The Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is made up of four larger cities and many small towns. The four cities are pictured below:
Sorrento:
An unashamed resort town, famous for its lemon production.
Legend has it that the sirens lived along the craggy coast in the days of Ancient Greece.
Check out: Museo Correale, Teatro Tasso, and Mt. Vesuvius
To learn more about Sorrento, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorrento,_Italy
Positano:
Positano is the most photographed and recognizable spots on the Coast, appearing in many movies.
The city has very little flat land. To navigate, be ready to hike stair after stair. Good thing this city is worth the workout!
Check out: Boat to Capri, Shopping, and The Path of the Gods
To learn more about Positano, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positano
Amalfi:
Amalfi was a maritime superpower long ago. Today, it is a sleepy city built into the cliffs of the coast.
Because of its connections to the Orient, Amalfi introduced paper, coffee and carpets to Italy through its ports.
Check out: Sant'Andrea Cathedral (pictured). St. Andrew is buried in an elaborate tomb inside the church.
To learn more about Amalfi, follow this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalfi
Ravello:
Cars are not allowed in Ravello, which makes for easy, on-foot navigation of this beautiful city.
You can easily spend hours wandering through the winding, cobble-stone roads that meander through this medieval town looking at the spectacular views.
Check out: Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone gardens (pictured), Piazza Duomo
To learn more about Ravello, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravello
History
 The steep southern slopes of the Lattari mountains between Positano and Vietri sul Mare are characterized by rocky spurs, overhanging bulwarks and ravines that make this section of the peninsula practically inaccessible and have forced the inhabitants to make their living from the sea. The harsh Lattari mountain chain has always represented a sort of insurmountable barrier that has avoid the easy access for all the travellers for years . The 40 Km long Amalfitana main road, inaugurated in 1853 by Ferdinand II of Bourbon, is the only one that runs along the coast. The inhospitable cliffs and craggy rocks have allowed the Amalfi Coast to maintain most of the impressive yet charming beauty that began to attract hoards of visitors from throughout the world at the beginning of the nineteenth century for its mild climate, suggestive sense of isolation, fascinating landscape and ancient memories.
Leaving aside the tourists that crowd all the tourist resorts during the summer months, throughout the rest of the year Villages built at the headlands and in the bays, surrounded and overlooked by terraces of vineyards, citrus orchards and vegetable plots, appear to be enchanted places where time has stood still. After Positano there are three little islands, called Li Galli, and as the legend suggests....in the beginning there were the Mermaids, who tried to cast a spell over the insensitive Ulysses with their song, only to be turned to stone for their humiliating disappointment, the three crags of the Sirenusae. The islands have been owned by the famous Russian choreographer Leonide Massine for forty years, then acquired in 1988 by the ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyevt. The coast line appears particularly wild and solitary and this languidness and seduction of it have been always the inspirer Muses of artists, musician and writers such as: Arthur Meadows, Giovanni Lanza, Achille Vianelli, Angelo Della Mura, Franco Zeffirelli (with his villa in Positano), Lawrence Olivier, Liz Taylor, Carla Fracci, Liza Minnelli, Placido Domingo, Alberto Moravia, John Steinbeck, Roman Vlad, Eduardo De Filippo, Wagner Greta Garbo, Leopold Stokovskj, etc. |
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Below are links designed to help you find all the useful information you need to create your brochure for
The Amalfi Coast
This website provides a great overview of the sights and cities of the Amalfi Coast
This website gives visitors a good city by city guide
This wikpedia site gives you overview information about the most beautiful city in the world: Ravello!
My Travel Journal for the Amalfi Coast
Cities Visited:
Praiano:
A very quiet “one street” town, not much to do, but that is the beauty of it.
Good Restaurant: La Brace- On the main street, second level. Ask a local, they will help you find it
Positano:
The largest of the cliff cities, very touristy, loud and bright. It has a lot of shopping and some great restaurants. You can take a boat to Capri from the beach
Capri and Anacapri:
Take a boat from either Naples or Positano (I would recommend Positano) Great shopping, beautiful vistas and a lot of walking
When you get off the boat in the Marina, don’t take a taxi to Capri town, take the railcar- MUCH cheaper
Take the chairlift in Anacapri to the highest part of the island- beautiful views and a great ride
Take the tour through Axel Munthe’s house- full of ancient Roman artifacts and beautiful gardens
Best Gelato: Bar Embassy
Amalfi:
Smaller than Positano, a bit more run-down, but a lively fishing village that is a bit touristy, but has a lot of character
Go into the black and white stripped Duomo- very impressive tomb of St. Andrew
Ravello:
The most beautiful town I have ever seen, east of Amalfi into the moutains
No cars are allowed, park on the outskirts of the town
Take a few hours to walk the town