The awful coast road

Amafi Coast, Italy

We’ve cruised the Amalfi Coast on Berkeley East. It is stunning from the water, but we have always heard that one must drive the Amalfi Coast Road and see the spectacular views from the land. So that’s what we did.

We decided to get a driver/tour guide so we could both enjoy the ride, and learn a bit about the areas we were traveling through. Overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Amalfi Coast Road extends from the Gulf of Salerno to Sorrento, and passes some of Italy’s most famous places, including Amalfi and Positano.

The road winds between the cobalt sea and the slopes of the Lattari Mountains along valleys, cliffs, between small bays, beaches and terraces of vineyards, citrus and olive groves.

The views were amazing, the hairpin turns were exciting, and the traffic was horrendous. We had heard about the constant rush hour on the road, but this was beyond all expectations, with our car at a dead standstill for sometimes 30 minutes at a time.

Scooters are a better mode of transportation there, and walking the coast road would actually have been quicker. Our driver explained that the weather had increased the typical crowds because it had been rainy and windy so no one was at the beach.

A positive turn that made the entire day worthwhile was the town of Ravello, which is perched high on the cliffs above Amalfi. While we can visit the coastal villages by boat, Ravello is only accessible by car. Famous for its elegant villas and gardens, Ravello, in our opinion, is the jewel of Amalfi, with absolutely breathtaking views, turning the awful coast road into the awe-inspiring coast road.