10 things to do and see in the Amalfi Coast

Breathless! The first time you visit the Amalfi Coast, you’ll be breathless.

The Amalfi Coast is famous for its natural landscapes: a wild and uncontaminated nature that welcomes many tourists throughout the year. A breathtaking landscape with centuries of art, history and culture. This part of the Campania  region is included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. 

Amalfi is the nucleus of the Coast and around it there are a lot of little towns with theirs characteristics and traditions: Positano, Maiori, Ravello. These are just some names of the beautiful places you can visit and explore, diving yourself in a unique and unforgettable place.

If you are looking for a hotel in the Amalfi Coast, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 250 hotels with prices, pictures  and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com

1

Amalfi’s origins date back on Romans wars against barbaric populations. The legend tells that Hercules, son of Jupiter, created Amalfi as a present to a girl with beautiful blue eyes, the same colour of the sea. This city, thanks to the sea and its geographical position, had a great development with the maritime activity.

The glorious past and the beauty of the landscape made this city an important centre of attraction for tourists from all Europe. After a visit to the Cathedral you should have a walk in the alleys of the town where you can find interesting workshops and taste local gastronomy.

2

The most famous travellers elected Ravello as “Spirit homeland”. Its landscapes, the quality of its monuments and villas charmed a lot of European artists who came here to find inspiration. The history of Ravello is directly linked to Amalfi’s one.

When Amalfi was one of the four powerful Maritime Republics, Ravello reached its splendour with commercial activities. It was devastated by some wars, but in XIX century, Ravello began its rise as a touristic place. Artists and intellectuals, from all over the world, used to choose this town and made it an exclusive tourist destination. Ravello has not only a fantastic landscape, we suggest you to visit : Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone and the Cathedral. All the little churches  in the city deserve a visit too.

3

Vietri sul mare is called the “first pearl” of the Amalfi Coast as well as the ceramic city. The tradition of the master ceramists is jealously kept and passed down to new generations. The masterpieces of this art can be admired in the Museum of ceramic of Villa Guariglia in Raito or in the Museum Cargaleiro.

The ceramic is very important for Vietri sul mare, and you’ll understand it while walking in the alleys of the city. On the external houses walls there are set beautiful tiles and the church of San Giovanni Battista has a fabulous majolica tiled dome.

If you want to bring home a piece of this ceramic art you’ll just have to choose in which workshop you want to stop

4

The Cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicola, with its austere stone façade, the crenelation and the huge bell tower that make it looks like a fortress, is situated in the charming Piazza del Duomo.

It was built around 1400 and  it had  several renovations, as you can see  by the main portal of 1636 and the two side portals dating back to the XV century (the one on the left side) and XVI century (the one on the right side). The interior has a Latin cross with three naves and three apses. Six monolithic columns (three on each side), in pink marble surmounted by decorated capitals, support the central nave. The external façade is decorated by a small rose window and two single-light windows. In front of the Cathedral you can admire the XVII century baroque fountain built on circular terraces surrounded by four pretty fountains.

5

Atrani has preserved its “fishing village appearance” during the centuries

It is the second smallest village of Italy.  Its centre is the little square with the church of San Salvatore and the stone fountain. The square  overlooks the sea and the houses are nestled in the mountain. On the top of the village you can enjoy the spectacular view of all the Amalfi Coast.

Atrani is an example of equilibrate tourist development.  You can breathe a young atmosphere and the respect of the nature. This is the ideal place to spend some time far from the traffic noise and to enjoy a natural masterpiece.

6

Conca dei Marini is another jewel of the Amalfi coast. It was the destination of many famous people and here you can admire the Grotta dello Smeraldo. This cave is a cove of the coast with the most spectacular colours of the nature. It seems to be made just to astonish the people who watch it.

Conca dei Marini has an interesting architectural patrimony too. The celebrated Convento di Santa Rosa where the famous “sfogliatelle” were invented, the church of Sant’Antonio da Padova, with its beautiful tiled dome and the Torre Costiera also called “The silent tower” because it was a cemetery

7

Furore is placed among mountains and it’s an hidden little town. This place is divided between the austerity of the stone and the fluidity of the water. On one side the fjord and on the other side the Tyrrhenian Sea. Furore has a crystalline sea and its houses seem to jump down the sea.

The name Terra Furoris (Furore means literally “fury”) comes probably from the noise caused by the waves crashing on the rocks and creep voraciously in the magnificent fjord.

The quiet streets of Furore will give you a dreamy atmosphere: rocks with vegetation, the sound of waves,  the houses nestled into the mountain.

8

Maiori is another characteristic village of the Amalfi Coast even if there are many doubts about its origins. It has the longest beach of this part of the peninsula and you have the chance to dive yourself into its natural beauties, religious and gastronomy paths.

Walking on the streets it’s possible to see all the principals monuments: the Collegiata of S. Maria a Mare or the castle of S. Nicola de Thoro-Plano. If you prefer the seaside you can swim in a deep-blue sea or visit the caves. Among the caves of Maiori the most known are the Grotta Sulfurea and the Grotta di Pandora. Don’t forget to taste the gastronomical specialities.

The main attraction of  Minori  is probably The Roman Maritime villa. It was built around the first century A.D. to accommodate a Roman nobleman and his family during the summer holidays. Among the colorful streets, the scent of citrus and the beautiful sea, you will experience moments of relax. We suggest you to visit also the Basilica of Santa Trofimena  and the remains of the patron saint of the city. The remarkable artistic and cultural heritage, the beautiful scenery and gastronomic specialties attract many tourists . Among the two town there’s Erchie, one of the most beautiful beaches of the Amalfi Coast.

9

Cetara is famous all around the world for the production of anchovies. Here you can find the beauty of the Amalfi Coast villages and an exceptional gastronomic tradition.

The anchovy Sauce is one of the specialties of Cetara’s gastronomy: the amber liquid comes out naturally from the process of salting anchovies and it’s a tasty dressing for pasta. Anchovies, in Cetara, are the protagonists of all the dishes: they are the starter, the second and the quick snack, along with “fishing boat” products or the most noble tuna. The village has two beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and small houses. You can visit it by feet but it is quite difficult to find parking during the high season.

10

In the Amalfi Coast you can find hotels, apartments, B&Bs and small hotels . Some of the most beautiful hotels in the world are on this coast. It is difficult, howeve,r to find a place with a good price during holidays, spring and summer

We suggest you to book in advance in order to find 3 star hotel at 80 EUR per night. The real great difficulty are the parking lots, so if you travel by car you should check that the hotel has parking lots

If you are looking for a hotel in the Amalfi Coast, we suggest you to choose among those offered by Booking.com. There are about 250 hotels with prices, pictures  and comments of guests already stayed there. Go to Booking.com