Luxury Amalfi Coast and Bay of Naples holidays

Few stretches of coastline can compete with the dramatic cliffs and tangy terraced lemon groves of the Amalfi Coast, where a largely traffic-free resort – christened Ravello – perches high above the waves. The inspiration of many a writer; days here melt from meandering through the gardens and grottos of centuries-old villas. In Positano, the worlds of food, fashion and faith collide on a slow wander from boutique shops to the domed Church of Santa Maria Assunta, interspersed with cuisine rooted in its fishing village past. All pastel colours and twisting lanes, maritime powerhouse Amalfi rivals Positano for photo-worthy backdrops although on a smaller scale. Over on Capri, a heady air of romance surrounds the upmarket hangouts and famous sea caves – even drifting its way down the Phoenician Steps connecting Anacapri to the sea. 

In the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, Naples boasts a timeline that is likely even older than Rome’s; it’s lived-in streets rewinding the clock with the likes of Galleria Umberto I’s 19th-cenury architecture, the delightful hand-crafted nativities of Via San Gregorio Armeno (or ‘Christmas Alley’), and Via Tribunali’s restaurants specialising in Naples’ most famous progeny – pizza. And below street level, a subterranean world entices the dark tourism crowd in the city’s catacombs; the same crowd that usually venture over to a place trapped in time – Pompeii. Meanwhile, past the city’s oldest castle – Castel dell-Ovo – and into the Bay of Naples is understated Ischia Island. Life here revolves around a volcanic heritage that has resulted in lush botanical gardens to wander, wine courtesy of ash-rich soil to be savoured and natural thermal pools to dive right into.