Catch the ferry to Naples
You could road-trip your way up the boot, but we caught an overnight ferry to save time and money. Was it the most glamorous overnight stay of the trip? No. Would Dua have been there, eating crisps in a cabin while her partner went faintly green beside her? I suspect not.
Ferries run daily, and we boarded at around 8 p.m., arriving in Naples at 7 a.m. We only booked a few days in advance and prices range from around $40 if you don’t want a cabin—personally, I would not recommend testing your marriage, honeymoon, or spinal health in this way—to around $200 for a premium cabin for two people with an en suite. Since this covers both fares, it is actually fairly reasonable.
On board, there were multiple restaurants, bars, gaming rooms, a club, and even an open-air swimming pool. It was not the chicest night of the trip, but there is something pleasingly practical about waking up in Naples, ready to continue the route.
Pop into the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast needs no introduction from me, but, as expected, it can be oversaturated. If you’re looking for somewhere to enjoy those views but brimming with character and authenticity, book a night or two at Monastero Santa Rosa.
Hidden away in the fishing village of Conca dei Marini, this 17th-century monastery reimagines what was once the home of wool-clad nuns, who busily baked their signature cream-filled pastries within its walls. Today, it is all arched ceilings, stone walls and terraces that splay down the hillside towards the sea. It delivers the Amalfi fantasy without making you feel as though you have wandered directly into the background of someone else’s proposal shoot.
Say ciao to the Roman Coast
With so many coasts, coves and fishing villages to choose from in Italy, the Roman coast is not often the first place people mention for a beach holiday. But if you know, you know. From Amalfi, it is a decent four-hour journey, so hire a car and make the drive part of the point with sea views, roadside coffee and the particular thrill of navigating hairpin Italian roads while pretending to be more relaxed than you are.