10 places to visit on the Amalfi Coast

What to do in Amalfi

The origins of Amalfi date back to the period of the war waged by the Romans against the barbarians. Legend has it that Hercules, son of Jupiter, created Amalfi as a gift for a beautiful nymph with eyes of the color of the sea. Thanks to its proximity to the sea and the favorable geographical position, this city has always enjoyed a florid maritime activity.

The glorious past and its natural beauty have made Amalfi an important destination for tourists from all over the world. Amalfi is connected to its neighbor Atrani by a small pedestrian tunnel that passes through the rocks that separate the two villages. The first place to visit is the Parish of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the main attraction of this seaside hamlet. Then you can continue to walk through the village streets where you will come across interesting souvenir shops and places to taste the local food.

Positano on the Amalfi Coast

Positano is the village, which is the most beautiful and best loved by tourists. It is well worth a visit even just to enjoy the beauty of its monuments, good beaches and clean sea.

The famous church of Santa Maria Assunta is located in Positano on the splendid Piazza del Duomo. With it severe stone facade and the huge bell tower it looks a little like a fortress. The dome of the church is decorated with majolica tiles, but its most wonderful decoration is the handicraft of a Byzantine maestro, the “Black Madonna with Child”.

The church was built around 1400 and was subsequently subjected to several renovations, still visible on the main facade (1636) and on the lateral facades of the XV century (on the left side) and the XVI century (on the right). The interior is in the form of a Latin cross with three naves and three apses. Six monolithic columns (three per side), in pink marble topped with capitals, support the central arch. The outer facade is decorated with a pink window and two identical bright windows on each side. At the front of the church on the circular terrace there is a fountain in XVII century baroque style surrounded by four more fountains.

Ravello on the Amalfi Coast

Famous travelers baptized Ravello “homeland of the soul”. Its beautiful panoramas, the quality of its monuments, villas and other places of interest have fascinated many European artists who came here to find inspiration. The history of Ravello is directly linked to that of Amalfi.

When Amalfi was one of the four powerful maritime republics, Ravello had reached some magnitude in commercial activities. It was destroyed as a result of several wars, but in the nineteenth century Ravello began its recovery as a tourist resort. Artists and intellectuals from all over the world often chose this village for their work and to find inspiration, turning it into an exclusive tourist destination. Ravello is known not only for the fantastic landscapes, but also for its monuments. 10-places.com invites you to visit the following famous places: Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone. We suggest you also visit all the churches.

Atrani on the Amalfi Coast

Atrani has been famous for centuries as “the fishermen’s village”. There is a view to the sea from the squares while the houses are mostly located in the mountains. In the high part of the village you can enjoy a fascinating view along the coast of Amalfi.

Atrani is the smallest town in Italy, with an area of only 0.12 square kilometers / 0.05 sq. miles. In the center is a small square with the Church of San Salvatore and a stone fountain.

Atrani is an example of a balanced tourism. Here you can enjoy a peaceful atmosphere and uncontaminated nature. It is the ideal place to spend some time away from the noise of city traffic and soak up the masterpieces of nature.

Vietri sul Mare on the Amalfi Coast

Vietri sul Mare is also called the “first jewel in the crown” of the Amalfi Coast. It is also known the home of ceramic making. The traditions of the masters of ceramics are carefully preserved and are passed on to the new generations. Masterpieces of this art are exhibited at the Villa Guariglia Museum of Ceramics in Raito, a locality near Vietri, as well as in the museum of Cargaleiro.

Ceramics are very important in Vietri sul Mare, as you will understand when walking through the alleyways of the town. Ceramic tiles are applied on the outer walls of the houses. The Dome of the Church of San Giovanni Battista is decorated with beautiful majolica tiles. The interior is decorated with gilding and numerous frescoes.

If you want to take home a piece of this special craftmanship, you just have to go into one of the souvenir shops.

Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast

Conca dei Marini is another jewel of the Amalfi Coast. It is the preferred locality for many famous personages. This is where you can see the Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto), full of water illuminated by fascinating emerald green colors of nature. It’s as if it has been made specially to astound you.

How to get there: by bus from Positano and Amalfi, or with an excursion from Amalfi for €10 / $12 (every hour, from the beginning of May to November).

How much does it cost? Entrance to the cave is €5 / $5.80.

Conca dei Marini offers a great number of interesting architectural monuments. You will find the famous Convent of Santa Rosa here, where the ‘sfogliatelle’ pastries were invented; the church of Sant'Antonio da Padova, with its beautiful tiled dome and tower. Another famous attraction is the Coastal Tower (Torre Costiera), also called “Tower of Silence”, because there was once a graveyard here.

Furore on the Amalfi Coast

Furore is a small municipality in the province of Salerno with less than 1000 inhabitants. It is located in the midst of the mountains, sitting on solid rock and surrounded by coursing water: there is a fjord on one side (a narrow and tortuous cove with a rocky shoreline, embedded in the terra firma), and on the other side is the Tyrrhenian Sea. The water of Furore is pure and crystalline; the houses built here look as if they want to descend into the sea.

The name Terra Furoris probably derives from the furious noise of the waves crashing onto the rocks of the beautiful fjord.

The quiet streets of Furore have a dream-like atmosphere: the rocks with their unique vegetation, the sound of the waves and the houses built right in between the rocks.

Maiori and Minori on the Amalfi Coast

Maiori is another characteristic village of the Amalfi Coast. There are many questions regarding its origins. It has the longest beach in this part of the peninsula and you have the possibility here to relax a little, admiring the beauty of the natural and religious sights and sampling the local culinary delights.

Strolling through the streets of Maiori you can see the following monuments: The Sanctuary of Santa Maria a Mare, one of the main religious buildings of the little town, the Castle of San Nicola de Thoro-Plano (ruins of the X century). If you prefer the sea and the coast, you can descend into the deep blue sea and visit the caves. Among the caves of Maiori the most famous are the Sulfurous Cave and Pandora’s Cave. Don’t forget to try the local dishes!

Minori is an old town where, at every step, you can breathe the atmosphere of the past. One of the most important attractions of Minori is the Roman Villa. This is a unique archaeological complex enriched by precious mosaics. It was built around the first century of our era to accommodate the Roman nobles and their families during the summer holidays. In the alleyways, with the aroma of lemons and stunning sea views, you can really relax and regenerate. We recommend that you also visit the Basilica of San Trofimena, where the mortal remains of the patron saint of the town are preserved. The incredible artistic and cultural inheritance, the wonderful landscapes and local cuisine, attract many tourists. Near Minori and Maiori lies the village of Erchie with the most beautiful beach considered one of the best in the whole of the Amalfi Coast.

There is a wide choice of low-cost accommodation in Maiori and Minori, making it very affordable for a holiday for the whole family with numerous easily accessible and beautiful beaches close by.

Cetara on the Amalfi Coast

Cetara is a village in the province of Salerno and has about 2000 inhabitants. The village is known throughout the world for the production of anchovies. But here you can also enjoy the beauty of the Amalfi countryside and the exceptional culinary traditions.

One of the most popular dishes of Cetara is obviously the sauce from anchovies. The liquid forms naturally during the salting of the anchovies. This very nice salsa is a good condiment for pasta, which of course in Italy is a must. In Cetara anchovies are the protagonists of all dishes: for the local inhabitants they are used as first courses, mains and also as a quick snack along with other products of the sea like the more widespread tuna. In the village there are also two beautiful beaches with crystal clear water and small houses on the beach. It is best to visit it on foot, also because it is rather difficult to find somewhere to park in the summer time.

Where to stay on the Amalfi Coast?

Along the Amalfi Coast there are many hotels, pensions, mini-hotels and B&Bs. Some of the most beautiful hotels in the world are located here too.

It can be rather difficult to find accommodation at an economical price during summer, so we recommend that you book well ahead to find a room in a good three-star hotel for about 80 Euro per night. One of the main problems of the Amalfi Coast is the availability of parking, so if you are moving around by car check that the hotel has parking.

The cheapest hotels are located in Minori and Maiori.

Looking for where to stay on the Amalfi Coast? Use the convenient search system of booking.com. To save money, compare the prices of more than 50 sites on hotelscombined.com: you will find the lowest price for the room you select.

For more information about Amalfi Coast we advise you to visit this site: www.amalfi.travel