The Amalfi Coast has always been towards the top of my dream travel list. Open water, vertically trellising cities, and sienna hued rooftops make for a dreamy warm weather getaway. With my premiere Italy trip falling at the end of November and early December, it didn’t seem ideal for visiting the Amalfi Coast. All of the research I had done warned against visiting during the off season due to cloudy skies, rainy days, and closed businesses. While yes, several businesses and hotels do close during the off season, traveling the Amalfi Coast early November was one of the best decisions of the whole trip. Here’s why you should consider traveling to the Amalfi Coast during the colder months:
INEXPENSIVE AMALFI COAST HOTELS
I stayed at La Bambagina Guest House in Amalfi, and paid $135 USD per night. It had a great view to the Piazza Duomo, and was incredibly convenient. During the peak of Amalfi Coast tourism, this hotel is over $300 per night. This is true for the majority of open hotels on the Amalfi Coast during the off season. Although several of the Amalfi’s most iconic hotels such as Hotel Marincanto and Hotel Poseidon are closed during the winter, there are still several fantastic hotels that remain open such as Hotel Eden Roc and NH Collection Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi.
NO CROWDS
It’s no travel secret that the Amalfi Coast, along with the entire country of Italy, gets crowded during the summer. Going on the off season meant no overcrowded beach, packed town square, or sidewalks reminiscent of a state fair. Being able to take in the shore with unobstructed views was priceless. On the way to the coast, stop in Pompeii for a few hours. Going was an incredible experience and going on the off season meant being able to find parking immediately, and experiencing Pompeii with very few people around. See my day trip to Pompeii by clicking here!
DRESS | HAIR SCARF {$3} | EARRINGS {$4}
HOLIDAY LIGHTS AND CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL
Nowhere in my research of the Amalfi Coast during the off-season did I see any mention of their holiday lights or Christmas festival. It was a pleasant surprise that the day I stayed in Amalfi {the town}, they had a Christmas festival. A full band took over Piazza Duomo, the town square, playing fantastic live music all night long. As many of the open restaurants have patios on the town square, you can dine and listen. The night was complete with a large firework display. Amalfi also had a brightly lit Christmas tree in their rotunda and lights strung across the streets.
LESS TRAFFIC
Traffic through Italy is notoriously crazy – the Amalfi Coast’s tiny, winding roads are no exception. With blind bends and single lane roads pressed between mountain and straight cliff that go both ways, driving almost feels like real life Mario Kart with serious ramifications. If you want to know fear, go down a road facing a large bus on a road the width of a single lane. Although traveling during the off season won’t fix the Amalfi’s crazy roads, it will mean less cars, less buses, and better parking.
IT’S PROBABLY STILL WARMER THAN IT IS AT HOME
With New York a warm and toasty 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the 75 degree weather of the Amalfi was a warm welcome. Contrary to all the warnings, the Amalfi was clear skies and sunny for the two days I spent down there. It may not have been steamy enough to lay on a yacht all day, but it was perfect weather for walking around town, and sitting on the beach. The Amalfi stays around 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit, which in my opinion is almost too hot.
DRESS | HAIR SCARF | EARRINGS
NO WAIT TIMES
Don’t worry about making a dinner reservation or waiting for a table. No waiting in line for a valet to take your car or to check in at the hotel. Amalfi definitely is not as dead as people make it out to be during the off season, however although the city is still bustling, there’s few enough tourists and enough businesses open that service is fast and friendly – no waiting necessary.
DRESS | SHOES | HAIR SCARF {JUST $3!}
The Amalfi Coast was truly one of the most beautiful places I have seen to date! I highly recommend taking the trip regardless of when it is.
xx,
E
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