For four glorious days we stayed at a friend’s house in the hills just North of Amalifi. If this isn’t paradise, I’m not sure it exists.

Of course the area is known for its beaches, packed wall-to-wall in summer with sun and fun worshippers (people-watching is the primo activity). But the real draw for us activity-wise was the hiking (well, and vino-drinking.)

The coast is a hiker’s dream. This area features an extensive, well marked trail system making it possible to hike from town to town in jaw-dropping awe as you see the next view around each turn. We loved hiking from the beach in Amalfi all the way up (and up and up) to Ravello. There are frequent buses linking each town which makes one-way hikes possible.