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 The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) from Sorrento to Salerno is one of Europe's most beautiful stretches of coastline, and the scenic corniche road that winds precariously along it, is justly famous as one of the world's most hair-raising and most scenic motoring experiences.
From the East, the Amalfi Drive begins at Salerno, one of the most active ports of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city's historical and cultural tradition dates back to Roman times, and it was the seat of the oldest university in Europe, the Schola Medica Salernitana. In more modem times it is best remembered for the Allied troops landing on its beaches, during the second world war. Salerno isn't a tourist town, but it's a very sociable and lively place with plenty of street life and an intriguing choice of eating places, and makes a good base to explore Mediterranean culture and the fascinating landscapes of the Amalfi Coast. While in the area, a must-see to the east of Salerno is Paestum, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the county, containing see some of the best preserved Greek ruins, architecture and monuments.
Positano and Praiano: The Jewels of the Amalfi Coast Destinations - European Destinations Written by Passaporto  Positano, known as the "Gem of the Divine Coast", is probably the most beautiful and well-photographed village of the Amalfi Coast. Positioned at the centre of the Gulf, its multi-coloured houses and villas seem to cascade down the cliff side amongst beautiful gardens planted with palm trees, orange and lemon groves, offering stunning panoramic views over the town and coastline. The artist Paul Klee called Positano "the only place in the world conceived on a vertical rather than a horizontal axis".
Between Amalfi and Positano on the picturesque Amalfi coast, Praiano is less striking and compact than its neighbours, but is still a charming village with a beautiful beach and a lovely atmosphere. Largely without the tourist crush of its more famous neighbours, it offers a more peaceful experience at cheaper prices for those using a car to explore the area and is becoming increasingly popular as a less-crowded alternative. Read more... Amalfi: History, Spectacular Scenery and Attractions Destinations - European Destinations Written by Passaporto  Amalfi is the main town of the Costiera Amalfitana, the spectacular stretch of coastline on the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula of Italy. The first view of the town is unforgettable, with its tightly packed pastel-coloured villas and palaces clinging to the cliffside and steep alleyways and steps that wind down from the higher part of the town into the fishing port and shingle beach below. An independent republic from the seventh century until 1075, Amalfi rivalled Pisa and Genoa for prosperity and maritime importance, and its golden age is symbolised by its stunning cathedral: its Arab-Norman facade dominates the Piazza Duomo, the unofficial town centre that is always pulsating with people. Today it is an important tourist destination together with other towns on the same coast, and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The Amalfi coast is famed for its production of Limoncello liqueur and home-made paper used throughout Italy for wedding invitations, visiting cards and elegant writing paper. Read more... The Amalfi Drive: Salerno, Vietri sul Mare, Maiori and Minori Destinations - European Destinations Written by Passaporto  The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) from Sorrento to Salerno is one of Europe's most beautiful stretches of coastline, and the scenic corniche road that winds precariously along it, is justly famous as one of the world's most hair-raising and most scenic motoring experiences.
From the East, the Amalfi Drive begins at Salerno, one of the most active ports of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city's historical and cultural tradition dates back to Roman times, and it was the seat of the oldest university in Europe, the Schola Medica Salernitana. In more modem times it is best remembered for the Allied troops landing on its beaches, during the second world war. Salerno isn't a tourist town, but it's a very sociable and lively place with plenty of street life and an intriguing choice of eating places, and makes a good base to explore Mediterranean culture and the fascinating landscapes of the Amalfi Coast. While in the area, a must-see to the east of Salerno is Paestum, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the county, containing see some of the best preserved Greek ruins, architecture and monuments. After leaving Salerno, the Amalfi drive passes through Vietri sul Mare, a lovely seaside town famous for its handmade ceramic tiles and pottery, before reaching the bustling resort of Maiori and the small picturesque town of Minori.
There isn't a great deal to see in Salerno, but it's pleasant to wander through the vibrant streets of the centre, especially the ramshackle old medieval quarter, which starts at the far end of Corso V. Emanuele , lined with designer shops and heaving with people (especially on Saturdays), and has Via dei Mercanti as its main axis; the roads around, such as Via Giovanni di Procida, can sometimes feel like a social club rather than a commercial centre. To the right of Via dei Mercanti, up Via Duomo, the Duomo (daily 7am-noon & 4-8pm) squeezes into the congested streets, an enormous church built in 1076 by Robert Guiscard and dedicated to St Matthew. The main features are yet another set of bronze doors from Constantinople and, in the heavily restored interior, two elegant mosaic pulpits dating from 1173, as well as the quietly expressive fifteenth-century tomb of Margaret of Anjou, wife of Charles III of Durazzo. The crypt holds the body of St Matthew himself, brought here in the tenth century. Outside, the courtyard is cool and shady, its columns plundered from Paestum, centring on a gently gurgling fountain. Outside, turn right at the bottom of the steps for the Museo Diocesano, which, although its opening times are erratic, is worth a hammer on the door to see its large altar-front, embellished with ivory panels in the late eleventh century and the largest work of its kind in the world. Failing that, turn left out of the church, left at the bottom of the steps, left again and then first right, and 100m or so further on is the Museo Provinciale which occupies two floors of a restored Romanesque palace.Salerno hosts what claims to be the oldest fair in Europe - the Fieravecchia - on the first weekend in May, when townsfolk parade in medieval gear, food stalls are set up along the waterfront and a 2000-egg omelette is cooked down at the beach on a giant metal contraption. Incidentally, if you fancy a swim Salerno does have a scrappy bit of beach but swimming from there isn't recommended. Better to make the short bus journey to Vietri or even south to Paestum and make a day of it. Destination Guides > Europe & Russia > Europe > Italy > Campania > Inland and southern Campania > Salerno Vietri sul Mare  Vietri sul Mare is a fairly large and lively town, split between its old centre heaped up towards the main road, the centre of a long-standing local ceramics industry, and a rather soulless waterfront area down below with numerous lidos lining its undeniably fine grey sand beach. The town is internationally famous for the production of antique ceramics which dates back to Medieval times and is still of prime importance to its economic prosperity. Today the Ceramics of Vietri have their own protected brand name. If you have an hour or so to kill you should visit the Solimene factory. Housed in an amazing bulbous tiled building on the Salerno road - the bus goes right past - its shop is a treasure trove of brightly coloured mugs, jugs, pots and bowls. You can also wander into the workshop next door for a brief look at how it's done. The Ceramics Museum, housed in the beautiful Villa Guariglia, preserves precious pieces of antique ceramics, such as curious vaults filled with china to lighten the weight and enormous multicoloured plates in which peasants dried tomatoes. Also not to be missed is the town's most important monument, the 17th century Church of St Giovanni Battista, with its Majolica covered dome which dominates the townscape.
Maiori and Minori
Maiori lies at the head of the Tramonti valley and is the location of the longest unbroken stretch of beach on the Amalfi coastline. It was once the most important port of the Amalfi Republic, and has been a popular tourist resort since Roman times. Compared to other town along the coast, nowadays it's a much louder, brasher place, and straggles along its huge stretch of beach for a kilometre or more in a long line of beach bars and restaurants. The main church of Maiori, in what remains of the historic centre, is the Collegiate of S. Maria a Mare, built in the 12th century and largely renovated between the 18th and 19th century. It is characterized (as are many other churches on the Amalfi Coast) by its large dome covered with majolica tiles. Minori, 2km beyond Maiori, is a pretty village with an appealing network of narrow streets behind its short but charming tree-lined promenade and grey sandy beach . The remains of a Roman villa dating from the first century AD lie just off the main road into town from Amalfi, opposite the Hotel Settebello . They were discovered in 1932, and part of the site still lies unexcavated under the houses beyond, but you can visit the sunken peristyle, with its fish pond at one end, and the remains of a nymphaeum; and there are a couple of rooms housing an assortment of finds. The tourist office on the main square of Piazza Umberto has all the information you'll need. Read more... |
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