AMALFI - PLANNING YOUR DAYS

A trip to the Amalfi Coast can be as busy or relaxed as you want it to be. More ambitious day trips to Pompeii and Capri are doable but be sure to leave plenty of time in your itinerary for sipping limoncello while gazing at the water. Here we offer a few suggestions for excursions along with restaurant recommendations.

Spend a carefree day in Capri, being sure to escape the crowds by heading to Anacapri, the island`s `second city,` which is about 3 km from Capri Town. Take a twelve minute chairlift ride to the highest point on Capri, Monte Solaro followed by a tour of one of the island`s most luxurious residences, the Villa San Michele. Then end the day with an early dinner at Da Tonino.

From shopping to sights, there is quite a lot to keep you busy in Positano. For a relaxing afternoon, take a small boat to the Spaggia di Lauriot, a small cove ideal for swimming. Midday munchies can be satisfied at Da Adolfo, a restaurant just above the beach. For dinner, head up to Montepertuso, a hamlet high over Positano, for fine dining at either Donna Rosa or Il Ritrovo.

Pompeii is an easy day trip from the Amalfi Coast especially if you`re based in Sorrento. From there, it is a 30-minute ride aboard a Circumvesuviana train to the Pompeii-Scavi stop, very near to the ruins` entrance. Visitors should expect to spend four or five hours at the site. Upon your return to Sorrento, a leisurely meal at Trattoria da Emilia is the perfect way to recover from the day`s adventure.

Music lovers should make Ravello a top destination. This small town is famous for its classical music festival, Festival Musicale di Ravello. The concerts, many of which are held in the gardens of the Villa Rufolo, are so popular that the festival season extends well beyond the summer. Visitors can dine at CumpĂ  Cosimo after browsing the many ceramic shops.