5-Day Guide to the Amalfi Coast with kids

Positano is such an incredible city to see from the water, with colorful villas sprawling up the hillside. So instead of taking land transportation all the way from Rome to opt for a 90-minute train to Salerno followed by a 75-minute ferry to Positano. When you arrive at the dock, you’ll be met by luggage porters on mini vehicles that will deliver suitcases to your hotel. The fee is well worth not having to carry bags up the steep staircases and roads that line this city.

As you stroll up to your hotel, be sure to try a classic Amalfi Coast treat - frozen lemon sorbet served straight out of a fresh lemon. Enjoy shopping at the local boutiques for lemon themed clothing, pastel beachwear, and bespoke, made-on-the spot sandals. Marvel at the artwork in the galleries, such as Liquid Art system, which is also a great way to get a break from the heat if you’re visiting in the hot summer months.

If you’ve traveled to Positano from Rome, as we have, your kids are probably ready to enjoy a break from tourism and are eager to splash around in the hotel pool. Hotel Poseidon is a great family friendly option, where Le Sirenuse exudes luxury. Both have pools overlooking the Mediterranean, so you’ll still be fully immersed in the Amalfi Coast experience.

For a Michelin rated restaurant serving gluten free options, head to Next2 for dinner.

Unless you want to be nervously gripping a steering wheel until your knuckles are white on the ultra-narrow winding roads, the best way to visit the neighboring coastal cities is to hire a private driver. Enjoy the air-conditioned ride while you listen to rich history from a local.

First stop out of town is Ceramiche Casola, a family-owned ceramics shop filled with beautifully crafted dinnerware, vases, ornaments and more. To this day, the Amalfi Coast is still widely known for its ceramics, making this a perfect souvenir or gift that can be shipped back home.

Next up is the town of Ravello perched on the top of the hillside and home to two remarkable villas. My favorite is Villa Rufolo with its brightly colored, luscious floral gardens, and what is said to be the most photographed tree in Italy – a stone pine tree with a dreamlike vista of blue as the backdrop. If you’re visiting in the summer, indulge in a lemon sorbet from the Giardini Caffè Calce in the Piazza Duomo before entering the villa to provide your kids with an energy boost. For the most stunning lunch time views overlooking the seaside town of Minori, as well as gluten free pasta, make a reservation at Ristorante Raffaele dell’Hotel Parsifal. The outdoor terrace is very popular and only holds four to five small tables, so be sure to book in advance and ask for a table by the railing. After lunch, stroll through the shops in town as you embark on a 20-minute walk to Villa Cimbrone. This villa also boasts gorgeous gardens, statues, and a stone temple, but the must-see sight is the Terrace of Infinity. This edge-of-the cliff terrace is lined with marble busts and perched high above the Mediterranean.

Your final stop will be the bustling port town of Amalfi. The tourist-lined streets can be quite hot and busy in the summer months, and most of the shops carry the same items you’d see back at your home base in Positano. However, it is nice to break up the drive so I would recommend a quick stop for gelato and a free walk-through tour of the Cathedral of Saint Andrew and the Cloister del Paradiso.

For what my husband said was the best tuna of the trip, as well as more gluten free pasta, head to the rooftop terrace of Hotel Posa Posa for dinner at Mirage. They even served dessert with sparklers and sang to me for my birthday.

After a busy day sightseeing, today is all about splashing in the ocean with your kiddos and relaxing beachside. Given the travelling yesterday, we preferred walking down to La Scogliera on Spiaggia Grande beach instead of taking a shuttle boat to one of the other beach clubs out of town. La Scogliera is sun-kissed with luxury and is incredibly popular, so be sure to make reservations well in advance. With younger children, L’Incanto Beach Club is another option in the heart of Positano. It can be very crowded, but it’s close to restaurants, shopping and gelato if you need occasional breaks from the sun. If you want to escape the crowds altogether, I’ve heard wonderful things about taking a shuttle boat to Arienzo Beach Club.

If you love sunsets as much as my husband does, you’ll want to head to Le Sirenuse, unless you’re already staying there. Catch happy hour at the Aldos or enjoy an early dinner at La Sponda, which books up months in advance. Looking out at the colorful hillside town of Positano and the endless blue sea, there could not be a more picturesque view.

Here’s another action-packed day, which could you spread out if you’re spending more time in Capri. We had 28 hours and wanted to make the most of it. Start off by taking a 30-minute ferry from Positano to Capri. If you’re in luck, the crew will mix up drinks for you on the short boat ride over. If you’re staying near the Piazza Umberto at the center of Capri, Isidoro serves delicious gluten free pizza. Just across the street is Prada and other authentic Italian clothing boutiques. To start the day’s true adventure, take a taxi to Anacapri and ride the Monte Salerno Chair Lift. Kids and adults will love this ride up to the very top of Capri, though it’s one person per chair so keep that in mind if you have young children. The 360-degree views at the top are unparalleled. Once you’ve ridden the chairlift back down, take a quick visit of Villa San Michele.

Head back to the hotel for a siesta, likely after being talked into more gelato by your kiddos, as tonight will be a late dinner. Be sure to make reservations in advance for dinner at Pulalli Capri inside the clock tower in the Pizzaetta and request an outdoor table if you can.

Before dinner, stroll down Via Camerelle for high-end, luxury designer shopping. Then make your way to the small, but breathtaking Giardini de Augusto gardens. Look down to see the iconic Via Krupp switchback trail that leads all the way down to the Mediterranean.

We tackled all of this in one day, which was doable but busy. You could easily fill one more day by taking a boat tour of the Blue Grotto, hiking Via Krupp, or spending more time shopping.

While a boat tour of the Blue Grotto is very high on things-to-do-in-Capri lists, we opted for another beach club since the Blue Grotto in Malta was still fresh in our memory. The two most iconic beach clubs in Capri are La Fontelina and Da Luigi ai Faraglioni, each nestled in massive rock formations jutting up around Carpi’s coastline. They also offer up close views of the Faraglioni rocks. Both fill up very quickly so book in advance. Unlike Positano, there is not a shore, so you’ll enter the Mediterranean via a ladder from the dock. While this might be a great experience for teens that want to work on their tan, young kiddos looking to splash on the beach won’t find that here. Da Luigi serves tasty gluten free pasta.

After a final swim and glass of wine, we make your way to Naples via a ferry and the catch an evening train back to Rome. Head to Pizza in Trevi for my favorite gluten free pizza – quattro formaggi for me.

Side note: we started our trip with two days in Rome, visiting the Colosseum, Vatican, Sistine chapel and the Pantheon. The underground tour of the Colosseum is a must do with kids. Another option would be to fly into Rome and out of Naples, spending a day visiting historic Pompeii after the Amalfi Coast.