By Anca Nicula
The Amalfi Coast is breathtaking. The houses along it are so distinctive that they seem impossible to compare with anywhere else. Positano is one of the villages on the coast, but it feels like nothing close to a normal village. Every time I visit, I get goosebumps. It has a feeling that stays with you.
Walking through the narrow streets, climbing what felt like a thousand stairs, and waking up to the cliff outside my window are all beautiful memories. But arriving in Positano by private boat and seeing it from the water is an unbeatable feeling.
Positano from the Water
A vacation on a yacht is more than luxury travel. It is freedom, privacy, and the ability to sail from one place to another. Looking around, I could see other yachts nearby. Coffee in the morning on deck; dinner outside while watching the sunset.
I arrived during the day. It was a little windy, but perfect for staying on the open deck and looking at the coast: the pale, colorful houses and the cliff arranged almost impossibly above the water.
I was lucky enough to experience the best fireworks of my life. They happened during Ferragosto, right beside the boat. When they started, the goosebumps were back. I followed a few bursts with my eyes as they finished directly above us. It was a unique experience.
We anchored offshore rather than beside Positano beach, where small boats and day-trip traffic made the water busy. From farther out, the cliff came into view all at once. As evening arrived, the sky shifted from gold and orange to red and pink. Then lights appeared along the cliff, turning the colorful postcard into a hillside of little stars.
I stayed in Positano for two days and enjoyed every bit of it. Then we sailed toward Amalfi and Atrani, which sit right beside each other, and spent a day there before continuing to Maiori for another day.
Amalfi, Atrani and Maiori
From the water, I got to see four towns: Positano, Amalfi, Atrani and Maiori. Atrani sits so close to Amalfi that, at first, I could not tell which was which. They look alike from a distance, but feel different. Atrani’s houses are white rather than colorful, and they seem to have a little more space between them. I could feel the peace of the place. Farther up, vineyards traced the cliffs behind it.
In Maiori, I went ashore and walked. At the port, I noticed a beautiful hotel on the cliff that looked like a fortress. The promenade was long, with beach clubs on one side and palm trees on the other. For a moment, it felt tropical. I wandered through town and liked how clean it was. I arrived during siesta, so I did not get much chance to shop, but I did have one of the best stracciatella gelatos.
I also tasted local wine and honey, a deep yellow color, delivered straight to the boat along with some very good pastries.
Positano was busier, with fishing boats anchored close together and day-trip boats coming and going. The other three felt more relaxed. The privacy of being on a yacht was still there, even when the coastline itself was lively.
Capri, My Favorite Stop
Moving on to Capri, for some reason, this is and will always be my favorite. Maybe after reading this, you will want to go and understand why.
Leaving the Amalfi Coast behind, I could see big rocks in the middle of the sea, with nothing else around them. Getting closer, there they were: the famous Faraglioni, Stella, Mezzo and Fuori. The middle one, Mezzo, has an arch. Legend says that if you pass through it by boat with the person you love and kiss in that moment, your love will last forever. You have to pass through in a small boat, though, and this year restrictions meant it was not allowed.
Our boat anchored right in front of the Faraglioni. The view was everything. I could not get enough of it in the mornings. I would just stare and get lost in it, without a single thought or worry. That is how breathtaking it is.
The view from the boat was unbeatable, not only because I woke up with the Faraglioni in front of me, but because the whole island felt unique. Elegant white houses lined the hillside against the mountain.
We anchored near Marina Piccola, just a few minutes from shore by boat. Once on land, I found a small beach with crystal-clear water. I do not want to compare it to the Caribbean; it is hard to compare, but the color of the sea gave me that thought, even without white sand. Swimming there felt refreshing, like being reborn. I felt so relaxed that nothing else was on my mind. The sea always gives me that—a reset, a kind of calm energy.
There are two ways up the hill: the stairs, about 25 minutes, which are worth taking for the local life and quiet corners along the way; or the island’s iconic taxi, about five minutes and a proper old-money feeling. I tried both.
Uphill, there are big brands, fancy restaurants and people dressed beautifully and elegantly. It is a different vibe entirely, like every day is an important event. Through the narrow streets, there was so much calm and peace: white houses surrounded by greenery, people walking and relaxing. I noticed influential people there, actors among them.
I wanted brunch at a restaurant with a view and found the best one: Rooftop Capri Bar. It was elegant, with good food, a tasty cappuccino and what felt like the best view of Capri from above. Yachts floated on clear water, people swam, others were on jet skis, and someone got proposed to right in front of the Faraglioni. It is an image I cannot describe in words.
Leaving, I had this empty feeling in my stomach. It is rare for me while traveling; usually I feel ready to leave a place. But from Capri, every single time, that same sadness comes back.
The Route at a Glance
These are the stops Anca describes, in the order she visited them:
- Positano: two days, including an evening anchored offshore.
- Amalfi and Atrani: a day exploring the neighboring towns.
- Maiori: another day ashore.
- Capri: the final stop and Anca’s favorite, with time near Marina Piccola and the Faraglioni.
Quick Questions About the Route
Which Amalfi Coast towns did Anca see from the water? Positano, Amalfi, Atrani and Maiori, before continuing to Capri.
What made Capri her favorite stop? The Faraglioni, swimming near Marina Piccola and the calm she found on the island.
For more ideas, browse our Luxury Travel coverage, our guide to 2027 luxury hotel and cruise openings, and our account of Amanjiwo’s private train journey through Java.
Until next time, happy reading!
A.