Raito, Italy is a gorgeous, albeit tiny, village perched high above the Amalfi Coast, almost directly overlooking Vietri sul Mare. It also happened to be the first proper stop on our big Italian family vacation in late September 2025. We selected it, honestly, for one reason: its charming hotel with stunning views of Vietri sul Mare, Salerno and its sweeping Gulf. In this post, I’ll share how we and our friends’ family spent 3 unforgettable days in Raito, from what we did and where we ate to the hidden gems that made this quiet hilltop village so magical.
Beautiful sunrise from Hotel Raito, Italia.
DAY 1: A TRAIN TO SALERNO, A FABULOUS POOL, & WALKING FROM THE ALBORI TO VEITRI SUL MARE FOR SUNSET.
Our adventure to the Amalfi Coast began in Rome, with a direct train from Roma Termini (Rome’s main train station) to Salerno. Salerno is the large city at the Southern end of the Amalfi Coast and while most visitors train to Napoli to access the Amalfi Coast, Salerno is closer to some of the smaller, more authentic towns. In fact, Salerno is only about a 10 minute drive from Vietri sul Mare and, our destination, Raito. After a quick check by the Italian Polizia for identification in Termini (very, very common – don’t train through Termini without your passport), we were off to Salerno!
Roma Termini.
The train ride was only about two hours. Once we arrived in Salerno, we arranged private transfers of two vans that picked us up and whisked us the short ten minutes up the steep hill to the fabulous Hotel Raito. And fabulous it truly is. Think old-school European charm, sweeping sea views, postcard-perfect vistas of Vietri sul Mare, and a stunning pool that seems to float above the coastline. Dan and I booked a Deluxe Sea View room (room #514, if you’re curious), which came with the prettiest balcony overlooking both Vietri and Salerno – an ideal spot for morning coffee and sunset gazing.
This is the balcony in Room 514 at Hotel Raito. We really loved it.
After freshening up, we headed straight to Hotel Raito’s pool! And yes, despite it being the very tail end of September, it was quite warm (high 70s F) and the pool was open and fully usable, as was the pool bar. This was a treat, as the weather in late September in Italy is always a gamble (we were in Italy last September and got some rain, as did we later on on this trip!).
Hotel Raito’s pool in very late September 2025.
View of Hotel Raito from the pool. Those are our friends on the deck overlooking the pool.
For the evening’s activity, we arranged a sunset walk through Albori that ended with a golden-hour boat ride to Cetara, another small Amalfi town. And before I get ahead of myself, Albori is a tiiiiiiny hamlet perched above Raito. It’s even smaller than Raito and somehow manages to offer even better views, if you can believe it. That said, while a handful of people do live in Albori, there isn’t much to do there. I wouldn’t recommend staying overnight, especially without a car. Our tour began at the very top of Albori, and as the sun dipped lower, we walked all the way down to the Gulf of Salerno. The views along the way were absolutely stunning. Highly recommend.
Albori, Italia.
Albori is incredible charming. It has lots of ceramic detail, just like Veitri.
Albori, again. I couldn’t get enough.
Once we reached the sea, bringing us into Vietri sul Mare proper, we were driven about five minutes to Salerno, where we boarded a boat for a sunset cruise to Cetara, another charming Amalfi village that still feels refreshingly “under the radar”. It was a bit chilly on the water, but we had a great time sipping local beer, enjoying Aperitivo on the boat, and grabbing gelato once we arrived in Cetara.
Dan on the boat – Peroni in hand!
Boating by I Due Fratelli – the most famous site in Veitri.
Arriving in Cetara. It was dark by this point.
Our stop in Cetara was brief, about 30 minutes, so we could make it back in time for dinner at Hotel Raito, but it was just enough to soak in the atmosphere. Everyone absolutely loved this tour, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our stay.
Cetara, Italia. Definitely a worthwhile stop in Amalfi. Next time, I will come earlier and stay a bit longer.
Our dinner ended with dinner at Hotel Raito, whose main restaurant serves dinner until 10 PM, as advertised. We found the food to be very good, albeit a bit pricer than eating in Vietri, but the vibes to be lacking (it felt like we were eating in an American hotel, and we were lol). My linguine alla Nerana con Zucchine pasta was excellent. We went to bed after dinner, as there is not much to do in Raito at night (and we were still jet lagged).
Linguine alla Nerana con Zucchine at Il Gulf at Hotel Raito.
DAY 2: BREAKFAST AT HOTEL RAITO, EXPLORING VIETRI SUL MARE, & DINNER AT A LOCAL WINERY.
The next day was an easy one, with nothing officially planned until a wine tour and dinner that evening. We started our morning with breakfast at Hotel Raito, which was truly excellent. Each day, the hotel lays out a huge buffet alongside a made-to-order station serving items like omelettes, pancakes, and even fresh cannoli (the specialties vary by day). Guests can choose between indoor and outdoor seating, both offering stunning views over the Bay of Salerno, making this a particularly memorable way to start the day. The selection is also impressively diverse, ranging from classic Italian pastries to more American-style breakfast staples, plus an array of delicious meats and cheeses.
This is the breakfast view from Hotel Raito.
A freshly piped canolo at Hotel Raito. I couldn’t decide between pistachio and chocolate, so I got both!
After breakfast, Dan and I, along with our friends Bryan and Pryor, walked down to Vietri sul Mare from Hotel Raito to explore the town. For anyone considering this, the walk takes about 30 minutes and follows a winding main road shared with commercial trucks. I wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, take the hotel shuttle or call a taxi (about €15 each way as of September 2025). In any case, we made it safely, and Vietri sul Mare is an adorable little town, best known for its vibrant ceramics. You’ll spot them everywhere, from shop windows to murals splashed across walls and, of course, in countless boutiques throughout town. We spent a few hours leisurely wandering before stopping into Ceramiche Bisogno Giuseppe, located right on Corso Umberto, one of the town’s main streets. The shop has been open since 1983 (!!), and the owner and his talented team handcraft all of the ceramics themselves. The prices are reasonable, the designs are gorgeous, and they ship to the U.S. Naturally, we ordered several pieces to be shipped home, all of which arrived quickly and in perfect condition. HIGHLY, highly recommend Ceramiche Bisogno Giuseppe if you’re visiting Vietri.
Mermaids are incredibly popular in Vietri. The town feels very nautical.
Vietri sul Mare has a cute walkable city center, although it is steep going from this part of town to the sea.
Vietri sul Mare. The dome in the background is one of its most well known sites.
Ceramics shopping in Vietri sul Mare.
You can find beautiful ceramic murals like this throughout town.
Bisogno Ceramics – our favorite ceramics store in Vietri!
After a very full day of shopping, we headed back to Hotel Raito for a bit more pool time before getting ready for our evening wine tasting and dinner.
Dan en route to the pool.
Vietri sul Mare from the pool area.
And, this evening was quite special, as it was our friend Bryan’s 40th birthday!! For the occasion, we booked a tasting menu and winery tour with Le Vigne di Raito, one of two wineries on the Amalfi Coast. And, its located literally a 5 minute walk from Hotel Raito. Amazing. Le Vigne di Raito put on a beautiful dinner paired with excellent wines, all overlooking the Salerno Bay. A separate post is coming dedicated to this dinner but needless to say, it was nothing short of fabulous.
Walking from our hotel to Le Vigne di Raito.
Raito from the vineyards.
Dan and me at Le Vigne di Raito!
A fabulously delicious dinner at Le Vigne di Raito.
Homemade pasta at Le Vigne di Riato.
The group for Bryan’s birthday!
After dinner, there was surprisingly a bit of a crowd in the Hotel Raito’s main bar, so we spent some time there celebrating Bryan’s birthday!
Birthday Prosecco!
DAY 3: A DAY TRIP TO POMPEII AND DINNER IN VIETRI SUL MARE.
Another sunrise at Hotel Raito.
Our third, and, sadly, final day in Raito/Vietri sul Mare, was largely dedicated to a day trip to Pompeii. Pompeii is about 30 minutes via car from Hotel Raito, and it does make a good day trip from most places on the Amalfi Coast. Having done Pompeii on our own over 20 years ago, this time we hired the services of Gaetano Manfredi to organize a private tour of Pompeii just for our group, followed by a wine tasting at a winery on the hills of Mount Vesuvius. We were picked up around 9:30 AM and spent about 3 hours touring around Pompeii. While Pompeii was INSANELY crowded, our tour guide ensured that we saw the highlights while remaining as far as possible from the masses. I highly recommend a private guide of Pompeii, or at least a guided tour. Gaetano Manfredi and his so (who did our tour!) was really great and incredibly interesting.
Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius in the background.
Pompeii.
After finishing at Pompeii, our driver (again, arranged by Gaetano Manfredi), drove us to Cantina Del Vesuvio. Cantina del Vesuvio is a winery located on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. It is a bit touristy, and certainly caters to the tourists visiting Pompeii with a well scheduled and reasonably priced rooftop lunch, but the food was good. It also made for a fun pit stop after visiting Mount Vesuvius. Don’t sorry – a post dedicated to this winery is also coming!
Cantina del Vesuvio.
Trying the wine on our tour.
Our primo at Cantina del Vesuvio.
This evening, we enjoyed more pool time, and even tried the indoor spa at Hotel Raito, before again venturing into Vietri sul Mare for dinner.
Hotel Raito Spa’s relaxation area.
The pool at Hotel Raito.
Vietri from Raito right before sunset.
This time, we made it all the way down to the ocean and dinner at Vetus on Piazza Attilio della Porta. While the food was just OK, it was not expensive, and it was a fun experience. This is what happens when you don’t make dinner reservations, lol!
Also, random Christmas-style lights in Veitri.
Random ceramics in Veitri.
My pizza at Vestus.
A seafood risotto in Veitri sul Mare.
Dan’s swordfish with gilled vegetables.
A final Vietri Peroni for the walk back to the shuttle pick up spot (just in front of Bisogno Ceramics).
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR STAYING IN RAITO
- You either need a car or schedule yourself around the hotel’s 6 person shuttle. There is not really much that you can easily walk to from Hotel Raito.
- A lot of large tour groups stay at Hotel Raito.
- Do not miss a dinner – or at least a tour – at Le Vigne di Raito if you stay in Raito. So, so good!
- While Hotel Raito has a bar, there is not too much to do in the evening, especially in the off season.
- We looooved Hotel Raito, but you will likely find it a little dated if you are looking for 5 star luxury.
- Driving in and around Raito, and Vietri (and all of Amalfi), is dicey. Very small roads, often with only room for 1 car, and limited parking.
- Much of Vietri closes for the winter. For example, Vetus is currently closed for the season. Plan accordingly.
- Hotel pools also close for the season, usually on October 1.
- There is a bus that goes from Veitri to Raito and further. The schedule seemed relatively straightforward.
- If you are driving in Raito, know that many of the streets are tiny and essentially only large enough for 1 tiny car. I personally would not enjoy driving in Raito.
STEAL OUR TRIP TO RAITO
Trenitalia: English to Italy’s national rail company.
Hotel Raito: Via Nuova Raito, 9, 84019 Vietri sul Mare SA, Italy. Hotel Raito organized our transfer from the train station to the hotel.
Campania Overland: This is the company we used for our Albori/sunset cruise tour. The website is in Italian, but both our guides (who were a couple!) spoke fluent English. They were also incredibly responsive to my questions about the tour. Highly recommend.
Ceramiche Bisogno Giuseppe: Corso Umberto Iᵒ, 150, 84019 Vietri sul Mare SA, Italy. Reasonable prices. Accepts credit card.
Gaetano Manfredi AKA Pompei Tour Guide: This is the company we used for our Pompeii tour.
Taxi Driver: We used Giovanni Apicella. He is great. Tel: +39 334 1561420. Email: vietritaxi@yahoo.it.