The Amalfi Coast in Italy. Best Hotels Without Breaking Your Budget.

The Amalfi Coast is on the Mediterranean side of the Italian peninsular, just south of Naples and a two or three hour drive from Rome (depending on traffic). Picturesque with the rugged beauty of mountain roads winding along the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea, dotted with small towns, each with its own special character and style, you need to spend weeks in this region, not just days.

As with many places to stay in Europe, The Amalfi Coast can be expensive and there are many beautiful 5-star hotels to stay if you are lucky enough to enjoy that type of luxury. For many travellers however, this is not the case.

There can be traps when looking for budget accommodation, especially if you are looking at photos on a website. Photos always look better than the real thing, and who knows how long ago the photos were taken, so if the rate looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Farm stays are always good value but be sure to have a hire car available as many of these places are away from town centres.

Enjoy this gorgeous part of the world without breaking your budget and you will be pleasantly surprised with the accommodation available. Take a short tour and maybe plan your next holiday.

We only spent three days on the coast and the hotel we stayed in was a 4-star and quite pricey. It was comfortable and overlooked the sea as it was high atop Amalfi's centre but had we known about the budget accommodation available (just as comfortable), we would have chosen one of the ones listed, especially after checking some of them out.

When travelling with children through Europe, the budget can become somewhat stretched and in many popular hotels in Italy, children are not well catered for. For between US$40 - $150 the five hotels/apartments listed on the map are very suitable budget accommodation and they cater for families.

One of the accommodations listed has been recently renovated, which is a good thing, as when we went to check it out we added this suggestion to their 'suggestion box'. They did say it was going to happen and as it now has, I would recommend the 'Casa Magnolia' apartment.

What To Do On The Amalfi Coast

Apart from just sitting at one of the many seaside cafes and ‘people watch’ there are many activities to partake in. The ‘Isle of Capri’ is a short boat trip away with many tours available, from private boats to larger tour boats. Whilst visiting Capri a must see is ‘La Grotta Azura’, the Blue Grotto. This magnificent underwater cave has an incredibly spectacular light show as the water and rockface combine in only a way Mother Nature can do.

This island is famous for the ‘rich and famous’ people who live and holiday there as well as its exclusive shops and restaurants. I recommend walking and browsing as buying WILL break your budget.

If island hopping is not your style you are able to hire a car and visit the many small towns dotted along the coast including Sorrento, Ravello, Positano , Maiori and many more. The historic site of Pompeii is within an hour's drive and even the drive to Naples along the seaside road is very pleasant. When I say 'pleasant', I mean it can be slow as you have to stop and wait for the many tour buses to pass. However, this does give you more time to take in the spectacular views.

If your fitness is up to it, bikes are available for hire but remember, this is a mountainous part of the country so fitness is paramount. If not, then do the Coast in Italian style by hiring a Vespa, the only way to see how Italy really drives, if you’re game.

There are many farms dotted around the hinterland that produce many local fruits and vegetables, the main fruit being lemons. These lemons make the famous liquor ‘Limoncello’, a liquor high in alcohol which is served frozen in frozen glasses. The liquor doesn’t actually freeze due to the high alcohol content, so when you drink it straight down, ala a 'shot', this amazing liquid gives your mouth a burst of rich lemony alcohol, which is surprisingly refreshing. Great on a hot summer’s day after a sip of espresso.

"La Costiera Amalfitana" (The Amalfi Coast) is on the Sorrentine Peninsula with one of the towns in this region being Sorrento. Other towns include; Vietri sul mare, Tramonte, Salerno, Positano and Praiano. These are just a few of the towns dotted along this magnificent coastline and you will need more than 3 days to see them all.

The Amalfi Coast is also known as Italy's second Riviera, the first one being another playground of the rich and famous, The Italian Riviera, situated on the rocky shores of the Ligurian Sea. It is situated further north. This chic part of the Italian coast is more expensive than The Amalfi region.

If time permits in your next holiday you should visit both regions and really spoil yourself.

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