Eat your way from Vietri to Positano!

Italy's Amalfi Coast is a magical place: 50 kilometers of spectacular coastline, dotted with picture-perfect towns and villages, kissed by the sun and caressed by the sea. And the Amalfi Coast doesn't just look good...it tastes good, too!
Want to find out more? Follow me on this one-day gastronomic tour of the Amalfi Coast!

Gateway to the Amalfi Coast: Vietri

The towns along the Amalfi Coast are linked by the scenic highway SS163, which skirts every twist and turn of the coastline between Positano and Vietri sul Mare.
Although a day will not be enough time to visit every town (you'll need to make a return trip if you want to stop in Ravello or Tramonti), you can still pack a number of amazing experiences into less than 24 hours.
If you're travelling by car, take the Napoli-Salerno motorway and exit at Vietri sul Mare, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. The main street of Vietri sul Mare is lined with shops selling the town's world-famous artistic ceramics.

Ceramic Keepsakes from Vietri

Vietri is a great place to pick up the kind of souvenir which you'll be able to use in your kitchen once you get back home, like a hand-painted ceramic mozzarella drainer - designed to catch the precious water which maintains mozzarella fresh and moist!

From the main street, small buses take passengers down to the Marina and the piazza where the L'Eco del Mare gelato shop is located. Enjoy your gelato as you stroll along the largest beach on the whole of the Amalfi coast, guarded over by an ancient Saracen tower. If you're travelling with the kids, have them search out the nativity scenes hidden amidst the rocks (there are at least 8 of them!)

Anchovies and more in Cetara

Just 5 kilometers from Vietri, Cetara is a pretty little fishing village, famous for its anchovies and, in particular, its colatura di alici or anchovy sauce. Stock up on this local delicacy in the Bottega de Il Delfino.

Cetara has a number of great restaurants:

• Il Convento owned by Pasquale Torrente and selected for Eataly
• San Pietro a historic eatery facing the main piazza
• AcquaPazza famous for its creative seafood dishes

On a budget? No problem: Cetrara offers a great variety of affordable street food too - from the battered morsels fried to fragrant perfection by Cuopperia to the flavor-packed panini made to order by Pane e Coccos.

Fruit and Films in Maiori

After lunch, continue on towards Maiori, making sure to admire the tower of Erchie from above as you pass.

As you drive towards Maiori, stop to buy some lemons from one of the small trucks parked on the side of the road. Plump, juicy and fabulously fragrant, this citrus fruit will have been picked from the owner's garden just a few hours before ...

Maiori is the only "modern" town on the Amalfi Coast, having been completely rebuilt after the old town was, quite literally, washed away by a devastating flood in 1954.
Well worth visiting, the Church of Santa Maria a Mare is located in a particularly peaceful area just above the town. Look familiar? It was here that Roberto Rossellini shot scenes for two of his films.

Sweet Souvenirs from Minori

One kilometer from Maiori, Minori is foodie heaven...a spot famous for its restaurants and, even more so, its pastry shops.
Don't miss the chance to visit Pasticceria De Riso, owned by Italy's celebrity pastry chef, Sal De Riso. Delizia al limone, torta ricotta e pere, mousse di pastiera, babà al limoncello...just the names the delights crowding the cases is enough to tempt the most disciplined dieter. '
Once you've had your fill of pastries, head to the Liquorificio Mansi to purchase a bottle (or two) or Concerto, a liquor obtained from a mixture of the herbs growing in the hills above the Amalfi Coast.

Amalfi, Amore Mio

From Minori, Amalfi is just a few minutes away, past the little town of Atrani.

"For the inhabitants of Amalfi, the day they got to heaven will be just like any other day"

Nestled at the bottom of the Valle dei Mulini between the rocks and the sea, the historic center of Amalfi is a maze of narrow lanes similar to the "calle" of its fellow marine republic and archrival, Venice.
As the sun begins to set, head to the piazza dominated by Amalfi's impressive cathedral for an aperitivo at the historic Caffetteria Andrea Pansa, famous, amongst other things, for its delicious limoncello filled pralines and strips of candied orange and lemon peel coated in dark or white chocolate.

An Evening in Positano

The last leg of the tour takes us to the oh-so-glamorous Positano, the favorite haunt of models, movie stars, and moneyed moguls. Whether you spend your evening sipping Falanghina wine at the beach front Le Tre Sorelle or brushing shoulders with the celebrities at the tres chic Chez Black, don't be surprised if you find yourself wishing you could stay another day, another week, or, perhaps, forever....

Looking for somewhere to stay in Positano or another of the enchanting seaside towns on Italy's Amalfi Coast? You'll find all the best of the area's hotels and B&Bs here: Hotels on the Amalfi Coast

Top Tips for a Tasty Tour of the Amalfi Coast

• Caseificio La Tramontina - Cava de' Tirreni: the bufala mozzarella is divine.
• Gelateria Eco del Mare - Vietri sul Mare: ice-cream parlour serving "real" artisan gelato.
• Pane e coccosa - Cetara: buy a panino and eat it on the beach.
• Il Delfino - Cetara: shop selling specialties made with anchovies and tuna fish, including the legendary colatura.
• Pasticceria Sal De Riso - Minori: pastry shop famous for its incredible variety of cakes and pastries.
• Liquorificio Mansi- Minori: there's only one place to buy liquors on the Amalfi Coast, and it's here.
• Osteria Il Pontile - Minori : who needs a sea view when the sea is on your plate? Great food, great prices!
• Caffetteria Andrea Pansa - Amalfi: popular bar and pastry shop, famous for its pralines.
• Ristorante Le Tre Sorelle - Positano: eat well, do the divas do, and enjoy Positano from the beach.

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