Amalfi Coast holidays

The Amalfi Coast doesn’t do big, sprawling beaches. Instead, it excels at little pockets of sand, sandwiched between cliffs and chic towns. Minori and Maiori have the best beaches. And Amalfi’s small beach draws the crowds, especially at weekends. Plus, in Positano, you’ll be sharing sand space with millionaire jet-setters and A-listers.

Much like the Sorrento Area, the Amalfi Coast’s sunbathing CV is mostly made up of cliff-backed coves and skinny volcanic pebbly patches. The beach at Vietri sul Mare bucks the trend, though. This town, just along the shoreline from Salerno, has a couple of roomy stretches of sand that set the region’s sunbathing benchmark.

For a beach that hovers right below the radar, check out Ieranto Bay. This tiny sand-and-pebble cove is at the western tip of the Amalfi Coast, near the village of Nerano. A rural path winds its way from the edge of the village all the way to the coast, before angling downwards into a staircase that leads to the sheltered cove.

You’ll find an eclectic mix of shops along Amalfi’s premier shopping street, Via Pietro Capuano. It’s threaded between high-rise townhouses, and has everything from souvenir shops to fruit stalls crammed in.

Mall shopping is on the cards if you head for La Fabbrica Salerno. This stylish, modern complex has more than 50 fashion, sports and jewellery stores, plus a children’s play area and a go-karting track.

Positano’s shopping scene is as well-heeled as it gets. The chic boutiques here sell designer clothing and jewellery – often one of a kind. But you can still pick up that all-important limoncello from the surrounding stores.

The main square in Ravello is like a postcard brought to life. Cute cafés serve coffees in the view of the town’s stair-fronted church. Restaurants keep drinks flowing into the evening, and there are views of stepped hillsides across the valley.

One of the liveliest places come nightfall is Positano. Partying’s paired with perfect panoramas here, since lots of the al fresco cafés and wine bars often gaze out to sea. Ravello also lives up to its nickname – the City of Music – with its annual summer festival. Time your visit right and you’ll be treated to open-air concerts in some magical settings.

This dish is one of the most iconic on the Amalfi Coast. Wide, tagliatelle-style noodles are served in a thin seafrood broth, with mussels, clams, prawns and langoustines heaped on top.

Italy’s creamy answer to ice-cream is easy to find everywhere – the tricky part is picking a flavour. Nutty varieties like pistachio and hazelnut are popular, and lemon is big with the locals.

One of the oldest recipes for pasta, this variation of gnocchi has been a staple on the Amalfi Coast for generations. The recipe uses ricotta cheese, and a tangy tomato sauce is sparingly spooned on top.

This sleepy village wouldn’t make many waves if it weren’t for its famous goat’s cheese. It’s popular across the country, and often subs in for mozzarella in salads.

This dish, named after one of the Amalfi Coast’s traditional villages, is popular all around the region. Courgette, Provolone cheese and olive oil is dolloped on a swirly bed of spaghetti.