I walked into my first Italian bar thinking I knew how to order coffee. I did not. The prices on the board were split into two columns. No one was sitting down. And the cup I got held maybe two swallows. That first sip was a wake-up call in more ways than one, and it taught me that ordering coffee in Italy is less about caffeine and more about fitting into a rhythm that has been running for centuries. Around
Some people come to the Amalfi Coast for the sea. I came for the espresso — one shot at a time, from Sorrento down to Amalfi town, pulling up to whatever bar looked like it had been doing this longest. No agenda except a caffeine buzz and a willingness to stand at the counter like everyone else. Emily’s Take The best way to espresso-hop the Amalfi Coast is to start in Sorrento’s Piazza Tasso, work your way through the old-town
I ordered a cappuccino at a bar in Sorrento around 2 PM my first week in Italy. The barista didn’t say anything, but the look he gave me said everything. That was my introduction to the unwritten rules of Italian coffee culture — rules that make perfect sense once you understand them but can catch any traveler off guard. Roughly 90 percent of Italian households own a moka pot, according to a 2010 Bialetti study. – travelshelper.com Emily’s Take Italian
Stepping onto the ancient cobblestones of Rome, I felt an immediate connection to history, but also a fresh wave of practical considerations for navigating this incredible city. While many of us dream of exploring Europe, the reality often involves a few missteps if we’re not prepared. My recent trip, which included Italy, reinforced how crucial it is to pack smart, stay aware, and embrace local rhythms to truly enjoy places like this. It’s not just about seeing the sights, but
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The Sentiero dei Limoni connects Maiori and Minori with roughly 400–800 stone steps, climbing through terraces where the sfusato amalfitano lemon has been grown for centuries. – Amalfi Outdoor Experience I was standing in the main piazza of Minori, coffee in hand, staring up at the hillside behind the Basilica di Santa Trofimena. Terraced rows of green and yellow climbed the slope in tight lines, held up by dry-stone walls that looked older than the church itself. A few minutes earlier I had asked a local shopkeeper about the lemon groves visible from town. She pointed to a narrow
I first heard about Marina del Cantone from a friend who grew up going to the Sorrento coast long before the influencers arrived. She described it as the place her family went when they wanted to escape the crowds, a little fishing village with a pebbled beach and a pasta dish so good it has its own name. I’d been to Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi, and loved them, but I also felt the strain of the crowds. So when I finally made it to Marina del Cantone, I understood exactly what she meant. Marina del Cantone is a refuge
I stood on the pebble beach at Marina del Cantone, squinting at the water. It was a shade of blue so deep and vivid that I thought my eyes were playing tricks. I pulled out my phone, lined up the shot, and watched the screen turn the color into something flat and ordinary. The water in Nerano simply does not photograph correctly. That’s not a complaint — it’s a challenge. Nerano is a tiny fishing village in the municipality of Massa Lubrense, about 70 km from Naples, tucked between the Amalfi Coast and the Sorrento Peninsula. Nerano is a
Cava de’ Tirreni has reinvented itself. It is no longer just a beach destination. It is a place where people come for the art, the history and the peace.” – Pasquale Schiattarella, local tour guide, via The New York Times I stepped out of the car in Cava de’ Tirreni and the first thing I noticed was the air. Cool, clean, carrying pine instead of salt. After days on the Amalfi Coast, where heat bounces off limestone and the sea breeze is a constant companion, the shift felt immediate. This town sits on the steep slopes of the Lattari
I stood on a terrace carved into rock so steep I had to brace myself with one hand. Below me, the Mediterranean glittered. Beside me, vines twisted out of soil that barely looked deep enough for a houseplant. In August 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization added Amalfi’s terraced farming system to its Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems list — recognizing that these stone-walled plots let people grow food on terrain most would call impossible. – lavocedinewyork.com Emily’s Take Yes, the vineyard terraces of Furore are worth a detour — but only if you’re okay with steep roads, manual
I stood at the edge of the path in Bomerano, looking down at the terraced lemon groves and the sea stretching toward Capri, and I finally understood why they call it the Path of the Gods. The Sentiero degli Dei runs 7.8 km from Bomerano (in the municipality of Agerola) to Nocelle, a hamlet above Positano, and it’s the kind of walk that shifts something in you. Most people start from the other end, but the real magic happens when you go this way. The trail runs 7.8 km from Bomerano (Agerola) to Nocelle, mostly downhill, with views of
