I went to Italy!

It’s been a dream of mine to go to the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
 Sarah and I went for 4 days and to be honest, it was the perfect amount of time for me. I wouldn’t want to be away from the girls for longer than that. I’d miss them too much! 
We stayed at the famous Hotel Santa Caterina and it was as heavenly as it looks in photos!
I thought I would put together a few things you should probably know before going there!

Stay at Hotel Santa Caterina

amalfi coast

I first saw Hotel Santa Caterina last year when reading an article about Italy. I fell in love! It was so photogenic and looked super luxurious. We had to book it! It’s only a few minutes walk from Amalfi and yes, it’s a bit more expensive but SO worth it. The service, views, rooms, food, pool area, everything was incredible. We got transfers to and from the airport organised by the hotel, which was really handy because it made the hour and a half journey from Naples a lot easier. 

Be prepared to go back in time…

The Amalfi Coast is all about food, lemons, beaches, scenery and good coffee! You’ll feel like you’ve slipped into a Slim Aarons picture. I still can’t believe he took one of his most famous at Hotel Santa Caterina! Even the demeanor of the people is so 60’s like. It’s like going into another world! 

 

Always have cash

A lot of places took card, but the majority only took cash, so make sure you have a few Euros in your purse! 

 

Be prepared for the best pizza of your life 

We ate at the hotel quite a bit, especially by the pool area. But when we were in Amalfi we lived in Pizzeria Donna Stella a few minutes walk from the harbour. I’ve never tasted anything like it!

Go in September 

I couldn’t stress this enough! The weather was perfectly warm and crowds were a bit smaller. I couldn’t imagine what it’s like in peak season. 
 

eimear varian barry, hotel santa caterina Make use of the public transport

The buses from Amalfi are fantastic and the boats are too. We got the bus to Ravello for five euro and the boat to Positano for about 8 euro return each.

Rent a scooter

If I was with Daniel I think we’d definitely had rented a scooter, as well as using the public transport. Like Greece, it looked like a great way to whizz around and see the little villages!
eimear varian barry, hotel santa caterina, where to stay on the amalfi coast (36)
A lot of people asked me if it was family friendly. I, personally wouldn’t take the girls here until they were older. I liked chilling here a bit (I bloody needed it!) but I wouldn’t like to say it’s not family friendly.
I know a lot of people who have taken their babies/toddlers and they’ve had a wonderful time! I guess it just depends on what you want from your trip. 
 I would highly recommend Hotel Santa Caterina though as a hotel for couples/ older people or those traveling on their own. It’s so quiet and peaceful. And I got loads of work done there too as I was really able to focus there. 
I’ll definitely be back! 
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