A dreamy long weekend on the Amalfi Coast

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With its pretty pastel houses, sparkling blue waters and rugged hills, few places are as beautiful as the Amalfi Coast. The dramatic setting has inspired countless writers, including Patricia Highsmith who first visited Positano in the 1950s. One morning, from her hotel balcony, she spotted a pensive young man walking alone on the beach – a chance observation that gave her the idea for her novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”

Spring is a wonderful time of year to visit, before the crowds descend for the summer months. And while there are plenty of lavish hotels dotted around the cliff-top towns, there are more affordable options as well. Here is our mini guide to the Amalfi Coast for a taste of the dolce vita.

What to do

Ravello, “the region’s dreamiest mountain town,” is a great place to start, said Louise Roddon in The times. Stroll the medieval streets, then stop at “the elaborate villas of Rufolo and Cimbrone, each set in very romantic gardens.” The first is inspired by scenes from “Parsifal” by Richard Wagner and has a terrace with “a magnificent sunset over the coast”.

“If it’s hot – actually, even if it’s not hot – get out on the water,” said Elise Taylor in Vogue. Be sure to book a boat tour during your stay; the “most popular swimming hole” is the Grotta della Smeraldo – a tranquil cave in Conca dei Marini (between Amalfi and Positano).

And if you want to get a feel for the area but don’t feel like braving the ‘hairpin bends’ of the famous Amalfi Coast Road, consider hopping aboard the Sita bus which stops in towns across the Sorrentine Peninsula. It’s a great way to soak up the views of “lemon trees, pine-fringed bays, Saracen towers and pretty villages.”

For history buffs wanting a “taste of ancient Italy”, a trip to the “fascinating ruins” of Pompeii is a must, Helena Smith said in lonely planet. “Painfully frozen in time” since the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. BC, the “houses, businesses and baths decorated with frescoes” are still awaiting the return of their occupants.

Where to stay

If you’re looking for “unprecedented” views, then the Caruso Belmond Hotel is a safe bet, Taylor said in Vogue. Nestled on a cliff overlooking the coast of Ravello, this “dazzling historical gem” is housed in a former 11th-century palace. As soon as you walk through the door you’ll feel ‘transported to another era’ while outside you’ll find a swimming pool ‘that seriously claims to be one of the most picturesque in the world’. Sipping a Caruso spritz on one of the lounge chairs while looking out to sea is “about as close to heaven as it happens.”

There are also excellent “mid-range B&Bs,” Smith said in Lonely Planet. Notable options include “Casa Giovanni da Procida, the prettily perched La Fenice in Positano, and the hillside Ercole di Amalfi just outside Amalfi town.”

Eat and drink

“You will find spaghetti all the vongoles (with fresh clams) on virtually every menu in the region,” Smith said in Lonely Planet. And of course, the Amalfi Coast is “dough-throwing distance” from Naples, home to some of Italy’s best pizza.

Or, for “pure in-your-face romance,” book a table at La Sponda in Positano, said Nicky Swallow in Condé Nast Traveler. The “dream” restaurant, which will reopen at the end of March, features a “beautiful vaulted room” lit by “some 400 hanging candles” and an “equally atmospheric” terrace overlooking the “theatrically lit city”. The dishes are “no fuss” and delicious; Expect classics like “spaghetti with lobster caught in the waters around the Galli Islands” and a “light-as-air hot lemon soufflé” made with fresh Amalfi lemons.