One of the most beautiful coasts in the world is the Italian Amalfi Coast. Its picturesque villages that stretch along the cliff-top coastline and offer fantastic sea views are, simply, a must see. A holiday on the Amalfi Coast, in a landscape like in a fairytale, surrounded by the scent of flowers and lemons, beaches on the crystal-clear turquoise sea, boat trips to romantic bays and walks in lush vegetation high above the sea, is a wonderful opportunity to relax and enjoy the beauty to enjoy nature.
The most beautiful sights on the Amalfi Coast
Amid lush vegetation of lemon trees, olive trees and exotic flowers, the Amalfi Coast is famous for its pastel-colored houses artfully built into the steep cliffs, forming picturesque towns. The Amalfi Coast, with its places worth seeing and its nature, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Amalfi Coast is a wonderful example of a Mediterranean landscape with exceptional natural and cultural value. The UNESCO World Heritage includes twelve municipalities as well as the Roman villas of Minori and Positano, the precious goldsmiths and handicrafts, the natural wonders of the Valle dei Mulini and the majolica domes of Vietri sul Mare.
The Amalfitana coastal road
The spectacular coastal road of the Amalfi Coast, the “Strada Statale 163 Amalfitana” is also known as Via Nastro Azzurro. The Amalfitana is one of the most beautiful roads in the world, but also difficult to drive.
The Amalfitana is the only road that winds from place to place along the cliffs. In many places no two vehicles can pass each other. Especially no buses that connect the coastal towns with each other.
Only the locals and the taxi and bus drivers know where to stop to pass the buses on the hairpin bends. As soon as tourists drive on the Amalfi Coast, there are traffic jams when the vehicles get stuck and then nothing works. Anyone who still dares to go on the Amalfitana should have great driving skills and a lot of patience.
Treat yourself to a bus or taxi ride so you can fully enjoy the slopes that open up beneath you and the fantastic view over the sea and the cliffs.
The most beautiful places on the Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful and popular regions in Italy and has many places worth visiting. Some of the most famous and recommended places on the Amalfi Coast are:
Positano is the destination number one of the Amalfi Coast. This jewel of the Amalfi Coast is famous for its picturesque seafaring, nesting mountainside houses and colorful flowers and fragrant orange and lemon groves. The lemons are shining in their yellow colors and the delicate dresses made from light cotton and linen fabrics are just calling you to try them on.
Positano was already well known with the Romans in ancient times and its beauty and heritage has been preserved to this day.
The hotels in Positano and Amalfi coast luxury villas available for rent are surrounded by this wonderful ambience and offer a wonderful view over the blue sea to Capri, which leaves the soul free and relaxed.
Small harbor of Positano accommodates numerous restaurants where you can enjoy the romantic evening atmosphere and taste delicious specialties made of locally grown food. A visit to Positano is a must for anyone who wants to experience the beauty of the Amalfi Coast.
Amalfi is the largest city on the Amalfi Coast, as far as one can say large with around 5000 inhabitants. Amalfi was the oldest maritime republic in Italy and experienced its heyday in the 10th and 11th centuries.
The Amalfi Cathedral is one of the city’s most important sights and impresses with its majestic staircase and facade decorated with gold and mosaics. The cloister of the cathedral is also known as the Cloister of Paradise and is particularly worth seeing as it houses a large number of frescoes and mosaics from the 12th century. There is a fee to enter the cathedral, but it’s worth paying to enjoy the beauty and history of the building.
Ravello is famous for its beautiful gardens, especially the garden of Villa Rufolo, which was built in the 12th century, historically and architecturally outstanding villa with a beautiful garden, that is almost suspended above the cliffs. These stunning gardens inspired Richard Wagner for the stage design of the second act in Parsifal.
Praiano is a picturesque fishing village located above the bay between Positano and Conca dei Marini. Praiano is a quieter and less crowded destination if you compare it to Positano or Amalfi, but still offers some beautiful views of the sea and surrounding countryside. Praiano is also known for its Church of San Luca Evangelista, built on a cliff overlooking the sea and offering a unique view. It is also a good base for boat trips to explore the Emerald Cave and other bays along the Amalfi Coast. It is a place for those looking for peace and relaxation and to enjoy the beauty of the Amalfi Coast.
Furore is a small village with only 800 inhabitants, located in a unique location. It is nestled into the steep cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and offers stunning views of the sea and coastal landscape. The highlight of the place is the Furore Fjord, a deep and narrow valley nestled in the rocks. It is a popular place for hiking and boat tours. The Amalfitana, the famous coastal road, crosses the fjord through a tunnel and connects Furore with the other towns along the Amalfi Coast. Although Furore is a small and remote town, it is still a popular destination for those who want to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the Amalfi Coast.
Maiori is a famous resort by the seaside on the Amalfi Coast and is known for its long and stunning beach. Maiori beach is one of the longest and widest on the Amalfi Coast and offers many opportunities for sunbathing, swimming and water sports. There are also many beach bars and restaurants where you can refresh yourself after a day at the beach. The town itself also has some historical attractions such as the church of Santa Maria a Mare, which was built in the 12th century and has a beautiful Byzantine mosaic floor. Maiori is also a good starting point for excursions along the Amalfi Coast and to surrounding towns such as Minori and Ravello.
Conca dei Marini is a small and charming town on the Amalfi Coast and is known for its good climate and wonderful sea. Conca dei Marini is also famous for its beautiful viewpoints from which you can enjoy magnificent views of the Amalfi Coast and the Tyrrhenian Sea. One of the most popular viewing points is Santa Rosa Monastery. It is located on a hill and offers a unique view of the city, the sea and the surrounding mountains. Another attraction is the Emerald Cave.
Conca dei Marini is known for its culinary and cultural specialties. One of the most famous culinary specialties of Conca dei Marini is the Santa Rosa cake. It is a classic Neapolitan sfogliatella filled with a delicious custard made from ricotta and candied fruits. Another popular dish is Conca soup, a delicious seafood soup often served with white wine and lemon. The region is also known for its fresh fish and seafood, which are often used in traditional recipes such as fried anchovies, baked squid and mussels.
A distinctive feature of Conca dei Marini is its traditional craftsmanship, particularly for ceramic products made in the nearby town of Vietri sul Mare. The area is also famous for its handcrafted coral jewelry made from natural corals.
Another place you should not miss while you are in this are the Pompeii. It was the ancient Roman city that was destroyed by the eruption of the volcano of the mountain Vesuvius. If you visit Pompei you will see how the remains of the ancient roman town was reborn from the ashes of the volcano by literally digging it out, and that is street by street, and house by house. Now it is one of the most popular roman monuments and witnesses of that time in Italy. You will see the amphitheater, the
forum and other ancient constructions that was part of the city in the old times. Do not need to remind you that Pompeii is the UNESCO world heritage site.
Herculaneum was just like Pompeii, hit by the Vesuvius volcano. Since it is newer historical site, lot of the stuff they found there is still there, so you can have a better insight into the lives of the people that lived there. Lot of the artefacts that was found in Pompeii, was take to the Naples museum or other museums. Here this is not the case. You can see the homes of the people in this town and other objects. You can also see the paintings on the walls which are real pieces of art. Simply magical, and it is just a few kilometers from the city of Naples.
Paestum is another UNESCO world heritage site. It is an ancient Greek temple built of three temples, Temple of Hera, Temple of Athens and the Temple of Neptune. Ancient Greeks did not pay so much attention to the surrounding as they built it, or they did not know, but Paestum was built in the swamp land. This led to the fact that there where loads of mosquitos there, many diseases such as Malaria, and other problems that the swamp land brings. At some point the Paestum was just abandoned. If you go there now you will see the buildings that in a great condition and find yourself like in a time travel machine.
Next thing you should do while you are at the Amalfi Coast is visit the Island of Capri and the under-water cave Blue Grotto. It is a magical cave filled with sea water. Sun comes inside the cave and gives the water a stunning blue color. The Blue Grotto cave was actually used by the roman emperor Tiberius who used it as his resting place. You, basically get onto a boat that takes you to the cave, climb into a smaller boat that takes you into the cave through an entrance that is not more than one meter high, so you need to lay down onto the boat to get in. You are in the cave for, maybe, 5 minutes and they take you out. You will surely wish you stayed there longer, but as many people wait for the entrance, it is not possible.