from the water, and the best way to do this as a family is to hire your own boat. We hired a small motorised boat for 4 hours from Sea and Sun in Cetara: Yacht Charter Cetara | Amalfi Coast Tour | Seasuncetara. This was a real splurge but the best memory of our whole trip. It is expensive to private hire but buying 4 tickets on an organised boat excursion is also costly. We opted for self-drive but you can charter a skipper if you aren’t confident. Cruising in your own boat on the Amalfi Coast is the stuff of dreams; it is as magical as it sounds. We took some time to drop anchor and do some snorkelling in a protected cove. Our children aged 8 and 10 loved jumping off the boat into the water. They are both competent swimmers, but I was a little nervous about them swimming in open water. Especially as the anchor wasn’t heavy enough so the boat drifted meaning swimming back was further than expected. Nevertheless, if you are competent swimmers and have someone able to drive a small boat in your party I would highly recommend private boat hire. Just remembering it now is making me yearn to do it again!
Transport in Cetara
Luckily for those staying outside the centre, there is a well organised local taxi service that acts as a shuttle service from the centre of Cetara. You simply Whatsapp them then wait outside Bar Miramare. This service is used by both tourists and the locals so it can get busy at peak times but there’s always gelato from Miramare to pass the time. If you want a taxi to take you to another town do book ahead as they can get fully booked in high season. Sunshine Travel, transfer and chauffeur service in Cetara on the Amalfi Coast (cetaratransfer.it)
For the Next Trip
As is always the case when you travel with other people – you must make compromises. Here’s a list of the things I would have done if I’d have had more time, was travelling alone or if the kids were a smidge older.
Hike the Path of Gods
I couldn’t fit this in the schedule. Furthermore, it was tricky to get public transport to the start of the trail that arrived before it got too hot to hike with the kids. We were there in July and the midday temperatures were hitting 40 degrees Celsius. We did the Path of Lemons hike instead which was lovely – but I am determined to return to the Amalfi Coast in a cooler season to walk this path. If you’re interested you can read about it here: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/hike-path-of-the-gods-amalfi-coast
Cookery Course at La Tagliata, Montepertuso
They were fully booked ☹. But this would fit in with the hike above as the Path of Gods drops down close to Montepertuso. I wrote about attending a rehearsal dinner at this restaurant in 2007 above; if it’s as good as I remember it’s worth a serious detour: https://www.latagliata.com/cooking-class
Vietri Sul Mare
I envisaged wafting through the streets of Vietri and perusing handcrafted ceramics in local artisan shops. But this was the stuff of fantasy. I knew my kids would struggle with this kind of aimless wandering, mainly because of the heatwave we experienced whilst in Italy in July 2023. I’ll save the wafting for next time.
Getting to the Amalfi Coast
We flew to Rome (Leonardo da Vinci – Fiumicino) and took a taxi to the main train station Roma Termini. The taxi is a flat fare of 50 euros which was cheaper than paying for public transport for the 4 of us. I had pre-booked train tickets using ItaliaRail.com for a 3-hour train from Roma to Salerno. I booked a special family fare called a Bimbi Gratis which cost 40 euros for 4 of us one way in a second-class carriage with pre-booked table seats: bargain. We found the trains in Italy were excellent value for money, easy to navigate and a pleasant way to travel as a family. Salerno is one of the two gateway towns to the Amalfi Coast – the other being Sorrento. Once in Salerno, we walked from the train station down to the port to catch the ferry to Maiori.
When we had to leave the Amalfi Coast (I would have stayed if I could) we got a taxi from Cetara to Salerno and took the train to Pompeii.
Overall, we found public transport reliable and really easy to use on this trip.
