The Amalfi Coast
A Full Luxury Guide

The icon. A family-owned former summer palace, perched mid-cliff over Positano, synonymous with refined Italian elegance for seventy years. Hand-painted tiles, antique furniture, a champagne bar with a resident DJ, and the most famous terrace on the coast. Home to the Michelin-starred La Sponda. There is no more romantic address in Italy.

Just outside Positano, carved into the cliff and almost invisible from the road — a Relais & Châteaux legend with cascading terraces of bougainvillea, a private beach club reached by lift through the rock, and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Discreet, breathtaking, and beloved by those who return year after year.

The former home of director Franco Zeffirelli, now the coast's most exclusive and theatrical hideaway — a cluster of antique-filled villas above a private beach, all colour, art and cinematic glamour. Intimate, romantic and utterly singular, with a private boat and a sense of staying in a friend's extraordinary house.

A cliffside retreat connected by a private funicular running down to its own beach club, with sweeping terraces, a Michelin-starred restaurant and some of the best panoramic views in Positano. Quieter than the in-town grand hotels, with the same extraordinary outlook.

An eleventh-century palace turned sublime hotel, crowning Ravello with the single most photographed infinity pool on the coast — a sheet of water that seems to spill straight into the sky and sea beyond. Frescoed ceilings, antique gardens, a vintage wooden boat for guests, and a hilltop serenity nowhere else can match.

The "Pink Palace" — a twelfth-century villa of pure old-world glamour, with a Michelin-starred restaurant, a rooftop for sunset, and a rare luxury for Ravello: its own private beach club down on the coast, reached by hotel shuttle. Family-run, exquisitely so, and a longtime favourite of those in the know.

A storied estate dating to the twelfth century, with legendary gardens and the famous Terrace of Infinity — a row of marble busts above a sheer drop to the sea, perhaps the most romantic view in all of Italy. An intimate hotel of history and beauty, beloved by Greta Garbo and generations of artists since.

A grande dame just outside Amalfi town, family-owned for a century, set in citrus and olive gardens with a seawater pool and a beach club reached by lift through the cliff. Timeless, gracious and quietly grand — the kind of place that has perfected the art of the unhurried Italian holiday.

The coast's most acclaimed recent opening — a reimagined cliffside hotel ninety metres above the sea, with its own private beach and pier, hand-crafted ceramic tiles throughout, and a polished, contemporary take on Amalfi glamour. Complimentary boat and shuttle to Amalfi. Already a modern classic.

A seventeenth-century monastery turned intimate twenty-room hotel, perched between Amalfi and Praiano, with a spectacular tiered infinity pool, a serene spa, and a sense of deep peace. Adults-oriented, romantic and exclusive — one of the most special small hotels on the entire coast.

A former thirteenth-century monastery above Amalfi town, with a dramatic cliff-edge setting, an ancient cloister, and a long terrace walk lined with wisteria and sea views. Grand in scale and history, with the convenience of being moments above Amalfi's harbour and town.

Owned by the same family since 1834, set in citrus gardens on the cliff edge above Sorrento's marina, facing Vesuvius across the bay. A belle-époque masterpiece where Caruso once stayed, with frescoed salons, a fine spa and a sense of grand, historic occasion. The classic Sorrento address.

The most romantic restaurant in Italy, and arguably the most photographed terrace in the south. Inside Le Sirenuse, lit each evening by over four hundred candles, with chef Gennaro Russo's Michelin-starred Mediterranean cooking and live music drifting over the view of Positano below. Book weeks ahead. Dress beautifully. It is unforgettable.

The Michelin-starred dining room of the Pink Palace, with a romantic terrace over the Ravello coastline and refined, contemporary cooking rooted in Campania's finest produce. One of the great fine-dining experiences of the coast, high above the sea.

The Michelin-starred restaurant of the legendary hotel, with panoramic terraces over Positano and Mediterranean cuisine built on impeccable local ingredients. A long, luminous lunch here — or a candlelit dinner — is one of the coast's defining pleasures.

The coast's most beloved institution — a rustic beach trattoria reachable only by the little boat with the red fish on its mast, which leaves the Positano pier hourly. Grilled mozzarella on lemon leaves, the catch of the day, jugs of chilled white wine, feet in the sand. A long, lazy lunch here is essential Amalfi.

A gastronomic landmark in the heart of Amalfi town since 1872, hidden up a lane near the cathedral, serving seafood and traditional Campanian cooking with real soul. The pasta with the day's catch and the legendary local specialities draw a devoted following. Book ahead.

A Ravello institution run by the beloved Netta Bottone, serving generous homestyle Campanian cooking — handmade pasta, hearty mountain dishes, and a warmth that has kept guests returning for decades. The antidote to the grand hotel dining room, and all the more cherished for it.

Built into the rocks at the water's edge below Praiano, reached by lift or steps, with tables almost in the sea and some of the best sunset views on the coast. Fresh seafood, a dramatic setting, and that rare thing — a spectacular spot that still feels genuinely local.

High in the hills above Positano, a family farm-restaurant spread over three terraces of organic gardens, with a staggering view down to the village, the Li Galli islands and Capri beyond. No menu — just a generous, ever-changing feast of charcoal-grilled meats and homegrown vegetables. Rustic, joyful, and unforgettable.

A Positano institution right on Spiaggia Grande since 1949, flanked by two bronze lions — buzzy, glamorous, and a long-time celebrity favourite. Come for the people-watching and the classics: the seafood scialatielli, the pizza, a chilled glass of white with your feet steps from the sand.

Praiano's most acclaimed table — refined Mediterranean cooking built on local recipes and the freshest ingredients, served on a panoramic terrace over the sea. Quieter and more polished than the beach trattorias, with the warmth that defines this gentle stretch of coast.

Worth the boat across the peninsula — the legendary family seafood restaurant on the water at Nerano, where yachts moor offshore and the jet-set comes for the famous spaghetti alla Nerano (with zucchini) and the freshest raw seafood. A coast classic, utterly unpretentious despite its fame.

The most beloved bar-patisserie in Positano — a shaded terrace draped in lemon trees, an irresistible counter of sfogliatelle, babà and delizia al limone, and an excellent granita to cool a summer afternoon. As much an institution as a café. The place to pause mid-wander through the boutiques.

A chic, light-filled café and homeware boutique in one — fresh juices, smoothies, beautiful healthy plates and natural gelato, served among the handmade ceramics and linens that are also for sale. A refreshing, design-led change of pace, and a favourite for a lighter breakfast or lunch.

An institution since 1830, right on the cathedral square — like stepping onto a 1930s film set, with white-jacketed, bow-tied waiters and a vintage interior. Stand at the bar among the locals for a cappuccino, or take a table facing the Duomo. The candied citrus and the sfogliatella are legendary.

On Ravello's main piazza beside the Duomo, family-run and famous for the best granita di caffè on the coast — a strong, slushy iced coffee that is bliss on a hot day — alongside a fine pastry counter and reliably good gelato. The classic Ravello pause between the gardens.

The grand café of Piazza Tasso, Sorrento's liveliest square — open from the first cappuccino of the morning until two in the morning, equally good for people-watching over coffee, a pre-dinner aperitivo, or a nightcap. A timeless Sorrento institution with the best seat in town.

The most famous on the coast — a secluded, sun-soaked cove below Positano with retro orange umbrellas, reached by complimentary shuttle boat from the main pier. South-facing, so the sun lasts late into the day. A seafood restaurant, a bar, and the postcard Positano beach day. Reserve well ahead.

The laid-back local favourite, a short walk along the coastal path from the Positano ferry port on quieter Fornillo Beach. Family-owned, with excellent food, an easy atmosphere and none of the scene — for many regulars, the best beach day in Positano.

The party of the coast — a platform-and-cliff club in Praiano famous for its DJ sets, its theatrical afternoon "melon time," and the only true sunset views on the Amalfi. No real beach, but free boat shuttles from Positano and Praiano, and the most fun on the coast if dancing in the sun is the plan.

Beside One Fire but altogether calmer — a sun-drenched, west-facing club with views across to Positano in the distance, king-sized cabanas, a very good restaurant and even cooking classes. All-day sun and a relaxed, elegant atmosphere.

The most stylish aperitivo on the coast — a chic, intimate bar beside Le Sirenuse with a terrace facing the Positano sunset, expert cocktails and a soundtrack curated by the hotel. Arrive before sundown, order a negroni, and watch the village light up below. No reservations; arrive early.

The coast's one true late-night club — carved into the rock at the end of Positano's main beach, an institution since the 1970s with DJs and dancing until the small hours. When the night calls for more than a digestivo, this is where Positano goes.

For a sunset above the clouds, the rooftop bar of the Pink Palace in Ravello is unmatched — cocktails and champagne with the entire coastline falling away below. Serene, elegant, and the most beautiful place on the coast to raise a glass as the light goes.

The single most romantic view in Italy — a long marble terrace lined with classical busts, hanging over a sheer drop to the sea and sky beyond, in the gardens of Villa Cimbrone. Go in the late afternoon as the light softens. It is the kind of view that silences everyone who reaches it.

Four hundred candles, live mandolin, and Positano glittering below — there is no more romantic dinner on the coast. Reserve the terrace, dress for the occasion, and let the evening unfold slowly.

Charter a wooden gozzo for the golden hour, a bottle of chilled Falanghina on board, and watch the cliffs turn rose and amber from the water as the lights of the villages come on one by one. The most beautiful way to end a day on the Amalfi.

One of the most serene spas on the coast, set within the former monastery, with treatments rooted in local botanicals — lemon, honey, herbs from the cliffside gardens — and a stillness that befits its history. The tiered infinity pool alone is restorative.

At Belmond's hilltop palace, treatments come paired with the most famous pool on the coast — that mirror of water hanging between the gardens and the sky. To swim there at dusk, then be cared for in the spa, is the coast at its most indulgent.

Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone hold two of the most beautiful gardens in Italy, suspended above the coast. Villa Rufolo's terraces — which inspired Wagner — host the celebrated Ravello Festival of classical music each summer, performed on a stage that seems to float over the sea.

The Sentiero degli Dei — the legendary high cliff-path that runs between Bomerano and Nocelle, hundreds of metres above the sea, with views the length of the coast. Walk it in the cool of the morning; it is the finest walk on the Amalfi and needs only good shoes and a head for heights.

The coast's terraced lemon groves — of the vast, fragrant sfusato lemon — are central to its identity and its cooking. Visit a working grove above Amalfi or Sorrento, learn how limoncello is made, and taste it ice-cold at the source. A simple, lovely afternoon.

The spirit of Le Sirenuse, to take home — the hotel's own line of beautifully made resortwear, swimwear and accessories for men and women, in the prints and palette that define Positano elegance. The single most stylish boutique on the coast.

Since 1965, this family atelier has made its flowing linen and silk clothing by hand in Positano — the original, authentic "Positano fashion," in soft natural tones. Quietly luxurious, beautifully cut, and a world away from the tourist racks.

The most famous name in Positano resortwear — embroidered kaftans, crochet, broderie anglaise and breezy summer dresses in joyful profusion, at far gentler prices. Several boutiques across the coast; impossible to leave empty-handed.

Bespoke leather sandals cut and fitted to your foot in minutes — choose the style, the leather, the embellishment, and watch them made before you. Beautifully crafted, surprisingly comfortable, and the most Amalfi keepsake there is. They will ship worldwide.

One of the best-equipped sandal ateliers on the coast, with a vast array of styles made to order while you wait. A Positano fixture for decades, and a fine place to commission a classic pair — or three.

A Positano landmark since 1949, with the coast's signature lemon-bright plates, tiles, jugs and tableware, all hand-painted in the traditional way. The shop alone is a joy to browse, and they will pack and ship a full dinner service safely home.

At the coast's eastern end lies the historic heart of Amalfi ceramics — a town of workshops where the famous pottery has been made for centuries. For the widest choice and the chance to see the craft at its source, no shop on the coast compares.

Since 1890, steps from the Spiaggia Grande, the Russo family has sold the coast's gourmet delicacies — and now fine wines too. Limoncello, olive oil, pasta, preserves and Campanian treasures, beautifully presented and perfect to carry home.

An emporium of certified Amalfi limoncello (look for the IGP label), from simple glass decanters to decorative ceramic amphoras, plus finocchietto, coffee liqueur and more — all made to traditional recipes with no preservatives. The finest place to buy the coast's signature spirit.