Amalfi is nestled amongst the beautiful cliffs and centuries old rocky outcrops that line the coast of Italy between the gritty, bustling city of Naples to the north, and the overgrown city of Salerno to the south. It's a very small town, but probably the most recognized one along the stretch, mainly because the coastline on which it is situated has taken its name.
The Amalfi coast actually consists of a number of small towns, most of which can be accessed by bus from either Naples or Salerno. You can also take a train from Naples to the town of Sorrento and then a bus from Sorrento to Amalfi. (This is your cheapest option from Naples if you are travelling with a Eurrail pass as I was.) If you do visit the Amalfi coast by bus, be prepared for the ride of your life. The access road is just wide enough for the bus in many places, limited by a shear rock face on the eastern side and a deadly drop to the ocean below on the western side. The bus drivers have to be some of the best in the world, and it becomes painfully obvious that they are far more comfortable than any of the passengers as they drive the winding, treacherous road at breakneck speed. To add excitement, you encounter a blind turn every 500 yards or so, for which the driver honks his horn and slows down just enough to navigate the corner. When the bus encounters another bus or car from the other direction, the fun continues when one or the other has to back up until the road is wide enough for the two vehicles to pass. I really think this should be an amusement park ride, but the insurance policy to cover it would probably close the place down. You can rent a car in Naples and attempt the drive yourself, but then you have to deal with oncoming speeding buses.
Anyway, once you have survived the bus ride, you can calm down and relax in the isolated towns of Amalfi and Positano. Both are worth a visit, and both exude charm from their every pore.
Amalfi is the larger of the two towns and is slightly farther south. It has a very impressive Duomo, or domed church, which is distinguishable on the city's skyline from almost any vantage. The city is filled with gelaterias and cafes, and can be enjoyed leisurely as there aren't a great deal of activities outside of relaxation. The view from the beach onto the town and hills above is stunning. The mostly white buildings and impressive green valleys are the reason postcards were invented.
If you plan on finding a hotel in Amalfi and it is peak tourist season, you will definitely need reservations. Don't expect to find hotels very cheaply either as the Amalfi coast is extremely popular amongst Europeans and rooms come at a premium. I actually found a cheap option in the smaller town just south of Amalfi, called Atrani. The hotel, or more appropriately dorm, was called A Scalinatella and was very near Atrani's main square. It was cheap by the Amalfi coast's standards, but not by general budget accommodation standards. There isn't much else to Atrani, but again relaxation can be your focus there. I can't recommend staying at the hostel, which is almost 10 miles west of town because I didn't stay there myself, but that is another budget option. But do try to stay on the coast for at least a couple of days rather than attempting day trips from Naples or Salerno. If you stay overnight in any of the towns along the coast, you will see that they are quite different at night than by day. This is primarily because organized tours tend to come in early in the morning only to head out in the early evening. If you can wait it out you are likely to encounter far less tourists.
Positano is just north of Amalfi and is equally beautiful. There is a bus service between the two towns, but it is very infrequent, especially after 5 PM. Positano has a slightly larger stretch of beach than Amalfi, but it is still quite small and as a result very crowded. Attempting to travel to the Amalfi coast during peak tourist season between June and August is probably not quite the experience that I was afforded in early November. By that time there were hotel vacancies, the beach was sparsely occupied, and the weather was still warm enough to enjoy the ocean.
An absolute must while in Positano if you have the time is a hike to the town of Nocelle in the hills above the city. It's not necessarily an easy hike for the first couple of miles because it's mostly uphill. The reward is a walk through an olive grove and then a lemon grove, and fabulous views down the coast and of Positano below. Bring plenty of water if you try this because you won't find any along the way until you reach the town of Montepertuso, which is at least 2 miles of steep trail later. And as a side note, Montepertuso is quite an expensive place to buy drinks and snacks because of its position.
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