Blue & Beyond #7 - The Amalfi Coast

Grand villas perch high above the Mediterranean, surrounded by lush gardens of bougainvillea and lemon trees, and infinity pools edge the sky, dropping away to endless views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Far below the cliff-top hotels, superyachts criss-cross the blue, their wakes tracing patterns that fade away slowly like the vapour trails in the summer skies above.

An Amalfi charter is anchoring your yacht in deep, cool waters, and diving in for a refreshing swim before sitting down to an elegant lunch on deck. It’s browsing the glamorous boutiques and galleries that line whitewashed alleys paved with cobblestones, and enjoying long, lazy lunches on shady restaurant terraces, where waiters in white aprons serve platters of delicious local seafood, and each meal is finished with an icy cold limoncello served by the friendly restaurant owner, his face deeply tanned from a lifetime under the Mediterranean sun.

An Amalfi yacht charter is going ashore for a night of dining and dancing, before making your way back to the anchored yacht in the bright moonlight, the lights of the Amalfi coast twinkling brightly, and the sea glowing silver as the tender cuts through it. It’s happy days exploring the striking Moorish and baroque architecture of Amalfi, floating through Capri’s ethereal Blue Grotto, and relaxing in the natural springs of Ischia.

This is life on the Amalfi coast, and on a yacht charter it’s yours to discover.

To make sure you make the most of your Amalfi yacht charter, here are some of the restaurant, spa, and shopping highlights along the coast, put together by our experienced bluewater charter brokers and with recommendations from our yacht captains and VIP charter clients.

This summer, live the Amalfi coast dream.

CAPRI

Ah, Capri in the summertime! This bewitching, ultra-glamorous island rears up sheer out of the Mediterranean, its cliff-top village promising boutique shopping and dining delights among the grand hotels and infinity pools.

What to see

Float through the Blue Grotto, an ethereal cave where the water glimmers and reflects off the walls in the darkness. Anchor off Capri’s famous Faraglioni rocks and spend a happy afternoon at La Fontelina beach club, where bathing platforms and striped umbrellas are set on the rocks above the emerald and sapphire sea. Explore the ancient ruins of Emperor Tiberius’ Villa Jovis, take the chairlift up to Monte Solaro for a heart-soaring view of the island, or just meander contentedly through the narrow lanes and archways of gloriously pretty Capri.

Where to dine

The gastronomic, rustic heart of Capri is in the lemon orchards, where the restaurant tables of fabled restaurant Da Paolino are scattered among the lemon trees, the fruit hanging low and releasing their citrus scent in the warm summer air. Lunch is available from April to June, but in high summer this restaurant is evenings-only, when the orchard is lit with candles and lamplight, burnishing the lemons golden. Expect simple, delicious Italian food, focussing on fresh-caught seafood and antipasti, served in one of the most beautiful restaurant settings on earth. If you crave something more refined, head to Rendez-vous, the grand supper club of the Hotel Quisiana, or Villa Verde’s modern dining room and enchanting tree-lined courtyard.

Where to shop

Have a pair of Capri pants tailored at famous La Pari Sienne, visit La Campanina for a bespoke piece of jewellery, or take home a perfume from Carthusia created from the flowers and scents of Capri.

Where to be pampered

The Beauty Farm at Capri Palace is the island’s top spa, a glamorous temple to well-being with a strong focus on holistic wellness and cutting-edge treatments backed up by medical research.

POSITANO

Positano’s colourful jumble of pink-and-whitewash houses built on the steep hillside is enough to take the breath away. As everywhere on the Amalfi coast, each gorgeous view is framed by bougainvillea which explodes from gardens, clambers over restaurant terraces, and hangs in perfect, picture-worthy contrast against the sea.

What to see

This is a town to be explored at leisure, eating, drinking, strolling, and shopping. Off the coast there is the Emerald Grotto, while the perched village of Monterpertuso is also worth a look if you have time. The real appeal of Positano however, is the view.

Where to eat

Ristorante Max, set in an art gallery and cooking school on one of Positano’s tiny alleyways, is a famous Positano institution. Sit among the ornate gilded paintings and sculptures in the dining room, or take a table outside in the candlelit terrace. If you’re looking for a spectacular view of Positano and Michelin star dining, then the stunning terrace restaurant La Sponda at Hotel Sirenuse is impossible to pass up. Built on a high bluff just outside Positano, the rambling five-star chateau Il San Pietro di Positano has a sensational one-star Michelin star restaurant, while nearby Don Alfonso 1890 is a two-Michelin star triumph, serving inspired cuisine in a glamorous white dining room decorated with antiques and chandeliers.

Where to shop

Buying a pair of Positano sandals made at La Botteguccia is almost compulsory when visiting Positano, while the Emporio Sirenuse hotel boutique offers an eclectic collection of homewares, clothes, and local citrus scents. Mario Lampo has been in the business of creating bespoke fashion since the Second World War, while Lo Signo de Brunelli is the perfect place to buy a floaty, light outfit for your yachting holiday.

Where to be pampered

It’s almost embarrassing how good the Hotel Sirenuse is, so we suggest you head back there for the day spa. After your treatment, relax on the terrace by the pool set high above the sea, drinking in that view.

RAVELLO

This breath-taking medieval village set high above the coast has the best views on the entire Amalfi coast. And that is saying something. The awe-inspiring views bring awe-inspiring hotels, with cliff-top restaurants so good that you can’t remember whether to concentrate on the food or the vista from one minute to the next. For many visitors, Ravello is truly the jewel in the Amalfi’s dazzling crown.

What to see

Ravello boasts two utterly magnificent garden estates, the Villa Rufolo and the Villa Cimbrone - and if you’re clever you will time your visit during one of the garden concerts. It’s also home to the Amalfi Coast’s most beautiful church, the 11th century Duomo di Ravello. For something a touch more modern, visit the New Energy Auditorium designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer.

Where to eat

The gastronomic star of the Amalfi coast is the two-Michelin star Il Rossellinis at Palazzo Avino, where incredible, inventive meals are served up in the aristocratic dining room, or out on the terrace in summer. The Hotel Caruso has one of the most staggering infinity pool views on the planet, and it’s worth visiting one of their lovely restaurants for that feature alone. Another wonderful choice is the Ristorante Confalone, a 300-year-old restaurant with excellent food, an outdoor terrace hanging out over the sea, and a decadent dining room of frescoes and terracotta.

Where to be pampered

As might be expected, the two best spas to be found in Ravello are at the same hotels with the best restaurants, the Palazzo Avino and Hotel Caruso, while you will find utterly breath-taking thermal baths in the refined spa complex Monastera Santa Rosa, in nearby Conca dei Marini.

And we have barely scratched the surface…

There is a wild abundance of excellent restaurants, boutiques and spas along this glittering stretch of coastline, and sadly we don’t have space to cover them all here. To find out more about how to live the dream on an Amalfi yacht charter, contact the charter team at bluewater.