“We wanted to visit the Amalfi coast but get a taste of Rome along the way. Our one-week trip was the perfect combination. We were able to see some of the main sites in Rome and hike the Amalfi coast. Here are my top 10 sites from our trip."
from Helene
Helene’s Top 10 in Italy
Day One: Rome
We landed in Rome in the morning, staying near the train station. This allowed us to explore the old city and see the magnificent churches and monuments before our jetlag set in.
Spanish Steps: The 135 steps connect the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. Walking through the old city center, you’ll see many churches and interesting sites, so take your time.
Trevi Fountain: This beautiful fountain is part of the old city. It features statues that symbolize the four major rivers of the world: the Nile, the Ganges, the Danube, and the Rio de la Plata. Make sure to take part in a ritual coin toss. It's said that if you throw a coin into the fountain, your return to the Eternal City is assured.
The Vatican: If you don’t have time for a tour (and we suggest buying the skip-the-line tickets), at least walk to St. Peter's Square or Piazza San Pietro and see St. Peter's Basilica.
Note: If you don’t like crowds, try to avoid Rome on Easter week and the heart of summer.
Day Two: Salerno/Amalfi
The train to Salerno takes about three and a half hours. We left in the morning, brought lunch along, and enjoyed the relaxing ride. Upon arrival, we immediately took a ferry to Amalfi, which is located in the center of the coast. We reserved a room here and made it our home base.
Amalfi Coast Ferries: The ferries start sometime in March or April (check schedules) and run through October. They are the perfect way to get from city to city along the coast. Driving is an option, but with only one coastal road, you will spend more time in the car or bus than on the boat and parking a car will be a huge issue.
Amalfi
This is a beautiful city to walk.
4. The Amalfi Cathedral: We walked the stairs to this medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo. It is dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew, whose relics reside in the church.
5. Lemon Sorbet: You must have a famous sorbet in Amalfi served right in the lemon.
Day Three: Hiking Maiori to Minori
Because it was close, we took the bus from Amalfi to Maiori. This little town is the start of the Lemon Path, a moderate and beautiful coastal hike through lemon groves.
6. The Lemon Path: This fantastic scenic walk/hike through the lemon groves will take you from Maiori to Minori. If you come during harvest, you experience the beautiful lemon and lavender scents along the way.
7. St. Trofimena's Basilica: In the center of town, the church houses the relics of St. Trofimena, whose bones were found on the beach between the seventh and eighth centuries, according to tradition.
After our hike and lunch, we took the 10-minute ferry from Minori back to Amalfi.
Day Four: Ravello
We took the bus up the hills to Ravello.
8. Villa Cimbrone Gardens: The gardens are part of the Villa Cimbrone Hotel and are open to the public. We loved the walk and beautiful views, especially the Terrace of Infinity, which offers a dramatic overlook lined with classical busts and sweeping panoramas of the coastline. It's a perfect spot for photos.
9. Hike to Atrani: We wanted a challenging hike, so we walked down from Ravello to Atrani. They say it’s over 1,700 steps. Once down, we enjoyed a meal at a local restaurant and then used the pedestrian tunnel, which is like a secret passageway, to take a short walk into Amalfi’s city center.
Day Five: Positano
10. City Walk & Beach: We decided to enjoy the city by starting with a walk down to the beach. There, we relaxed and had a wonderful lunch before returning to Amalfi.
Day Six: Rome:
The day before heading home, we took the boat back to Salerno and the morning train back to Rome. We wandered through the old city until we found an old Italian restaurant, where we had our farewell dinner—one to remember.
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