The best bars on the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast has it all when it comes to evening fun, from classic cocktails served by white-jacketed waiters, to more casual seaside spots where you can go from sunbathing to sunset Campari spritzs in a day. You can even go all out at a club in a cave with a glass dancefloor, so you can dance the night away on top of the crashing waves.
For further Amalfi Coast inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Find a bar by area
Positano and around
Piccolo Bar
There is arguably nowhere else in the world quite as glamorous to sip on a cocktail as Capri’s famous Piazzetta, an achingly picturesque, open-air drawing room of a little square filled with the tables of the four rival bars who vie for custom. The Piccolo is the oldest of the four and the one favoured by the locals, so bag a table, order a Campari from one of the white-jacketed waiters and settle down to watch the world go by; everyone passes through this see-and-be-seen square at some point, and the fashion parade is unrivalled. Address: Piazza Umberto 1, Capri
Contact: piccolobarcapri.com
Prices: ££
Music on the Rocks
With the recent demise of the historic L’Africana club in Praiano, Music on the Rocks (located at the eastern end of Positano’s Spiaggia Grande) remains the Costiera’s only real club. Opened in 1972 and occupying a huge sea cave hewn from the rock under an ancient tower (accessed from the beach), the dance floor – where both resident and internationally-known guest DJs spin mainstream house and disco sounds – looks right onto the water. There are two restaurants; Rada serves posh food on an upper terrace with stupendous watery views while the more casual Beach Bistrot is right on the sand. And if you want to chill after dinner, the rooftop Flybar offers live jazz and other laid-back sounds.
Contact: musicontherocks.it; radapositano.it
Prices: off season, entrance is free; in high season ££ including a drink
Franco’s Bar
Franco’s is a chic, intimate al fresco addition to the coastal cocktail scene which harks back to an era ‘when bars were bars’. Seasoned mixologist Mattia Pastori’s signature cocktails include Franco’s Fizz (a citrussy combo of bergamot, lemonade, juice from local Amalfi lemons and almond milk), but there are the classics too (Hemingway Daiquiri, Moscow Mule, Old Fashioned et al) plus top-notch spirits and bubbly. Apart from some gourmet nibbles, there is no food on offer to distract from the spectacular view or the quality of the drinks, although the sleek design may draw the eye: the pearl white floor in hand-fired tiles, the custom-made chairs and tables in tubular steel, the blue and white striped Murano tumblers and Giuseppe Ducrot’s bright yellow ceramic fountain.
Contact: francosbar.com
Prices: ££
Aldo’s at Le Sirenuse hotel
Named after Aldo Sersale (one of the founders of the Sirenuse hotel and the present owner’s late uncle), Aldo’s epitomizes casual costiera chic. Its lovely terrace overlooks the pastel-hued tumble of houses that is Positano and out to sea and from early evening fills regularly with beautiful people. On hot summer evenings it is a magical spot for a casual dinner of oysters and caviar, sea bass tartare, veal Milanese or even a simple insalata caprese, but the secret is to linger late over post-dinner drinks while the temperatures cool, the twinkling lights and the sky turns inky blue. Note that you can book a table for dinner, but tables for drinks only are on a first come, first served basis.
Contact: sirenuse.it
Prices: £££
Praiano to Amalfi
Il Pirata
Accessed via a narrow cliff path from Marina di Praia, this is one of those multi-functional places that serves as beach club, restaurant and cocktail bar. You can work on your tan by day (sunbathing platforms are built into the rocks), nibble on a salad for lunch and later order a Campari spritz from the cocktail bar carved into the sheer rock face. With tables set right over the lapping water and regular live music sessions, it is a cool evening hangout, and if you want to make a night of it, the restaurant menu offers the likes of pasta with sea urchins (a local delicacy) and calamari fritti.
Contact: ristoranteilpirata.net
Prices: ££
Café Mirante
If you take the long, stepped path to Gavitella beach from Praiano’s main street, on the way down you pass tiny Café Mirante, an under-the-radar coffee and aperitivo bar with a menu of delicious snacks perched on the hillside with some of the best views on the coast. Although there’s not much room on the small terrace, it’s a magical spot at sunset; try and bag a sea-facing table, slip on the shades, order a Campari Spritz or Lemon Zest (the house speciality with a strong kick of chilli) and enjoy the laid-back background sounds while you watch the sun go down over the length of the Sorrentine peninsula and Capri’s faraglioni.
Contact: 00 39 3661718593; facebook.com/cafemirante.praiano
Opening times: May-Oct, daily, 9.30am-10pm
Prices: £
One Fire
Gavitella beach (accessed down some 400 steps from Piazza San Gennaro in Praiano) is just about the only spot on this stretch of coast which gets the sun right up until sunset, so it’s a great place for an aperitivo and there are fabulous views up the coast all the way to Capri. One Fire is a cool little bar with a laid-back, casual vibe and delicious ice-cold beer, good cocktails and a fun soundtrack. It also functions as a lido with sunbeds and umbrellas for rent, so you can make a day of it. If you can’t face the steps back up, there is a boat service to Positano.
Address: Cala Gavitella, Praiano
Contact: 00 39 338 3508555, Facebook
Opening: Daily 10am-7.30pm
Prices: £
How we choose
Every bar, venue or experience in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from casual pubs to exquisite cocktail bars – to best suit every type of traveller – and consider the service, drinks, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
