Italian Town Perfect For Multigenerational Trip

Everyone Can Relax in Their Own Way

Since everyone vacations in their own way, a stiff, predetermined itinerary was not in the cards for us. Instead, aside from two planned activities, we just let each day unfold. Imagine: Grandparents babysitting the kids while the young adults swim or grab a beer; couples sneaking in a date at one of the bars or coffee shops; or solitary time reading or walking on the beach.

Just wandering through the town’s network of narrow streets was hugely entertaining with plenty of opportunities for individual exploration — like a beautiful yellow church and 1st-century Roman villa ruins. From the center of town, a few of us took the challenging steps up to Ravello for a day excursion — sweaty work!

A segment of the Sentiero dei Limoni or Path of Lemons, between the towns Maiori and Minori, Italy.

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Sitting squarely in the Amalfi Coast’s incredible lemon-growing areas, the Path of Lemons above Minori was an all-family affair — with the baby tucked away in a carrier. Terrific for spectacular views, the narrow cobbled path is flanked by lemon trees and has small hillside homes and even a teeny church. The ancient walk connects to the next town of Maiori, where we refueled at a cafe.

Another big adventure took us out on the water. We piled into a boat and whizzed along the coast to catch views of the famed coastline. We gawked, snapped photos, and took a dip to cool off. The baby’s wide-eyed wonder, though, was my favorite part.

Aperitivo, Gelato and Family Meals on the Balcony

Though a small town, Minori has a robust food scene, with everything within a five-minute walk from our apartment. Considered the City of Taste since the Middle Ages, it’s an understated giant in Italian cuisine, known for its pasta production and creation of ‘ndunderi — a bit like gnocchi. Our experience matched the reputation — we gathered around food every day. Thanks to our amazing balcony and great kitchen, staying in for dinner — or ordering takeaway Neapolitan pizza — didn’t feel like a sacrifice and was often easier than all of us going out.

Across the street from our base, the promenade was lined with beach bars, which we’d migrate to daily near the end of the day for an aperitivo — Italian happy hour with Aperol spritzes and snacks like olives and chips. We were regulars at Del Rio and Bar 52, and happily indulged in gelato at one of the many shops. For a birthday celebration, we chose Giardiniello, an upscale seafood restaurant. Another night, we brought home an order of Lemon Delight from Sal De Riso of Stanley Tucci fame, to savor under the stars on our balcony.

Use Minori as Your Base for Exploring

We discovered that Minori offered a calm stay that was nonetheless connected to the rest of the Amalfi Coast via ferries and buses. For a particularly peaceful, scenic way to visit popular towns like Positano and Capri, opt for the ferry system. And aside from the steps, Ravello is much easier (and quicker) to reach by public bus, saving energy to explore the mountaintop gem.

We’d briefly flirted with renting a car, but parking and navigating the roads would have been a stress-inducer. Instead, the 75-minute car service from the Naples Airport was relaxing — although, if our flight schedules had allowed it, taking a ferry from Naples to Minori’s pier in the center of town would have been a stunning way to arrive.

Staying in one town in a great short-term rental rather than hotel-hopping allowed everyone to unpack, relax, and get to know the town intimately. Going in, I’d hoped Minori would give our grown kids space to reconnect through beach walks and favorite bars. I’d wanted to take unhurried stroller walks through town with our restless grandson and to witness him take in the beach for the first time.

Minori delivered.

Have any of YOU been to the Amalfi Coast? Let us know in the comments below.