I Took a Scenic Train From the Amalfi Coast to Venice-and It Changed How I Saw Italy

"On the final turn, Atrani appeared through a rock tunnel, its bridge illuminated against the purple night, houses cascading toward the Tyrrhenian Sea. Beneath the bridge, a narrow opening led to 80 whitewashed steps and winding passages to the lobby of our hotel, where the receptionist was waiting with a clunky key."

"The morning bells from Santa Maria Maddalena woke us early, and from the balcony, we admired the tiled roofs that ascended the cliffside. Below, the sea swelled gently against the empty beach. A single car crossed the bridge. Breakfast was beneath the shade of a lime tree."

"Years earlier, we had traveled through Italy in peak season with our three small children. This time, our youngest son had just graduated from college, and we brought him with us for a trip marked by transition, another season nearing its end with a new one set to begin."

A family travels to the Amalfi Coast, crossing the Monti Lattari mountains to reach the small village of Atrani. They stay in a hotel accessed through narrow whitewashed steps and winding passages, waking to church bells and views of tiled roofs cascading toward the sea. The village has gained recognition as a filming location for the television series Ripley, with various landmarks serving as set pieces. This trip differs from their previous Italian travels with young children, as their youngest son has recently graduated from college. The journey marks a transitional period, with the family traveling during the quieter off-season, allowing them to explore nearby Positano and sail along the coast without crowds.

Read at Travel + Leisure