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The Amalfi Coast, a marvel of the Mediterranean

Written on : 30 August 2019
By : Melchior Burin des Roziers
The Amalfi Coast, a marvel of the Mediterranean

Let's discover one of the most beautiful coasts of Italy and the world: the Amalfi Coast. On the beautiful Sorrento peninsula, which majestically penetrates the Gulf of Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea, we will travel through this paradise on earth, from Amalfi to Sorrento via Positano... Welcome to a small magical land that fascinated the Greeks, Romans, Ostrogoths and Lombards and which will continue to captivate visitors from all over the world.

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Amalfi

Amalfi

Here is a superb city with a tragic destiny, full of nostalgia and waning, but risen from the dead. How can a powerful and glorious city of more than 70,000 inhabitants now have only 5,000 inhabitants? Answer: By literally collapsing. In 1343, the splendid Amalfi, almost entirely built on the rock, was awakened by a terrible volcano. This caused a huge earthquake that shook the entire region and caused the entire Amalfi cliff to collapse, taking everything with it, without exception. The city and its inhabitants were swallowed up by the sea. That was the end of the medieval splendour of Amalfi....

Today, the magnificent cathedral of Amalfi (9th century, a mixture of Norman and oriental inspirations) with its gildings, mosaics and doors forged in Byzantium, still stands today. It is a real vestige of that distant and tumultuous past that still watches over the city. We advise you to visit it, to pass in front of the tombs of the city's notables and to walk in the cloister of Paradise. 

There are a lot of interesting attractions in Amalfi: the Paper Museum (Museo della Carta) or the Ziro Tower (15th century) which offers an exceptional panorama. In the hinterland, take a break from the nature of the Vallone delle Ferriere, its oaks mixed with lush tropical flora and stunning waterfalls of beauty. Also take an excursion to the mysterious Emerald Cave by taking the Positano road.

Positano

Positano

Positano is a little jewel of the Amalfi Coast that you must discover at all costs! This small town sparkles with joy with its thousand flowery colours and its charming and peaceful seaside atmosphere.  This large village is perched as Amalfi was at one time. This makes it possible to see, from the beach, an enchanting spectacle. All these colorful houses that seem to climb up to the sky... it's absolutely divine! The port is very cute too. You will enjoy strolling through the steep alleys, breathing in the scents of the omnipresent flowers, until you reach a charming little plaza. It would be a shame to forget your camera! When evening comes, have a romantic dinner at the restaurant Rada, nestled in the cliff, for a remarkable meal facing the sea. Everything is so perfect when the sun sets on the sea that it can one can be moved to tears.

>>> The splendid Villa Baiola in Positano

Sorrento

Sorrento

It is the most famous seaside resort on the coast (only 30 minutes by ferry from Capri). Lemon reigns supreme in Sorrento. We challenge you to find bigger lemons elsewhere! They are immense and rampant. Many local specialities highlight the local lemons: limoncello, lemon sorbet, granita (orange juice with lemon slushee). The facades of the alleys even end up adopting their colour! 

Stroll through the historic centre of this city filled with treasures and climb the small steep alleys. They will take you to the must-see Piazza Tasso, with its many cafés and restaurants. You will learn in passing about the existence of a great poet born in Sorrento, whose statue is erected in the centre of the square: it is that of Torquato Tasso (1544-1595), one of the most widely read authors in Europe, particularly for the famous Jerusalem (1580) which inspired so many authors and thinkers, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Simone Weil. 

We also recommend that you visit the beautiful medieval cloister of the Saint-François church and the cathedral of Saint-Philippe-et-Saint-Jacques, then the valley of the mills (in the heart of the city), an extraordinary place of ruins (of an old mill) covered with ferns, all at the bottom of a ravine. 

Of course, the surroundings of Sorrento are just as exceptional, as are the 3 islands of the Gulf of Naples (including Capri), to be reached from the port of Sorrento, for other splendid discoveries. If you prefer to stay on the peninsula, go to Capo di Sorrento, a beautiful village that leads to a very pretty cove from which you can observe the bay of Naples. 

>>> Our luxury villas in Capri

The Amalfi Coast, a marvel of the Mediterranean

Have a nice holiday on the Amalfi Coast!

Discover Villanovo's selection of luxury villas for Amalfi Coast

1 512 € - 1 764 € per night
traveler 10 bed 5 bath 5

Amalfi Coast - Sorrento Coast
1 700 € - 2 375 € per night
traveler 10 bed 5 bath 5

Amalfi Coast - Positano