#HBIBTravels: Italy – Amalfi Coast

As some of you may have noticed my Instagram page has become more diverse and travel posts have been springing up. One which caught a lot of peoples attention were my pics from my time in Italy in August 2017 and in particular around the Amalfi Coast. This blog post will centre around my top travel tips around this gorgeous coastline!

Atrani

There are many parts of the Amalfi coast you can stay. For me, I opted for Atrani as it was close enough to Amalfi (15 min walk) and had its own beach and was alot cheaper in terms of accommodation. I opted for an AirBnb which was easy to book and manage. I prefer AirBnb from a cost perspective and allows you to be flexible on cooking your own meals.

From Atrani you can explore the hills of Amalfi and the markets in the main town. Amalfi is also key for exploring the other parts of the coast. From here you can book tickets for trips to Positano and Capri from the boat office. Be careful on what boats you pick as some will take longer than others to get to your destination and you can then waste half your day just travelling to and from your base location.

Amalfi

This coastal town is the main hub of the coast and is a bit of a central point for a lot of tourists as the namesake for the entire coastal area. The locals here are very friendly and you feel very safe exploring the street during the day or night. (The city of Naples itself is more like a city so is a bit more dangerous).  From here as mentioned above you can catch the majority of your ferry trips to places such as Positano, Sorrento and Capri.

For me Amalfi had the best food from my Italian adventure. It was authentic and very Italian so simple but effective. There is no halal food available however the fish is caught locally and tastes amazing. The price of food is reasonable with an average meal for two costing around £40. Amalfi also has some very cheap options with the Pizza Express Amalfi proving very popular with all and the veg options are really nice.

Positano

Positano is an instagram bloggers dream. Gorgeous pretty view with the ocean in the background. It is a must visit if you are visiting. I had a day trip here and found myself exploring some of the beaches and had a really nice time here. If you get your walking boots on you can go up high into the hills and really take in the view of the landscape.

I did not spot anything halal here however you will find a good amount of pasta and pizza dishes that will more than enough for those fussy eaters. I have seen some really nice AirBnb’s in the hills of this town so a couple nights here could be a possibility in the future.

Capri

Capri is the baller’ part of the coast. On its own Island it is home to some amazing boutique hotels and shopping outlets. It is probably the most expensive part of the coast so plan your trip wisely. It has some picturesque views and walking around rewards you with some awesome views. If a special occasion or a higher budget spending a night here would reward you with some cool trips around the Island. There is a boat trip where you can explore the caves around the Island and even take a dip in.

Top Tips;

• Book early – more choice and cheaper
• AirBnb – More cost effective than a hotel and means you can spend more money on food!
• Public Travel – Italy is known for its awesome high speed train network so make the most of it when travelling through cities. Trainline EU is a great app to use.
• Money – Apply for a travel credit card such as Monzo or Halifax Clarity – I might do a blog about what these cards are there for (always pay off credit cards in full every month to avoid interest being charged)

Overall

The Amalfi coast is firmly set in my heart as one of my favourite places I have ever been. The food and the general vibe around the area I enjoyed a lot. From Birmingham you can get direct flights into Naples and then catch public transport to get you to the centre of Amalfi/Atrani/Positano. I used a mix of trains and buses to get around Italy and found it cost effective and quite easy to navigate.

Any other questions drop me a message on my Instagram @halalboyinbrum

This is my first travel post so hopefully you found it useful! Soon I will post about how my travels carried on throughout Florence, Rome, Venice and ended in Milan!