There’s a better way. Just about every photo of the Amalfi coast is taken by someone who is sitting on a boat in the Mediterranean, not from the road. So, one time I decided to try it that way — I chartered a private yacht to take our group of 12. There are a few companies that offer this service, but by luck I happened to hit upon the perfect hosts/cruise directors — Barbara and Antonio Positano.
Is that the absolutely best name for a family that cruises the Amalfi Coast? If you don’t believe that’s their real name, well, I don’t either, but that’s neither here nor there…they’re very nice people. As the best features of these trips, they’re private and they’re customized. It’s just your party, and you can stop anywhere you like for as long as you like. I typically will pre-select a restaurant for lunch — Praiano is a great town for that — or I will go to one recommended by Barbara. During your cruise, you will be taken to small grottos and other natural formations along the coastline. You can even do some snorkeling, if that’s your thing.
As the greatest benefit for me — not the most patient person living — there’s no waiting for a tourist bus to negotiate a hairpin curve, or wondering if the always crowded public ferry that’s almost always late will actually show up. And I get to see what everyone else has been raving about.