If you want to do something a little different this Christmas, then the Amalfi Coast might just be the place to do it. The great thing about being able to get away for a few days during the festive time of year is that you get to experience how other people celebrate Christmas — and nowhere does it quite like the Amalfi Coast.
To give you and the family plenty of festive ideas, we’ve put together a few of the most popular things people like to get up to. From feasts to festive lights, and good food to outdoor concerts, the Amalfi Coast at Christmas is a place that you’re going to fall in love with the moment you arrive.
Lots of the big hotels open for a few weeks over Christmas and New Years
The big hotels tend to shut between November and February, but they do open up for a few weeks over Christmas and New Year. This is because the Amalfi Coast is fast becoming a hotspot for festive activity that people from all over the world want to come and enjoy.
Book yourself in nice and early, and you’ll be able to find a bargain and secure your place in one of the most stunning parts of Italy. Perfect for making your next Christmas one you’ll remember for a lifetime.
Check our updated guide on: What to do in the Amalfi Coast
Atrani and Cetara put their lights up in style
If you want to see lights on a far smaller scale, and get a real taste for how the locals live, then the villages of Atrani and Cetara are great places to head to. They’re fishing villages at heart, and have retained their own unique culture and identity for centuries. Not only are they largely untouched by tourists, they’re still home to hundreds of locals who wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.
The lights go up as early November and tend to stay there until well into the New Year. This gives you plenty of time to take a look at how the villagers celebrate the most special time of year.
The Emerald Grotto has an underwater nativity scene
If you’re looking for something truly special that you won’t find anywhere else, then the Emerald Grotto is the place to be. By erecting a stunning underwater nativity scene, the locals have really gone above and beyond to try and show you something different. When you factor in the unique green light that gives the Grotto its name, then you can only imagine how magical the scene looks when you first see it in all its glory.
Enjoy the Festival of Lights in Salerno
Salerno is the heart and sole of the Amalfi Coast at Christmas, and with good reason. Local artists adorn the city with a stunning array of festive lights, and to keep you coming back for more they create a new festive theme from scratch, every single year. This means that you’re seeing something brand new the moment you arrive, as are the locals. These little touches are what really add to the festive atmosphere and make Salerno a place you have to visit at least during your stay on the Coast.
Live concerts happen most evenings
The Amalfi Coast is a place full of musicians wanting to play, and music lovers who are only too happy to sit and list to their tunes. At Christmas it’s normal to see large bands playing in the squares of Sorrento, Amalfi, and Salerno, and it’s something of a local tradition to spend an hour listening to them in the evenings with a hot drink.
The Villa Cimbrone Gardens come to life in the festive period
The final thing you’re going to want to fit into your festive getaway is a visit to the breathtaking Villa Cimbrone Gardens in the town of Ravello. Perched on a stunning cliff-top and offering some of the finest views anywhere on the Coast, the Gardens really do come to life in the winter.
Whilst many of the gardens down on the shoreline will lie dormant in the winter months, the expert gardeners at Villa Cimbrone have ensured there are new flowers and plants blossoming right the way through the year.
Best time to visit Amalfi Coast: Jan • Feb • Mar • Apr • May • Jun • Jul • Aug • Sep • Oct • Nov • Dec