DAYS 7-10: LLECCE TO POSITANO
Lecce to Positano is a five-hour drive across the country from east to west, mainly by motorway. Break it up at Matera, a historic gem that’s been continuously inhabited for more than 9,000 years. Its caves now house cosy restaurants, cool bars and artisan shops.
Then it’s on to the show-stopping Amalfi Coast. Roads are a doddle until you reach Salerno, where the 50km stretch of weaving cliff-side road with countless hairpin bends will have you clinging to your seat. But the views are worth it – sheer cliffs meet turquoise waters, terraced vineyards and lemon groves cling to hillsides, while pretty pastel-coloured fishing villages stack tall.
Positano is Instagram catnip with its pink and orange houses and wisteriadraped streets full of fashionable boutiques, gelaterias, bars and open-air restaurants. Down by the sea, sip Aperol Spritzes at beach-front restaurant terraces. Le Tre Sorelle (£ 24pp; letresorelle.thefork.rest) is a popular spot – don’t miss the marinated anchovies to start. Right in the heart of the town, Le Sirenuse is a gorgeous hotel with bedroom balconies that open right out on to the technicolour view – and it has valet parking, which is so worth it. (£ 400pn; sirenuse.it/en). The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, La Sponda, and its tasting menu at £70 per person, is not to be missed. If you prefer something quieter, Priano is 10 minutes away. Here, Casa Angelina (£ 515pn; casanagelina.com) is a chic oasis with modern bedrooms, a sun-kissed terrace bar and complimentary access to the beach club below.
Basing yourself at Positano, spend a morning in Ravello, a town high up in the hills, about a 50-minute drive away. It boasts the best views in the region, and is known for its colourful, enchanting gardens, old churches, colourful ceramic souvenirs, and laid-back Italian glamour – Greta Garbo, Jacqueline Kennedy and Tennessee Williams all famously holidayed here.
Take a day trip to Sorrento, home of limoncello, and the most popular holiday spot on the Neapolitan Riviera. It’s just a 45-minute drive across the peninsula. Potter through the busy backstreets of centro storico (the historic centre) and, in the evening, watch the beautiful sunset from Villa Communale Park, Mount Vesuvius standing proud in the distance. Stop for wine and a shared burrata cheese at Inn Bufalito ( innbufalito.it) and move on to ‘O Parrucchiano, a magical spot where you can feast on spaghetti alle vongole under the lemon trees (£ 12pp; parrucchiano.com).