My wife and I are trying to decide between visiting the Amalfi Coast/Capri or the Riviera (finishing with a few days at Cinque Terra) this July. We will only have eight days so time is short. I've read the pros and cons of each but hadn't seen much about the weather. My last two trips to Italy were to Rome and Venice and they were scorchers. The heat was in the upper 80's/low 90's but felt a lot hotter, maybe because the air was so still. I was just curious if anyone has been to either of these coastal locations in July and had any comments on the weather (e.g. are there any cooling breezes off the Mediterranean?). I'd also be curious to know if you have any comments on which beaches are better situated for sun bathing (hotels on or near the beach). After graduating our 4th out of 5 chidren my wife warns me she won't be moving far from the sand, sea, or surrounding area.
Posted by
Bromley, Kent,, UK
1829 posts
The Amalfi Coast is not really a beach area, think cliffs plunging into the sea. Google Maps and, where available, their Street View it will give you a good idea of the topography and of course the beautiful scenery.
However, there are a number of small towns/bays with beaches, mostly shingle or dark sand, dotted along the coast. These will be divided into private (see below for amenities) and public areas.
There are also organised sea bathing establishments with wooden decks over the sea. You pay to use them but you get the use of a chair, sunshade and showers/toilets. There will also be a snack bar or cafe. Very Italian and civilised way of catching some rays.
In addition, many of the hotels have their own swimming pools and/or sea bathing set ups.
Posted by
Lake Country, Canada
120 posts
For a relaxing beach resort style holiday I think I would choose the Amalfi coast over the CT.
There is a lovely beach in Maori, which is a small resort area not far from the town of Amalfi. The street along the water is lined with hotels giving lots of options for rooms convenient to the beach. There is a public beach area but also numerous private areas you have to pay to enter. The town has everything needed for a relaxing holiday - restaurants, shops, etc. If you get bored you can take a boat taxi to Amalfi to pick up the ferry there to Capri.
Posted by
boulder, co
30 posts
The Ligurian coast of Italy will be a little cooler than the Amalfi area and has more beach towns - Santa Margherita, Camogli, Levanto, Portovenere and Sestri Levanto to name a few. Positano, near Amalfi, has a great beach but is more expensive than the Ligurian towns.