The high, precipitous Amalfi Peninsula juts sharply into the Mediterranean just south of Naples, forming the southern rim of Naples Bay. It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful – or unlikely – setting for the towns that spill down its steep slopes.
Streets in most of these picturesque towns are stairways, and houses seem glued to the cliffs behind them. Flowers bloom everywhere, and below the towns are enticing beaches caught in coves of emerald water. High above the coast is the town of Ravello, where luxuriant gardens frame some of the coast’s finest views.
The Amalfi Drive, along the southern coast, is one of the world’s great scenic routes, or you can see the coast from the water by taking a 45-minute ferry ride from Sorrento to Positano.