Watch BEFORE visiting the Amalfi Coast 🇮🇹 Italy Travel Guide
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- Ep.104 These are the NEED-TO-KNOW tips before you schedule your bucket list visit to the Amalfi Coast. Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, and Capri are beautiful destinations, but do you know how much it costs to move between these places? Don’t blow your budget before you arrive! We tell you everything you need to know about where to stay, how to avoid problems on the buses and ferries, and when to take a taxi. There’s also a lot of gorgeous scenery to look at while we tell our top tips. This is the first of a multi-part series from one of the most beautiful parts of Italy.
Check out our other videos from the Amalfi Coast: • Amalfi Coast, Italy
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Chapters:
00:00 - Start
00:35 - Visiting the Amalfi Coast requires planning
01:12 - Getting to Amalfi takes time
02:20 - The geography of the Amalfi Coast is a challenge
03:48 - Crowded buses and expensive taxis
10:45 - Use a ferry to visit coastal locations
12:31 - Tips to save money and aggravation in Amalfi
12:45 - Tip #1
13:55 - Tip #2
15:05 - Tip #3
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🚕TAXI: We had a great experience with Eduardo, who had a clean, large vehicle similar to an airport shuttle (could hold a group and luggage) and was a dream to work with. Reach him through WhatsApp (his English is great and WhatsApp also translates): +39 335 668 5657
🏨 ACCOMMODATIONS: We highly recommend Casa Villani if you want to stay in Agerola. It's at the doorstep of the Path of the Gods. Take a look at the property, which we highly recommend (our feedback is in the comments of the property, but then go ahead and book direct and save some money: www.booking.com/hotel/it/casa-villani-pianillo.html // direct: g.co/kgs/MdZwjvt
⛴ FERRY SYSTEM: We recommend that you book directly versus through the popular third-party vendor called FerryHopper. There may be issues with weather and other variables, so ideally book through NGL or Travelmar. At the time of year we visited (early June), the lines in person weren't a hassle, but it could be another story during the height of summer.
Travelmar: www.travelmar.it/en/index
NGL: www.nlg.it/en/
You can see a wide schedule here (www.positano.com/en/ferry-schedule) and then book directly from the vendor versus the third party (Positano.com).
I’m sound engineer with decades producing voice over and video content. Your narration definitely works! Great content, and enjoyable to watch.
Thank you so much, Glenn, for your very kind words! I've done voiceover work as a hobby, but I always appreciate the person who can sound like the boy or girl next door. I haven't figured out how to master that yet, but I appreciate your feedback and maybe I need to let go of my expectations for myself! Your perspective means a lot! -Judy
I’ve commented on this before, but Judy, you have the best voice when you narrate. I just can’t get over how amazing it is.💕
BW, you have no idea how much I had to hear this today! I was asking Kevin to consider stripping out my voice and trying a different plan because I worried that my voice sounds too slick or commercial and not "every man." Thank you for your kind words! Sometimes we all are just too self-critical of ourselves! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie I for one would be absolutely heartbroken if you decided to do that. it really adds richness to the videos with your expertise description. I’ve everything that helps us navigate those places that you have been to much better than us trying to do it without watching your video first.
Thank you so much, BW. We would have worked something else out, but I think that's why Kevin and I make such a great team. We collaborate well and balance each other out. We are so glad to hear you enjoyed this episode! ♥️ -Judy
Lovely video. We chose to take a train early in the morning from Naples to Salerno, and then take the Ferry to Positano and Amalfi and back. No hurries, no traffic jams, no crowdie, always seated, nice view of the cost from the Ferry.
Thanks for watching! What time of year did you visit and how long did it take to get to Salerno by ferry if you remember? Was it prohibitive to get to Ravello, which we loved?!
@@FindingGinaMarie We traveled in early October and it took 50 minutes aprox. from Salerno to Positano, 20 minutes from Positano to Amalfi, and 30 from Amalfi back to Salerno. We skipped because of lack of time.
@Pelorchoplus From all the locals we talked to, that is one of the very best times to visit for reduced crowds! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie I d say most of the popular sites in Italy are best visited in October and November or April and May to avoid the heat and crowds.
Surprisingly, @denisefalzon8446, this year the weather in early June was perfect, and not too hot. I actually really enjoy September. November can sometimes be too cold or things in certain places close down in certain cities (Lecce and the coast of Sicily particularly). But we agree that avoiding the high season is best if possible! -Judy
Thanks for the specific tips. So helpful. Very beautiful.
Thanks for watching, Erin. We had no idea that it would be so complicated. We never had the Amalfi Coast on our bucket list due to the twisty, winding roads, but we are glad we made the effort this time. It was beautiful, but we probably wouldn't do it again. The roads fortunately didn't feel like you could fall off of them like Highway 1 in California (never again for me!), but I still had to deal with feeling a bit carsick. And in no way were we prepared for the bus situation. I can't imagine when the crowds are in full force! -Judy
Thank you for this video. This helps me a lot. Planning to go next summer
We hope you have an amazing time, Jane! We have a full series from the Amalfi Coast that might be helpful to you, which is linked below. Thanks for watching! -Judy
🎥 Amalfi Coast video series: czcams.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF1fVxdvZFnUzb1Li20fORsM.html
You guys are so professional ❤❤ Thanks for sharing🎉
Thank you so much for watching, Syu. We have a full series from the Amalfi Coast if you want to learn more, including episodes from Positano, Ravello, and Capri. -Judy
🎥 Amalfi Coast video series: czcams.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF1fVxdvZFnUzb1Li20fORsM.html
Thank you.. this information is awesome
We are so glad to hear it, Vickie! We have an entire series from Amalfi you can watch (our final episode from there is this Saturday). If you are visiting, we hope you have an amazing trip! -Judy
🎥 Amalfi Coast video series: czcams.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF1fVxdvZFnUzb1Li20fORsM.html
We went to Positano in 2023, early May, a week and a half. This year we went late May for two weeks. Absolutely fantastic. In 2025 we’re going late September. You need to be fit and have few physical issues.
Certainly our courteousness is not reciprocated while getting on a bus or ferry. It is “every man for himself.” Go with it. We love southern Italy!
We're so glad to hear this! Where do you keep your home base when you're visiting? Positano? It's pricey, but worth it if you have the funds. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie yes we keep it in the Positano area. I don’t want to name it as it is a refuge from the madness. It is physically restrictive anyhow. I can see by your opening video that you’ve been there.
Also, we enjoy IL Ritrovo in Montepetruso. Very nice restaurant. Locals go there and tourists.
We took busses to Amalfi and Sorrento a few times. Yes, if you’re on a Northern European or a U.S. schedule you may be frustrated. Naples and south is a different world. The Wild West. There are no rules only suggestions.
I don't blame you for keeping your location a secret! We didn't visit Montepetruso, but it sounds like there are a lot of little villages we haven't made our way to, yet. We thought this might be a one-and-done, but maybe not! And you're absolutely right about Southern Italy! -Judy
It looks beautiful, but clearly a lot of strategic planning is needed to make sure everything goes reasonably well! Thank you for all the tips!
Thank you so much for watching, Linda! We had no idea what we were in for. Because we were doing fast travel and had to play catch up after returning to Europe from Asia, our daughter did the majority of the planning for Amalfi because it was a bucket-list place for her. I had always been intimidated due to the drive along the coast because I get car sick. I did okay, but I didn't enjoy it and was grateful I had a seat on the buses we took. Our Airbnb host gave us good tips, but I don't think we fully appreciated them until we were faced with late buses and all the crowds. I think it's one thing to hear about but something else entirely when you see it! -Judy
Strategic planning 😱 they are place meant to have much much much less tourism I’m afraid
I might have to agree, @nicolettastrada5976. Although the area pretty much closes up from November to March, so people do rely on it to cover them through the down season. -Judy
Salerno should also be considered as an excellent base from which to visit the Amalfi coast. I am just back after spending a week in Salerno early to mid June. It has ferry, bus and train service to get you anywhere quite easily. By ferry, I visited Amalfi, Positano, Minori, Maiori, Cetara and Capri. I did the Path of the Gods hike by using the Travelmar ferry and their dedicated shuttle to Bomerano which worked wonderfully. I also used the train to go to Paestum, Pompei and Ercolano. The one snag was Ravello and that was because of the infamous bus. Getting up was no problem, but getting back down was. I ended up getting a shared taxi with a bunch of other people for 15 euro each, which turned out to be a great option. The other plus is that Salerno lodging is very reasonable compared to the villages on the Amalfi Coast and also Sorrento. I had a lovely B & B for 50 euro a night, in the center of the old town (nice room with a little balcony and own bathroom).
We can't recommend Salerno because we didn't stay there ourselves, but we totally appreciate your recommendation. Several of our viewers have been recommending Salerno, so it sounds like a place we should try to visit. We really enjoyed Ravello, but yes, that's not an easy place to get to/from. Our episode this Saturday is about our hike on the Path of the Gods and "the perfect day" in Positano. The price for your B&B is outstanding. Thanks so much for letting us know. My understanding is that Salerno is worth visiting even if you don't visit the other areas along the coast. -Judy
We traveled to there last September. Less people in September. Weather was beautiful. We made our home base Maiori and took the water taxi everywhere. Worked out fantastic and Maiori was a beautiful village. Very welcoming and less tourists. Highly recommend.
I'm so glad you had a great experience, Michele. Thanks for the recommendation! Were you there in early or late September? I heard it could still be crowded in early September, but I might be off on that. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and for watching! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie we were there mid September to later it was the third week in September. So fortunate to be able to go. My family is there in Naples. We were able to meet them as well.
@@FindingGinaMarie I will be back for sure. Thank you for sharing your travels. I enjoy your stories as well.
How wonderful for you, Michele. My understanding is that I have family in Naples area as well (my grandfather originally was from Summonte). Since I'm adopted and only recently met my Italian birth mother, I haven't really been able to connect with family there. But I love this so much for you! -Judy
Thank you so much! And it's encouraging to hear that mid September already will have reduced crowds. The water is probably ideal at that time of year, too! -Judy
Great video. We visited the coast in November and it was awesome! We rented a car , drove ourselves everywhere and we had plenty of parking. We stayed in three separate hotels over five nights and if we ever went back we would go again at that same time. Safe travels!
When we retire in a few years we plan to stay in Italy the full 90 days❤
@IramisandGerry We had been told that most things are closed down at that time of year (by the first week in November). Did you have any trouble finding restaurants and other activities that were open? Was the ferry operating at that time? Thank you so much for watching, and we are glad to hear you had such a good experience! We are still looking to experience more of the world before we settle down, but I am working on my Italian dual citizenship so that we don't have to do the Schengen dance forever! -Judy
Another get travel guide. I love the editing and thank you for sharing. I’ve been to the Amalfi Coast. It’s a lovely place, but, I love Cinque Terre better for it’s more rustic feel.
Surprisingly, we ended up meeting a few local travelers while traveling through Europe and when they find that we’re Americans, their dream is to visit Los Angeles and NYC. I also recommend they visit DC for the National Mall and also Miami Beach. So it’s great to hear that Europeans also want to travel the USA.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Iris! We ended up visiting two of the towns in Cinque Terre, but it rained the day we visited, which put a damper on our experience.
As far as meeting up with travelers who want to visit the US, you are right! When we originally were considering moving to Italy versus traveling full time, we talked to Italians in the cities we were visiting and they were shocked we'd consider their town to settle in when they couldn't wait to visit LA or NYC. Admittedly, it was partially because they see all the Hollywood movies and want to experience those cities for themselves. (But we're the same about visiting European cities, too!) I've been to Miami Beach, but embarrassingly, we've never been to DC. We should figure out how to do that, although our time in the US is usually consumed with visiting family and it's one of the most expensive countries for us these days! -Judy
This is the best informative video out there thanks for being very precise about the transport issues around the Amalfi coast
Thank you so much for your kind words, Atif. We ended up really enjoying the Amalfi Coast, but it's critical to be prepared! The views are incredible and the hiking is great, but there are downsides as well. We've got more videos from the Amalfi Coast coming beginning this Saturday! -Judy
P.S.: Here's a link to our full series (so far) from Italy: 🎥 Italy video series: czcams.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk.html
@@FindingGinaMarieit’s sad how the taxis don’t charge a fair price considering all the work there is for them out there
@@atifmanzoor63 In fairness to them, November through March is fairly dead for them and tourism is nearly non-existent. They're having to cover the down season from the profits they make during the high season. Also, that drive is fairly harrowing and getting to/from places requires them to spend a lot of time in traffic to get to the locations with tourists. It seems that they lose a lot of time in each direction without a fare. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMariewe re just back from the Amalfi coast and the views are stunning very much enjoyed it but most of it you said about the buses and the cas was true we arranged a private transfer from our hilltop hotel near Sorrento to Ravello and we asked the driver to stop at Positano for 2 hours and we paid him like 70 euros per hour extra and he was making up things like he needs to pay 30 euros for a police permit and then he kept going on about his tip so in the end we nearly paid about 400 euros for that ride also when we were picking up the hotel shuttle from Sorrento to the next hotel up the hilltop the bus driver was very rude because we had luggage as there was 6 of us travelling and he didn’t want to get of his seat to open the luggage hatch
Great tips!! Crazy crowds!😮
Thank you so much for watching! Yes, and this wasn't even the height of tourist season. It's still beautiful enough that despite everything it's worth visiting at least once. -Judy
Ugh, Amalfi Coast in the summer. When we next visit, it will either be in late April or early October. There's just no getting around the crowds otherwise. Everything closes in the winter months. You guys are brave!
LOL, We actually were so grateful that we were there before tourist season was in full swing! Our daughter originally wanted to visit in early July and we discouraged her. This worked out so much better for us! But I can imagine that especially early October would be great because the water will still be warm. Our daughter surprised us with a private cruise along the coast and the captain mentioned that there would be 5-6 times the number of boats on the water compared to when we were there. It sounded overwhelming! Did you have a favorite area where you stayed that you would return to? Was that also your home base? -Judy
WOW!!! The transportation issues is a real bummer as are the over crowding. I may rethink visiting there unless it’s just me and my hubby and maybe some friends or family. There is so much more of Italy that if I miss the Amalfi coast I will be okay. That said, if I can do it by parking myself in Sorento and using the ferry to get around the peninsula and out to Capri, then okay. Thanks for this honest review of an otherwise beautiful area.
Thanks so much for watching and for your comment, Rebecca. It is an extremely picturesque part of Italy and the getting around process is quite time consuming. We also were in some small towns on Lake Como and have some ideas about potentially how to consider that area as an alternative to the Amalfi Coast if you want to see mountains and water! And yes, we completely recommend the ferries over the bus system or taxis, so location is absolutely critical. Sorrento is a good option if you will be visiting Naples, Pompeii, and Mt. Vesuvius, even though it's not technically part of the Amalfi Coast. Otherwise, get yourself to Amalfi and stay on the coast versus up in the mountains. There are affordable options there if you book early. Even though it wasn't our favorite place, Amalfi is very central to everything. We'd be curious to know what the experience is like in Sorrento, since we've heard both good and bad things (but in fairness, we hear that about everyplace in that part of Italy!). -Judy
Amalfi è un vero paradiso ❤
You are right, Maddalena! The getting around can be stressful, but the views are stunning! -Judy
Thank you for this extremely informative video on the trials and tribulations of navigating the Amalfi coast. So many other You Tubers that share their travels of this region paint a very different picture. While the Amalfi coast is beautiful, it is moving further down my travel bucket list. This is a must see video for anyone considering the Amalfi Coast as a vacation. I do hope you both had some great coffee experiences to make up for the bus fiascos.
Thank you for watching, Tina! We had no idea of the chaos we would encounter, and I can't imagine visiting during the height of the season. For as beautiful as it is, I had always been worried about the drive along the coast because I get car sick. I managed fine, but I would have been an absolute wreck if Kevin had rented a car (we don't ever during our travels, so it wouldn't have been an issue). I think tourists think they are way better drivers than they are, especially when they drive too fast without knowing what's around the next corner! Our cappuccino experiences took a little bit of a hit because after the mountains, I had no desire to put anything in my stomach for a while! Kevin did grab one while us girls were getting ready in the morning, but they weren't quite as relaxing as when we were in Orvieto! We appreciate your support and encouragement! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMariethank you for this very good video about the actual state of affairs. I too get car sick so I appreciate the feedback. If I had to go I d do it in October.
@denisefalzon8446 Some of our viewers are recommending staying in Salerno and then taking ferries to get around. The drawback is that if there is bad weather, they don't operate, so you have to hope for good weather. It is a very scenic part of Italy. We'll be bringing you with us this Saturday on our "perfect day" in Positano! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie that is a good point. The sea in the Mediterranean can turn rough really quick. We usually enjoy quite seas at this time of year yet swimmers have been told not to risk going to the beach for the last couple of days as it s rough.
@@denisefalzon8446 Wow, interesting. Thanks for sharing this information. It makes sense that swimmers would be impacted as well, but I guess I thought it would be okay close to shore. The advisory is probably wise, but I'm sure that's a bummer. -Judy
Hi, great video and very informative, love it. I really feel sorry for the locals who need to use public transport on a regular basis. Thanks for sharing guys.
❤Zeljka
Hi Zelijka, We agree about the locals! I'm not sure how they manage it, either. I don't understand driving in it, either though, because I just do not trust non-locals to know what the heck they are doing. I think some people have an overconfidence of their driving skills on unfamiliar roads, and accidents are inevitable. Thank you so much for watching! -Judy
We went to Positano the end of May 2018, perfect weather and flowers. We stayed at a VRBO private villa we rented for 7 nights - slept 12 and had two kitchens for the 11 of us.. The villa was up on the second hill from the main Positano Beach so it was a good 20 minute walk down the road to the beach but there are unique shopping stores all along the way and restaurants and cafes and even two delis. We spent one day on capri (Blue Star boat from Positano so no ferry timelines to worry about) and took the chair lift to the top, and our boat captain took us to the Blue Lagoon (row boat into the grotto) and we swam in the green grotto. We also rented a van and went to Pompeii and had a guide for 4 hours - enough time in the hot sun to see much of it. We went to Furoma Beach by bus one day. We skipped the garden of the gods as it would take a full day. we wanted a two days at both the beaches in Positano. Restaurants in Positano are excellent. Yes, plenty of tourists there in May, I hear much more crowded in July and August.
Hi Kathy, It sounds like you had a terrific trip. We definitely preferred Positano over Amalfi, but it is more expensive to stay (unless you got an amazing day early in the season!). Our episode this Saturday takes you with us on our Path of the Gods, and actually you can do it in a few hours and actually goes only to Nocelle, not all the way down to Positano. The extension of the path is an extra portion, but everyone told us to skip that part, so we listened! But gosh, you did so much that it's hard to say you actually missed anything. Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us! -Judy
WOW.... just wow! ♥
We only shared a small portion of the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, so stay tuned for more! Thanks for watching, Enrique! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie Oh... I know, I know...I'll tell you why I said. "wow". Just the ordeal of the buses and uncertainty of your transportation options plus the stair climbing kind of made me reconsider going there by myself. There just comes a time! ♥
@@enriquesanchez2001 We hear you there! Of course there are stairs because how else are all those villages on hills, but sheesh. We never had thought about how to get around and how hard it would be! It's a beautiful place, but we also found beautiful scenery with mountains and water in one particular town on Lake Como that might be a good alternative for you and our viewers to consider. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie Aw thank you! I am fascinated by pictures of Lake Como!
@@enriquesanchez2001 ♥ We will have an episode from the area around Lake Como soon! -Judy
We went March last year and did the train from Napoli to Salerno followed by a bus westwards to Cetara (which was our base). Cetara is on the coast and the main bus route. It is so small that everywhere in town was walking distance from everywhere in town (and you don't need to schlep luggage very far). That said, March was still a busy season for bus travel; but, nothing like your video! While every bus was full(ish), we got on with ease! Sure, March is very much off-season; however, the Path of the Lemons and the food in all the restaurants still delivered 100%. The beaches were empty - but so was the water (it's a temperature thing!) Would we go again? Yes and no. Yes - because it's an amazing coast and everyone needs to go! No - because the windy roads and slight stress of bus availability makes it more favorable to visit many of the other wonderful places in Italy instead for our next trip. That said, if you've never been to the Amalfi Coast, then you should go at least once in your life! Ciao!
Thanks for watching, Martin! You raise an interesting point. For as beautiful as the Amalfi Coast was, I'm not sure we'd do it again, either. It was so much work to get everywhere. We actually enjoyed Positano a lot and Ravello, but you are right, there are so many fabulous places to visit in Italy, that it's not likely to be a trip we do again unless someone requires us to be there! We wouldn't go dragging our feet, but the getting around was such a hassle. Our daughter did the primary planning for this trip, so Cetara wasn't even on my/our radar. Would you recommend that location? Positano as a home base would be great, but the prices there are prohibitive, especially since you'd ideally want to be on the coast, not in the mountains, which kind of defeats the point. -Judy
As others have mentioned, going off-season is the best plan if that is an option for you (March-May or Sept-Oct). We loved staying in Praiano, where there are less tourists and you can hike up to the Il Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods). Hiking and photography are the best pursuits on the Amalfi Coast, as there is a huge network of trails. For instance, you can walk from Amalfi to Ravello and then down the other side to Atrani and back to Amalfi. Or, walk from Praiano to Positano (or vice-versa) via the Path of the Gods. You'll go through villages like Nocelle and Montepurtuso which are quaint and less visited than other places along the coast. Be sure to get a place with a balcony overlooking the sea.
Hi Dan, Our next episode will be of the Path of the Gods and "the perfect day" in Positano. We didn't do much in the way of hiking, but this was a good one. The views are stunning walking along the coast! Our balcony in Agerola faced the main piazza, which was sort of fun because there was a church festival going on the day we arrived, and we could watch it from our balcony. Not nearly as wonderful as overlooking the sea, but still a little fun! Thanks for watching, and for your comment, as always! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie - A balcony overlooking the square sounds lovely! Will look forward to your next video, as there's nothing like the Amalfi Coast! Cheers!!
Thanks, Dan. We had such a great time! We know not everyone loves this part of Italy, but we have a at least one other video to share after Saturday's that will at least include Ravello! -Judy
Thank you for this video! Question, what is the name of the ferry system in that area to book in advance?
Thanks for watching, Genevieve! We recommend that you book directly versus through the popular third-party vendor called FerryHopper. There may be issues with weather and other variables, so ideally book through NGL or Travelmar. At the time of year we visited (early June), the lines in person weren't a hassle, but it could be another story during the height of summer. -Judy
Travelmar: www.travelmar.it/en/index
NGL: www.nlg.it/en/
You can see a wide schedule here and then book directly from the vendor versus the third party (Positano.com): www.positano.com/en/ferry-schedule
Ravello. Mostly because it’s cooler, harder to get to, so less busy.
Thanks for watching, Robin. Our episode from Ravello comes out next Saturday! We loved it, too. It's a beautiful, charming city. We did like Positano as well and had a lovely time there. The Path of the Gods and the boat excursion we took was more interesting to us than window shopping! -Judy
🎥 The Perfect Day in Positano: ❤️ czcams.com/video/wO_m6MbXTrw/video.html
Oh , I love bus journeys, just been all over Andalusia Spain and Portugal, but these buses at Amalfi look like too much effort and stress 😟
They certainly can be! Some people choose to stay in Salerno or Sorrento. Salerno has more ferry options, but if the weather is stormy, the ferries don't run. That's why it's so important to choose your home base wisely! Your bus rides sound lovely, though! -Judy
Our daughter was studying interior design in Firenze in 2019 and we visited her there in May before heading to Napoli, Pompeii, and Sorrento. We took a day trip to from Sorrento to Amalfi and Ravello, traveling by bus there and by ferry back. We took the ferry back because the bus ride was a little terrifying (I had the Bobs’ song “Bus Plunge” playing in my head the whole way). For me, at least, a single day on the Amalfi Coast was plenty. Just too touristy for my taste.
What an incredible experience it must have been for your daughter to be studying in Firenze! Before arriving on the Amalfi Coast, I had similar fears about ground transportation along the route. I was absolutely terrified. For whatever reason, it didn't bother me as much as I expected as far as falling off the cliffs, but I did have to deal with feeling a little car sick. But there is no way on earth that I would have allowed Kevin to drive. Then I really would have been terrified, even though he's a great driver! We tried to take the ferries as much as possible, too. We enjoyed Ravello and Positano the most, but we also didn't enjoy them enough to visit again, especially when there is so much interesting history and charm in other, more accessible, parts of Italy. Thanks so much for watching! -Judy
Wow Definitely not a place to visit that time of year. 😮
That's the beauty of slow traveling the world. 🌎 80% of the time one can avoid the crazy tourist areas during high season.
What would you say helped the most while visiting the area right at the beginning of high season?
What would be your top 3 places to stay during June, July, and August? 🤔🦘
You are right about the benefits of slow travel, but you still have to be very intentional so that you are in the right parts of the world at their most affordable times. Unfortunately, that doesn't always mean you'll want to be in Europe during the summer because it is high season.
Visiting the Amalfi Coast in early June works well because there are parts of the world where school is still in session, so families can't always get away that early in the season. Also, Europeans usually take their own vacations during July and especially August, so in June you're not fighting everyone else. Late May isn't bad if you avoid the Memorial Day holiday in the US, when some Americans might be traveling. The water will be colder, but the beaches aren't sandy, so maybe not being in the water isn't such a hardship.
We're actually struggling a bit to find affordable places in Europe in July and August, but I'd suggest places that are cheaper and less touristy. Surprisingly, Kraków is pretty affordable even in the summer months. We would entirely avoid Italy in August because except in the most touristy places, locals aren't there because they're on vacation, so I don't think you'll have the most enriching experience. It was extremely hot in early July in Genoa and Turin, but they aren't super touristy places, so I think they could work. Verona also is less touristy and a bit cheaper of a city. We will be in Tirana, Albania, which is overall an affordable country plus it has the benefit of being outside of Schengen, which can be important/helpful for full-time travelers.
Otherwise, we liked Paphos, Cyprus, which has a ton of beaches if you can tolerate the heat. Serbia and Romania both are more affordable countries, too. We keep hearing Prague is affordable in those months, but we aren't seeing bargain prices for accommodations. Budapest and Istanbul would also fit, but we have yet to visit either of them (although we are looking at Antalya, Turkey for November. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie Great points. 👍 Turkey sounds like a wonderful option. Have you thought about South of the equator options ?
Would Australia be an option with some house sitting? 🤔 South America?
In the future of course.
Thanks again for sharing your journey and experiences.
@@livingworkingoutsidebox We have tried everything possible to make Australia/New Zealand work this year, but we can't (we were considering it for October/November this year). We'll be in South America for three months beginning in December, so we definitely have it on our list of places to visit. We've considered house sitting, but it may be more than we want to deal with on top of our work on CZcams and our blog, and we also don't want to drive. It's asking a lot for house sitting to be in a major city and for enough time that it offsets the cost of getting to and from that part of the world. We are going to try again for 2025. -Judy