The word bar in Italian has multiple meanings to the English speaker. It can be a simple neighborhood place for a quick cup of coffee or a luxurious locale in a fancy hotel for a pre-dinner cocktail. We have gathered our picks for some of the very best bars on the Amalfi Coast to enjoy cups of cappuccinos and flutes of prosecco.
This historic bar next to Amalfi’s impressive Duomo is the perfect place for a break. Starched white table cloths and tuxedoed waiters take your order while you enjoy the view of the busy Piazza. Inside there is plenty of polished wood and marble from the Belle Epoque and a pastry case to indulge even the sweetest of teeth. The lemons used in cakes and cocktails all come from the family’s nearby estate, Villa Paradiso.
Grab a stool next to the stone lion with a view of the vertical town of Positano on one side, and the town’s main beach Spiaggia Grande on the other. From early morning breakfast with the boat captain and early risers, to an afternoon draft beer and then an after dark glass of prosecco, this bar is always busy. There is also a selection of gelato and ice pops found at the end of the bar inside.
Watch the light turn from soft blue to pink to inky dark from a table at the stylish Champagne and Oyster bar at the Sirenuse Hotel in Positano. Choose a small table or one of the wicker benches strewn with embroidered pillows designed by the hotel’s owner Carla Sersale. The menu extends beyond the eponymous champagne and oysters. You can try a classic briny dry martini or the signature cocktail, the Sireneuse, made with No. 3 Gin, Lemon, Maraschino and Champagne. There is a DJ spinning music nightly.
For an excellent glass of wine, head to the Bar del Duomo in the center of Ravello. One of the owners is a master sommelier, so you can be assured that the selection is well researched and sourced. With a front row seat to a view of the 11th century church, you are not limited to wine as the bar has an extensive selection of whiskey, sparkling wines, champagne, cognac, rum, Armagnac and brandy too.
The Lobster & Martini Bar at the luxurious Palazzo Avino Hotel in Ravello has over 65 different martinis on the menu. The skilled mixologist uses herbs and seasonal fruits to create exotic versions as well as James Bond approved classics. Watch the sky, sea and mountains turn from their brilliant daytime kaleidoscope to a soft evening pastel haze. Once an aristocratic residence from as far back as the 12th century, the villa has had several name changes and additions over the years and now bears the name of the current family owners. Don’t miss the hotel’s art collection.
If nightlife is what you are seeking, Africana is the place. Late nights, loud music and a VIP clientele is the vibe at this legendary club built into a cave a few twists along the road in the town of Praiano. There is a panoramic terrace with glass insets you can so that you can see straight through to the sea below. Dress up in your highest heels and smartest collared shirt and dance the night away.