Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is Italy's most glamorous stretch of shoreline, where pastel villages cling improbably to cliffs plunging into a sparkling sea. The famous coastal road twists past one jaw-dropping view after another, linking the vertical, boutique-filled town of Positano, the cathedral-crowned town of Amalfi, and hilltop Ravello with its garden villas and music festivals. It is the definition of la dolce vita.

The pleasures here are simple and indulgent. Days drift by on boat trips to hidden coves, long lunches of seafood and lemon-scented dishes, and evenings watching the light soften over the water. The region's terraced lemon groves supply the ubiquitous limoncello, and a hike along the aptly named Path of the Gods rewards you with the coast's most spectacular panoramas.

The coast is at its best in late spring and early fall, with warm weather and slightly thinner crowds. High summer is hot, glorious, and extremely busy, with narrow roads at a crawl, while many businesses wind down over the quiet winter.