Amalfi Coast

Amalfi

Nestling in the Valle di Mulini (valley of the watermills), little Amalfi remains as small as it is thanks to its topography; the lack of a flat surface means it's difficult to build, so pretty houses stagger up the mountainside. The town is dominated by the magnificent Romanesque Duomo and a pretty little piazza. A museum is devoted to the town's paper-making history and there are some wonderful restaurants and artisan shops, so it's hard to believe that this little place was once a serious maritime power. These days the invasions tend to be entirely of the touristic variety.

Positano

A wonderful feat of engineering, Positano is a collection of delightful pastel-coloured houses that cling to the cliff in a triumph of faith over gravity. Frequented by the rich and famous, there is still a touch of La Dolce Vita here; there are no cars so you can wander along the charming narrow streets down to the seafront where a profusion of cafés and restaurants serve up the freshly-landed catch of the day.

Ravello

Feeling like the slightly older and more sophisticated sister, Ravello is higher up the mountainside and, unsurprisingly, boasts some truly spectacular views. Ravello is also home to the Festival di Ravello – a season from March to November of wonderful open air concerts.

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