Relaxed Beauty of the Amalfi Coast
In the Amalfi Coast dramatic coastal mountains drop astonishingly right into the sea creating a spectacular landscape of bays and cliffs.
Hiking trails like the famous Path of the Gods wind amidst those cliffs. Houses are built following the rugged slopes of the terrain, and vineyards and citrus orchards grow on man-made terraces that use any patch of arable land.
The stunning Amalfi Coast stretches for about 55 km or 34 miles along the south of the Sorrentine Peninsula from Vietro Sul Mare in the east to Positano in the west.
The Costiera Amalfitana, as the Amalfi coast is known in Italian, takes the name of its main town —Amalfi, the same one that in the 10th and 11th centuries was the capital of an influential Mediterranean trading center, the Duchy of Amalfi.
The area gives home to a number of fishing villages providing picturesque sites with their pastel-colored buildings, tiny ports and lemon groves that yield the basic ingredient of the famous limoncello, the after-dinner digestif served in chilled, ceramic glasses along the Amalfi Coast.
Whether you prefer hiking on the trails, swimming, exploring the food in local eateries or just relaxing and taking in the beautiful scenery, here are a few tips about what to see and what to do on Italy – Amalfi Coast.
Explore the 13 Amalfi Coast Towns
The thirteen towns of the Amalfi Coast are connected by the Via SS 163, a scenic road that follows the coastline and provides breathtaking views.
From East to West, they are :
- Vietri sul Mare
- Cetara
- Maiori
- Tramonti
- Minori
- Atrani
- Ravello
- Scala
- Amalfi
- Conca dei Marini
- Furore
- Praiano and
- Positano
Just west of Salerno, Vietri sul Mare is the best town to start your tour of the Amalfi Coast. The first Pearl of the Amalfi Coast as its inhabitants like to say, is also famous worldwide for its bright ceramics.
The Duomo of Amalfi is dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew and accommodates his remains. Don’t miss the Chiostro del Paradiso, literally Cloister of Paradise in English.
While Atrani is the smallest and best preserved town, Positano amazes the visitor with its hidden, tiny beaches and Byzantine buildings in narrow, winding seats.
In Furore you can visit the small fjord and the house of the great Italian actress Anna Magnani, now a museum.
And from Villa Cimbroni in Ravello you can admire the most beautiful view in Italy according to some Italians!
Hike on the Path of the Gods
Il Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods in Italian) has about 10 km or 6 m and until the building of the SS 163 in the first half of the 19th century, it was the only road that connected the towns of the Amalfi coast.
The suggested track starts at 650 meters above sea level in Bomerano, a district of Agerola, and winds among coves and vineyards up to Positano. The walk is around three hours or longer depending on your condition and route and takes you to the most amazing spots in the Amalfi Coast.
Fascinating Emerald Cave and Li Galli Islands
From Conca dei Marini you can visit the Grotta dello Smeraldo with its bright emerald light. The cave is accessible through the main Amalfi Coast road 163.
From Positano you can also make a boat trip to Gallo Lungo, the largest island of the Li Galli archipelago. The great Greek Geographer Strabo already mentioned the islands in the 1st century BC and called them Sirenai and Sirenusai because of the sirens that inhabited the islands!
Concentrate on Delicious Amalfi Cuisine
Amalfi is famous for its fresh and varied seafood, its desserts, with fine dining and rustic, traditional food equally available in local trattorias and restaurants. You can also enjoy local wine and the limoncello we mentioned above that has made the region world-famous.
Amalfi Coast Pictures
There is certainly a lot to see and to do in one of the most extraordinary regions of Italy – Amalfi Coast.
