The Amalfi Coast & Villages

Perfect time of year for walking here. All the hotels were very good in particular Villa Maria and Baco. We ended up getting a ride with the taxi driver from Bomerano who was so friendly and dropped us in Nocelle to walk.

We had an amazing holiday, which exceeded everyone's hopes and expectations in every way. I knew the two hotels from a previous Inntravel holiday and they were as lovely as I had remembered. The suggested restaurants were all excellent, and reasonably priced. We were blessed with fantastic weather, which was a bonus. All my friends commented on the excellent Inntravel notes, which they had read thoroughly and I know that several have been looking at the website to search for holidays to take with their partners next year! Thank you for all the effort that you made to put together a tailor-made holiday for us - it was perfect.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed a tailored itinerary, staying at the Hotel Giordano and Buca di Bacco from our Amalfi Coast & Villages self-guided walking holiday.

Wonderful first holiday with Inntravel. The most impressive feature for me was the very clear instructions regarding the planned walks. I will definitely book another holiday with this company in the future.

My abiding memories of this walk are the number of steps we had to climb but the wonderful views made it all worthwhile!  On our walks in the woodland and mountains high above the coast, the only other people we met were a goatherd and his flock of goats and a mule driver and his team of mules - a way of life unchanged for centuries and an amazing experience.

We love your model holiday and think minor tweaks to the additional information would make such a great enhancement. 

Thank you for your support.

This holiday exceeded my expectations in every way. I had no real idea of what the walk involved. It was challenging but the breathtaking views along the way were worth it. Fantastic experience.

We loved Ravello especially and it was lovely to be staying there in the centre. We enjoyed walking and seeing the hill top town from every aspect!

We saw so many weddings there, and there was even dancing in the square for one of them.

The Path of the Gods was amazing and we loved the views we had from all the walks.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would change very little. From a walking perspective, I would have preferred a day spent somewhere else rather than 2 nights in Positano. We took a day trip to Capri and wished we hadn't. It was far too crowded and very "touristic"

Great organisation. All transfers on time and luggage in rooms. Good variety of accommodation and friendly staff everywhere. Walks were beautiful and instructions very detailed. We didn’t get lost once! Food that was included was excellent.

Excellent holiday that met all expectations.Definitely the best way to see the Amalfi coast. We were happiest when walking in the hills. The towns are extremely busy. Recommendation for Mimi’. A pizzeria and Cucina .Via San Francesco in Ravello. Near to hotel Villa Maria.

A delightful walking holiday with some wonderful hotels in an area of outstanding beauty and in places off the beaten track with friendly local people and wonderful food. An imaginative and varied itinerary:

Highlights:

Local walk to the chapel from Copa di Cava (and the visit to the abbey after the walk.)

Maiori to Ravello and the lemon groves and lovely mountain paths with wild flowers.

Ravello, its beatiful gardens and the walk to the coast with lunch in Atrani

The challenge of the walk of the gods! (but it is very vertiginous in places)

This is a challenging trek with some quite long days however, the out of the way places and views are stunning and well worth the effort. Ladies cover your arms when going into churches as my wife was chastised by a local for showing her shoulders. Apart from the one incident we loved the culture, food and very friendly locals. Well done Inntravel. 

Lovely walking but unfortunately it rained a lot so the views were not brilliant. Amalfi town and Positano were very busy even in early April, though we encountered very few people whilst walking. The best walks were day one (definitely do the extension including the view point above Avvocata monastery), and day 5 the Path of the Gods. Really enjoyed Sorrento where we did the walk on Capri and a trip to Pompeii.

INNTRAVEL NOTE This customer added the stay in Sorrento on to our Amalfi Coast & Villages holiday

The opportunity to visit the ruins at Pompei as well as enjoying walking in the area led us to choose this particular holiday. The day at Pompei did not disappoint. The hotel arranged for us to be driven to Cava De Tirreni and picked up again (15 Euros a trip). The rail journey was easy and cheap. The best entrance to use is the Porta Marine (25 minutes walk from the FS station, and just past a series of souvenir stalls and another entrance) - this seemed to be the only entrance where you could hire the audio guides, which were useful. We recommend picking up a picnic. Expect long queues to buy tickets.

Ravello provided a number of sights - Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo, churches - and the Ravello festival. The timing of our trip allowed us to pick up a piano recital of Russian music in the Annuziata church. Limoncello was provided during the interval! The gardens at the Villa Cimbrone were interesting but rather bare from a planting perspective, whereas those in the Villa Rufolo were well planted as well as offering wonderful views and different garden rooms.

Walks - we really enjoyed walking along the lemon groves and through the woods. There were lots of beautiful spring flowers to see along the routes. The paths were often steep, so I was very glad of my walking pole. On clear days the views were fantastic. The staff at Villa Maria suggested a different route into Atrani and Amalfi, which we also enjoyed.

Restaurants - a couple of recommendations are listed in the section above. In Positano we also enjoyed eating at Da Vincenzo (table reservation recommended) but the food at Lo Guarracino was not that good. The meal at Hotel Due Torri was fantastic - a wonderful feast of local food. We were expecting a choice of 2 or 3 courses from the main menu, but we provided with a huge selection of anti pasti, a pasta course, a meat / fish course and dessert. On other holidays where local specialities have been offered this has been indicated in the notes. On the evening we were there, there was a significant football match on TV, so locals came in to watch - they made it clear they were supporting the UK team and not the Italians!!

The Path of the Gods walk was the highlight. It would have been good to have had a few more walks over similar terrain but this was spoilt to some extent by the diversions. Despite this a very enjoyable trip. The Benedictine Abbey at Corpo di Cava well worth a visit.

We took 4 walking poles and our knees said "thank you", especially when we came down the last of the 1800 steps into Positano.

Well organised and enjoyable

It was a wonderful trip and we loved being able to hike and see incredible views while staying at some lovely hotels.  

My recommendation is for Inntravel to create a place on their website where tourists can write down helpful tips to future travelers.   For example, there were some forks in a few routes that were not documented in the route description.   Travelers could then read those tips, which would be updated regularly, to get the latest advice.

This is the perfect way to see the Amalfi coast - it must be a nightmare with a car.

The walks to and from Ravello were excellent with very few people on route. The Path of the Gods was obviously busier but not so much as to take away from the fabulous views.

Food.

Unless you get very hungry one roll at Corpo di Cava in packed lunch will do they are huge and very good.

Ate twice in Villa Maria in Ravello great views from terrace restaurant as they were at breakfast.

In Bomerano the antipasti was enormous with six different plates of assorted vegetables fish and cheese. Delicious... then there were three other courses.

In Positano we ate at Casa Mela which is quite expensive but worth it with great atmosphere and a lovely mine host. We also ate at Lo Guarracino as recommended and understandably so. Well worth a visit and near to the Buca di Bacco. On our last evening we had a drink on the hotel terrace and were so comfortable we stayed for dinner which was very good. The views from the terrace there and from the terrace at our room were fabulous

This was the most incredible holiday that we have ever had!! Our South African rand is very weak at the moment (R1= 16 euro/ R1= 17 pound)... more or less. So to go on holiday in Europe is VERY expensive. But I would do this holiday all over again anytime because we have had the best time of our lives!! It was our 33rd anniversary on 22 June and we were in Positano at the time. The upgrades we had were amazing and Buca di Bacco especially was much much more than we could have hoped for. The staff was so friendly and we felt like we got VIP treatment!

We found the Amalfi coast very scenic and a great venue for a holiday. The walking was more strenuous than we had envisgaed but rewarding when we had finished. Our favourite town was Ravello.

We had a really enjoyable trip and liked the ability to be independent, but still organized within the framework of Inntravel's well-planned itinerary. We were happy to find that the breakfasts were all very plentiful, and fueled us for the hiking. The hiking notes were very reliable and we never got off course. We tended to start our hikes right after breakfast and got to the destination in time to shower, relax and explore the villages in the afternoons. It is a little tricky to figure out some of the bus service in various places, but somehow we managed to get where we needed. We had a wonderful time and would definitely consider a future trip. 

This was our fourth Inntravel holiday, and possibly the best so far. All the walks were wonderful, with excellent accommodation in which to rest and recuperate.

The shop in Corpo di Cava had a “back soon” note on the door, and, although we waited patiently, the owner did not return. However, the hotel staff stepped up to the plate and helped us out with a picnic.

The hotel staff at the Buca di Bacco were amazing!  After checking-out we had one last cappuccino on the terrace, and they brought us some complimentary pastries! We can’t wait for our next Inntravel holiday!

Be prepared for some scrambling. Beautiful hotels and wonderfully directed walks.

As now rather elderly walkers we found all the steps up and down a challenge, but we coped! We did use the intermediate days en route for recuperation and local sightseeing. The weather was disappointingly cloudy, which inhibited long views from the higher paths, but it was cool and dry; good for walking.

We did not do the suggested walk on Capri, as we preferred to explore the island as much as possible during our one day visit.

We enjoyed this interesting and varied holiday at the beginning of May, adding on extra nights in Bomerano and Corpo di Cava at the start to take in Pompeii. At the end we finished off with a couple of nights in Naples. Cloud hung around on the higher ground for a lot of the week which kept the temperature down and gave us atmospheric mist rather than spectacular far-reaching coastal views on several days. Pack waterproofs and warm clothes for the evening if it is not the height of summer. The abbey in Corpo di Cava with its many chapels reaching down into the rock are a must before setting off on your day walk. Our other unmissable attraction was the gardens at Palazzo Cimberone in Ravello. Best walks were Ravello to Bomerano on Route B and the Path of the Gods, the first part of which we walked on our extra day in Bomerano. This was fortunate as it was clagged in with mist for the walk to Positano on the following day. There are also very good walks around Ravello in addition to those in the Inntravel notes. The hotel provides you with a very good map which we used to wander down to Atrani for a pleasant lunch in the square before walking through to Amalfi. The cathedral here is magnificent but the tourist masses are overwhelming; so we escaped up the Valle Ferriere as quickly as possible and found the path to the peace and quiet of Pontone to enjoy a drink with a view at the bar in the main square.

If you have time, Pompeii is well worth doing. Get there early to avoid the worst of the crowds. The CSTP 061 bus leaves from a stop a few minutes’ walk from the Hotel Scapolatiello and takes you all the way to the train station in Cava Dei Tirreni (contrary to current Inntravel notes). Real enthusiasts may wish to do Herculaneum as well but I would not attempt both on the same day.

We really enjoyed our last couple of days in Naples. It is a manic city crammed with architectural gems, museums, art galleries, endless fascinating narrow streets and lots of excellent eating and drinking venues at refreshingly low prices after the Amalfi Coast. If the “Inntravel” hotel is not available, as it was when we tried to book, there are plenty of others to choose from online.

We had a couple of rain days, and it would have been helpful if you provided alternate rain activities.  We were fine but missed our last hike because of really bad weather.  We went to Sorrento by bus.  The bus trip from Amalfi to Bomerano was not great.  A private transfer would probably have been a lot better because we were tired and had to wait a long time for a bus.  Since you knew we were going to Pompei, some instructions on that would have been helpful.  The hotel clerk was not as informative as he could have been.

The entire trip was perfectly planned, to the last detail, leaving us free to just hike and enjoy Italy.  We had a FABULOUS time!!!  Four days ago, we flew home from our incredible hiking tour of the Amalfi Coast.  We have already choosen our next Inntravel adventure to........... Austria!   

The Val de Ferreira walk was really stunning. We would recommend April, after the Easter weekend, as the perfect time to do this holiday as the weather was sunny but not too hot, everywhere is open but it’s still quite quiet. Most days we saw less than 10 other walkers and on the last day we didn’t see another soul. Each day the scenery just keeps getting better. The Hotel Du Torri and Buca Di Bacco are very different from each other and both are wonderful.

There were so many highlights on this stunning trip, but here are a few:
1 - On the first days walk from Corpo di Cava we took the longer option to the Sanctuary. As we arrived the clouds cleared and we had a bird's eye view along most of the Amalfi coast. It was like a piece of theatre.
2 - The view from  Palazzo Cimbrone along the coast and the opulence of the gardens.
3 - The walk through the Val Ferriere on a less than perfect day. This felt like a real adventure as we passed waterfalls, deep gorges and had occasional stunning views to the coast. We even saw some yellow and black salamanders.
4 - The moment when we were shown into our room at Buco di Bacco and the shutters were thrown open. In front of us was a balcony with views over the beach, the town and the church. We were lost for words. The hotel was superb as was Positano.
This was a first trip with Inntravel and it was as perfect as any holiday we have been on. The Amalfi Coast exceeded our expectations and the service from Inntravel was faultless and meticulous. The itinerary, logistics, hotels and trip notes were finely honed. The routes were flexible and obviously compiled by someone with an in depth knowledge and love of the area. We just need to decide which trip to do next year.

The Amalfi Coast is astounding. Walks are extremely steep and quite demanding. In fact, unusually so, even for competent walkers, and the brochure should make this clearer than it does. The hotels are friendly and well selected. It is great to be able to walk straight into the horribly busy resorts like Amalfi, Positano and Ravello instead of having to arrive by taxi or coach on the nightmarish busy coast road.

The Ravello second day walk was not easy to follow and we missed a left turn and went many kms out of the way.

This is a staggeringly beautiful part of the world and walking is definitely the best way to see it. The food and local wine are excellent. But you have to like steps, both up and down! 

Top tip - for British travellers...... generally there are no tea and coffee making facilities in the hotels, but when we asked, they did provide a kettle and left the rest to us! And those annoying hairdryers attached to the bathroom wall ! Again - just ask for a hand held one and they will be pleased to provide one. 

October was a great time for this trip - weather beautiful and not horribly crowded. Plan to spend extra time in Positano - it's a lovely town. You can see Pompeii and Herculaneum on the same day - they are both on the same train route and both an easy walk from the stations. We had a guided tour in Pompeii and are REALLY glad we did - made it much more interesting.

A very enjoyable trip.  It is well worthwhile taking an extra day to explore Ravello.

Both our hiking trips, the Cinque Terra and the Amalfi Coast, went off without a hitch. Inntravel took care of all our train and taxi connections before we left the U.S. I would highly recommend this company for their efficiency and helpfulness. We had several add-ons including nights in Pisa and Naples outside the trip itself. Inntravel also arranged a taxi to take our luggage to Naples after dropping us off for a day in Pompeii. We hadn't made any plans for Pompeii and our taxi (really a limo) asked if we would like him to line up a guide which he did before we arrived at Pompeii; our guide was ready and waiting for us. The trails were great, we hit the chestnut harvest when we took a side trip up one valley, a real unexpected highlight; the locals were very friendly. The hotels were top notch. Traveling by train was easy. Needless to say, even though we hiked everyday for 12 days we never lost a pound! Pasta, bread, mussels, galato, wine, etc. etc.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined the walking holidays The Cinque Terre and The Amalfi Coast & Villages with our city add-ons in Pisa and Naples

We were amazed at the quality of hotels and the logistics that were involved with this travel. In some cases we could see that we were upgraded as compared to other travel companies. I would highly recommend INNTRAVEL and am looking forward to our next adventure!

Puglia: Puglia is a very slow holiday. More for relaxing than sightseeing. The olive trees, many of which are over a thousand years old, are gorgeous. A visit to Santa Caterina d'Alessandria in Galatina, for its frescos, is well worth the effort. Dinners at Masseria il Frantoio, near Ostuni, can be ordered in four or six courses, and are not as overwhelming as the wine-accompanied eight-course dinner that is suggested by Inntravel. They're equally delicious, but with less wine and food.

Matera: Matera was part of the backdrop in the new Wonderwoman movie; it's where the Amazon women lived. The cave area (the "sassi") is amazing, and magical. Inntravel's suggested city walk through the Sassi covered all the important sites in the town. We especially liked San Pietro Caveoso church, because it was old and serene.

Naples: Naples is very vibrant, morning till night. The neighborhood that the Inntravel hotel, Palazzo Alabardieri, is located in has great shops and restaurants. The hotel has good recommendations for the restaurants, including Umberto, just down the block. There is an upscale grocery store just across the street from the hotel, where we bought a few things. Fun to just look through. If Naples is your extension after the Amalfi Coast and Villages holiday, a taxi from Positano to the Naples hotel is part of the package, and provided by the Positano hotel; ask the hotel in Positano to taxi you to Pompeii and take the bags further on to the Naples hotel. You can tour ancient Pompeii and then easily catch the Circumvesuviana train (right near the Pompeii ruins) to Herculaneum and then on to the train station in Naples, and the 151 bus to Piazza Vittoria, near the hotel. Trains run late, or otherwise irregularly, and you may have to stand, but hang on to your passport and wallet and you'll be fine. Well worth it.

Amalfi Coast and Villages: Plan for your walk from Bomerano to Positano be on a weekday; the Italians are all out on the weekends, our walk along the Sentieri degli Dei was very crowded. Hotel Buca di Bacco in Positano is a beautiful hotel right at the beach--upgrade to seaview. The most romantic place we've stayed, maybe ever. Their restaurant is fabulous.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers enjoyed our 'A Journey through Puglia' holiday followed by 2 nights at the Locanda di San Martino in Matera then 2 nights in Naples at the Palazzo Alabardieri before, and after, our 'Amalfi Coast & Villages' walking holiday.

Nice to come out of the wooded footpath to be handed walnuts shaken from his tree by a local farmer as we walked on towards Ravello. Take a cork screw for shop bought wine to relax with after a walk. My husband found a knee support was very useful in having to walk down so many steps during the holiday.   

This walk was a lot more challenging than we had anticipated. Transfer of luggage was excellent. Ravello and Positano were definitely the highlights of the holiday.

Overall we had a completely, hassle-free and wonderful experience. This is the second time we have travelled with you (4 trips total now) and will definitely use you again. Last year we did the Italian Lakes region and thought that would be hard to top, but The Amalfi Coast trip was amazing and even better. Such a treat to escape the crowds in Amalfi and Positano and hit the hills and backroads and see things very few others do. Plus there was much less guilt after walking all day when sitting down to delicious dinners and local wines.

I would also particularly like to recognize the staff member who helped me with this booking, and a trip for my parents and brother at the same time. It was a bit like 'herding cats' but she was simply excellent. Calm, efficient and collected and simply a pleasure to communicate with at all times. Thank you!

INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined the walking holidays Lake Orta to Lake Maggiore and The Amalfi Coast & Villages