Just Back: Italy

By Michael Abrahams

When you are prepared for an experience you tend to be underwhelmed. When you are unprepared is when things tend to be extraordinary. For first-time Amalfi coast travelers, there is no shortage of classic coastal views: pastel-dotted villages careening into a turquoise sea; a plate of seafood linguine prepared acqua pazza style; and an Aperol spritz to begin the evening. The Amalfi coast is dramatic, iconic, and rich with a historical allure.

Excitingly, for the returnee, there remains an abundance of unexpected opportunities to reawaken the sense of experiencing the coast for the first time. Perhaps it is staying outside the hustle and bustle of Positano in the neighboring town of Priano, which offers a unique westerly facing view. Maybe it is swapping an Aperol spritz for a homemade lemon mojito picked fresh from the vine. Or it is venturing inland, ascending narrow switchback roads, to the hilltop town of Ravello where you can sip a cappuccino in the Gardens of Villa Cimbrone at eye level with soaring condors.

Whether you have visited, or are a first-timer, there is a wealth of new and less-traveled experiences to uncover along the Amalfi coast.