Visiting Italy is one of the supreme pleasures in life. On this itinerary, start with a few days in Rome before diving into the delights of the sensationally scenic Amalfi Coast.
Make note however: Each year, Hideaway Report members attempt to plan a trip to the coastline in April and May. Unfortunately, many of our recommended hotels will be already sold out for the most desirable dates. To avoid disappointment, start planning for the summer in January, while the resorts of the Amalfi Coast can still offer availability during the choice months of June, July and September.
Our itineraries are for your inspiration. Please contact a travel advisor to customize this itinerary to fit your needs.
Arrive in Rome and check into a Hideaway Report-recommended hotel near the Spanish Steps: perhaps the stylish Hotel de Russie or the legendary Hassler Roma. Start exploring Rome, visiting the Spanish Steps and the fashionable Tridente neighborhood.
On your first full day in Rome, see some of the best of the Eternal City, including the Colosseum, the Forum and the Capitoline Museums. A guide can really bring the history of the Colosseum and the confusing ruins of the Forum to vivid life.
The following day, wander the ancient heart of the city, viewing the Pantheon, the Piazza Navona and the Campo di Fiori neighborhood. If kids are in tow, have your travel advisor arrange a fun pizza-making class in a local pizzeria. In the afternoon, enjoy the remarkable art treasures in the Borghese Gallery.
Devote today to ecclesiastical Rome and explore the mysteries of the Vatican. Few people know that it is possible to explore the Vatican Necropolis directly below St. Peter’s Basilica, which contains the tomb of St. Peter. Visitor numbers are limited, and requests for the guided tours must be submitted to the Excavations Office. Your travel advisor can help you arrange that along with a reserved entry to the museums and Sistine Chapel, essential for avoiding the extra-long lines.
Depart Rome with a driver (or rental car, if you’re brave), and head to the Amalfi Coast, 90 minutes south of Naples. Here the jagged Lattari Mountains plunge into the Mediterranean, providing some of the world's most dramatic scenery. Stay at Le Sirenuse, Il San Pietro or the Santa Caterina.
Overlooking Positano’s colorful harbor, this exceptionally glamorous family-owned hotel is built around an 18th-century villa.
This dramatic resort hotel is carved into a cliff on the outskirts of Positano.
This charming hotel overlooks Amalfi’s picturesque bay and animated yacht harbor, located 30 minutes east of Positano.
Spend the day meandering the vertiginous lanes of Positano. We recommend the Via Positanesi d’America, a spectacular coastal path that begins at the right of the Spiaggia Grande. (It was named for the town’s 19th-century emigrants to the United States, whose support helped Positano survive the ordeal of World War II.) If you have more time, tour a limoncello distillery, which can be a refreshing way to spend part of an afternoon. Or seek out the region’s wines; some of our favorites are the crisp, fruity whites of Marisa Cuomo.
Leave early and take a day trip to Pompeii, arguably the most enthralling ancient Roman ruins. With a private driver, it will take about an hour from Positano or an hour and 40 minutes from Amalfi. Break for lunch in the nearby Michelin-starred Il Principe.
Head by ferry or private motor launch to Capri, an island renowned for its beauty since Roman times. Capri’s most famous attraction is the Blue Grotto, a sea cave in which sunlight, shining through an underwater cavity, creates a mysterious radiance. It’s possible to visit on a day trip, but it’s much more fun to stay overnight. Settle into J.K. Place Capri.
Shop the charming boutiques in the town of Capri, walking past elegant estates and lemon trees to Villa Jovis, the dramatic ruins of the home of Emperor Tiberius, who was so taken with Capri's charms that, from A.D. 27 to 37, he ran the Roman Empire from here.
Head up to the commune of Anacapri, located high in the hills to the west and a perfectly tranquil contrast to chic Capri. A chairlift will whisk you to the top of Mount Solaro for unparalleled views of the island.
Return to the mainland and take residence in the cliff-top aerie of Ravello, staying either in the Hotel Caruso or the Palazzo Avino. Take the afternoon to enjoy the gardens of the Villa Rufolo and the Villa Cimbrone.
This enchanting property is an amalgam of buildings (including an 11th-century palazzo) overlooking the Gulf of Salerno 1,000 feet below.
This refined 12th-century villa is set amid terraced gardens on a breathtaking ridge 1,000 feet above the sea in the medieval village of Ravello.
Make a day trip to evocative Paestum, where three impressively preserved Greek temples stand in a meadow (formerly a city), still surrounded by ancient defensive walls. Alternatively, relax in Ravello. Besides its natural beauty, there is a vibrant cultural scene.
Head north but bypass the city center of Rome in favor of the coast. Check into La Posta Vecchia, a remarkable 17th-century villa lavishly restored by J. Paul Getty, 45 minutes north of Rome.
Visit the haunting pre-Roman necropolis of nearby Cerveteri, where the tombs resemble Etruscan homes. The National Museum of Cerveteri, inside the 16th-century Ruspoli Castle, houses artifacts like urns and statues.
Make your way back to Rome’s airport and depart on your flight home.
Contact a travel advisor to book your custom itinerary. Fill out the form or call (630) 734-4610.
Andrew Harper members have access to full travel-planning services through Andrew Harper Travel.
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