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 fashion and faith collide on a tour from designer shops to the domed Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Meanwhile, twisting pastel-hued lanes offer up cuisine rooted in a maritime past in Amalfi, who rivals Positano for photo-worthy backdrops. 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; its 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.