Passionate about great food, history and culture, guest blogger Deborah Fowler visited the Amalfi Coast for luxurious trip of a lifetime with husband, Mark, to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary. We asked her for tips and advice on this most five star of locations, which has notoriously been a playground of the rich and famous.

First of all, Deborah, tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do:

Hi, I’m Deborah and I work full-time within the water industry, helping to look after our natural resource as best we can.

Have you travelled much?

While our three children were young, we covered the length and breadth of the UK. Now they’ve grown up, we are looking to be more adventurous with travelling abroad. We have lots to catch up on and I can’t wait to do so.

What’s your dream holiday destination?

My dream destination is Italy. I love history and have always had a fascination with Italy for that very reason. It will take a lifetime to cover all of the different regions, but we intend to visit every year now.

What’s your favourite place you’ve ever been, to date?

Paris. The beauty, culture, sophistication and history are indescribable. There are different experiences in every arrondissementand it’s very walkable, with countless landmarks to discover, spacious boulevards and charming cafes. Going there will always be one of my favourite memories.

Visiting Paris was our first city break abroad and our daughter, who had worked in the city earlier in the year, wanted to be our personal guide to the city. It really helped having her with us and with her speaking the language.

Is the Amalfi Coast a good place to go for an anniversary?

Yes. The Amalfi Coast is a really gorgeous and romantic place to go for any anniversary or even a honeymoon. The scenery is breath-taking and there are so many restaurants with views to die for. However, be careful to choose the right time of year as it can get very busy.

When did you go and how long for?

We went end Sept early Oct, for seven days.

What was your itinerary for your holiday?

We flew to Sorrento for two nights, a trip to Pompeii, then two nights in Capri and three nights in Positano.

Where did you stay?

In Sorrento, we stayed at four star Imperial Hotel Tramontano, Rising out of the rocks, the hotel is set in its own leafy gardens and is ideally located in the historic centre of Sorrento.

The hotel is traditional and its faded grandeur was once a popular stop on the Grand Tours of the 18th and 19th centuries of the Neapolitan Riviera. The hotel has welcomed writers such Byron, Shelley and Keats. Rooms start from €435 per night in September 2024.

In Capri, we loved the four star Hotel Syrene, Located in the famous via Camerelle, a few steps away from the small central square. Rooms start at €450 per night in September 2024.

The views from Covo Dei Saraceni in Positano were sublime, overlooking the beach. There is not much you can say about this hotel, other than wow! Rooms are approximately €550 per night for two people sharing in September 2024.

Who did you book with and how did you decide your route?

After searching for the right travel company, we chose Citalia – the Italy experts. With them, you can design your own holiday and they arrange everything – private transfers, ferry crossings – and are on call 24/7. They were absolutely amazing. Your personal taste is catered for in every way. It’s very bespoke

What was the approximate cost of your holiday?

The total cost was £4k, plus spending money, but we did go all out and chose four and five-star hotels, given it was our anniversary.

Tell us what you thought about each of the destinations you stayed in?

We thought we would like Sorrento the least, but it was our favourite place of all. A short journey from Naples airport, it has the most beautiful coastline and astounding views of Mount Vesuvius. Its old town is charming, with lots of cobbled streets and was the least crowded and least expensive of places we visited.

Walk to the marina, where you will find many gorgeous fish restaurants. Locals fill the harbour, eating drinking and singing, making it a great spot for an evening. It has a main port and it’s very easy to ferry hop to Capri and Positano, and therefore a great base, without having to live out of a suitcase as we did. 

Sorrento was more spacious and less confined than other places we visited. There is lots to discover and it’s a great base for visiting Amalfi.

Capri has the draw of glamour, boutique designer shops and mega yachts. However, we were quite overwhelmed with the crowds and frenetic harbour. In our view, there were too many people visiting all at once. 

The best part of the day was when the tourists had left the island and you had the place to yourself. It felt much calmer and more exclusive. I would even describe it as magical…until the first ferry arrived in the morning.

You will follow in the footsteps of Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, even Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, who played out their romance against the backdrop of Capri’s stunning cliffs.  

I made a point of visiting Gracie Fields’ grave. She was once our country’s wartime sweetheart and one of the highest paid actors of her time. It was one of the few places we visited that was uncrowded.

It’s best to book a boat trip around the island – maybe to the Blue Grotto – or take a bus trip to Anacapri – one of the two municipalities that make up the island. Anacapri sits high on a hill, away from the coast and was once connected to the port below via the 921 steps of the Scala Fenicia.

Anacapri is more laid back than down on the marina. In other words, stay away from the masses.

Positano, perched high on a cliffside, started out as a fishing village but became very popular over time with people in search of romantic destinations.  With its pebble beach, steep narrow streets and fabulous vistas over the Amalfi coast, it is a beautiful spot but again, I think it’s becoming too over-run with tourists and therefore very expensive.

If Sorrento was your favourite, what was your least favourite place (if you had one)?

We loved everywhere, but if we had to rate places, I would put Capri at the bottom, I’m afraid. In my view, the notion is better than the reality. I think there should be a limit on the amount of people who visit Capri as the infrastructure simply can’t cope with it.

What did you most love about the area, ie the landscape, the food, the history, etc?

We loved Sorrento for its diversity, affordability and many options for the discerning traveller by day and by night. Pompeii, Herculaneum and Mount Vesuvius are all within a train journey away.

The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD destroyed neighbouring cities, including Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as several other settlements, and has erupted several times since. If you do once thing, visit Pompeii. I was captivated by the place.

We loved Capri for its classiness, the quality and quirkiness. Nothing was cheap but that made it special in its own way. We loved Positano for being so scenic with its colourful villas, great restaurants and endless winding streets, which were all up hill (so bring suitable footwear to change into).

Push yourself and walk to the top or be even more adventurous and try the Path of the Gods – the most popular hiking route along the Amalfi Cost, with spectacular views over the bays of Sorrento and Positano. We took a day trip to Ravello – the city of music – which is well worth it if you have time.

How did you travel between destinations?

We travelled by either private transfer by road or by ferry, all of which had been organised by Citalia.

Approaching Positano from the sea was truly memorable. It’s almost too much for your eyes to take in and it’s also amazing how all of those buildings cling perilously to the hillside.

What’s the weather like on the Amalfi coast in September?

The weather was superb: 25-28 degrees every day. That’s perfect and manageable if you have a busy schedule, or just wish to bask in the sun without feeling too overheated.

Have you been to Italy before?

We visited Rome earlier in the year, which I loved, again because Rome oozes history and culture. We nearly booked a two-centre holiday combining Rome and Amalfi, but decided we needed a break between the two. You can easily get a train from Rome to Sorrento, though, which is the perfect base to discover the Amalfi coast.

Was it very expensive there?

It was extremely expensive.  We based the price of the area on the cost of an Aperol Spritz. In Sorrento, one was €10 euros. In Capri and Positano, they were 18 euros each.

Was it busy at that time of year?

Surprisingly, very busy, even though they only had two to three weeks left in the season.  However, it was much less busy than the heart of summer, we were told, so I’d recommend booking at a less busy time, if possible.

What sort of people go to the Amalfi Coast?

There were mostly Americans and Australians, with very few English. Tourists were mostly couples, aged 30 plus.

What were the local people like?

Local people were pleasant and make the most of the summer season. There is very little industry other than tourism for them, until things ramp up again in March.

Where are the best places to eat on the Amalfi Coast?

The food was amazing. Being on the coast, there was lots of fresh fish, which is ideal for me, as I don’t eat meat. We did some research before arriving and pre-booked restaurants for our first night in each place. Hopefully, by your second night, you have a general feel for best places to eat and gain recommendations from your hotel. 

We chose high end, as it was our anniversary. Our most memorable was a roof top terrace at the Tiberio Palace hotel. We had a five-course taster menu with the most gorgeous views over Capri. The service was excellent, as was the attention to detail. We left feeling like kings.

Other places we ate and loved: Soul and Fish on Sorrento marina; Godo, Capri; Ristorante Max, Positano and Lo Guarracino, also in Positano.

Do you have any tips or advice for people travelling to this part of the Amalfi coast?

Go with an open mind, a good bank balance and comfy walking shoes. Citalia made it extra special, so if you want that feeling of being looked after, travel with a good agency.  We would highly recommend Citalia.

Seek out the back streets, where the locals eat and definitely visit out of season. Buy your own Aperol, Prosecco and Soda to save a fortune if this is your tipple. 

Also, if you wish to add a gratuity in a restaurant, tip in cash. If you add it to the bill, this is heavily taxed, with the staff only receiving 30% of tips given.

Would you go back?

I would go back to the Amalfi Coast but would probably try Minori. The setting may be less jaw-dropping than Positano, but it is much less touristy and still beautiful.

And finally, where’s your next trip?

We are making the most of our children having grown up and we are off to Tignes in April and then a city break to Seville. We will maybe squeeze in another September break to Italy – this time to Puglia – if we are lucky enough.