Amalfi and Sorrento Coast

Getting to Amalfi and Sorrento Coast from Rome Leonardo Da Vinci FCO airport and from Rome Termini train station

2010-06-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

To get to Sorrento or Positano or Praiano from the airport of Fiumicino you will need to board a shuttle train to the main station in Rome, which is called "Termini". From the Termini train station you can then catch a train to Naples (Napoli Centrale station), and once in Naples you can catch a local train, called "Circumvesuviana", which will stop you in Sorrento. In Sorrento you can board a bus, operated by Sita, that will take you to Positano or Praiano.

If you need to get to Amalfi, Maiori, Minori, Cetara or Vietri, you can take the train from Rome to Salerno then take a bus from Salerno to those villages (fare eur 2.00).

Check the time table and fares of the train from Rome to Naples or Salerno at http://www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html

Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Sorrento costs EUR 1,50.

Also, a bus is available from Rome Tiburtina train station to Sorrento and to Amalfi. Check time table at http://www.marozzivt.it/biglietteria.aspx?tipobigl=marozzi (click on "ricerca orari e corse").

Getting to Amalfi and Sorrento Coast from Naples by public transport

2010-06-08T00:45:00.001-07:00

Many tourists visiting the area ask me the following question often: the best way to get to Amalfi and Sorrento Coast by public transport from Naples. I understand then that it is quite difficult find that info on the web! :) Here are the answers.

a) From Naples airport to Sorrento/Massa Lubrense/Positano/Praiano/Amalfi/Ravello.
A bus leaves from Naples airport to Sorrento - just outside the arrival terminal (Naples is a small airport and you will not have problem in finding where the bus leaves). Company name is Curreri. Watch the time table anyway!! the last bus leaves at 19.30 (7.30 pm). Have a look: http://www.villasyreon.com/en/tourist-information-category/bus-timetable-sorrento-to-napoli-airport-and-vice.html Fare is EUR 10.00. Once in Sorrento to reach all Positano, Praiano and Amalfi, the Sita bus company runs every 30 minutes from 6.00 till 22.00 (10.00 pm) Time sheet at http://www.sitabus.it/sitabus/campania/orarioCAMPANIA/QUADROXIV.pdf). Fare EUR 2.00. Many tourists also ask: "I would like to take the ferry from Naples to reach Sorrento or the villages of the Amalfi Coast". Usually I dont suggest it as ferry time table is not reliable as the buses....also, are you sure you will be able to get easily from the quay - especially in Positano - to your hotel or property with your luggage? Positano is built on a cliff and you will need to hire a porter at the quay to reach the hotel with the bags. Most of times, the bus will leave you quite close the hotel or the house, and you will have to walk for a few to reach it from the bus stop. However, if you want to do it anyway, you have to take a bus from the airport called ALIBUS (time tables at http://www.pithecusa.com/spostarsi/alibus.htm ). Once at Molo Beverello (piazza Municipio) you can take a ferry to Sorrento or Amalfi Coast. Have a looki at http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/campania/ferries.html
To get to Ravello a bus runs from Amalfi regurarly.
b) From Naples train station to Sorrento, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi and Ravello.
You need to board the Circumvesuviana train that runs from Naples train station each 30 minutes to Sorrento (trip time 1 hour, fare EUR 2.00). Once in Sorrento take the Sita bus, as mentioned above. From the train station of Naples you can also board the Alibus that will take you to the quay (Molo Beverello), anyway - again - I dont suggest it. Much more easy by train/bus.

c) if you have to reach the villages of Maiori, Minori, Vietri or Cetara (that are located on the side of the Amalfi Coast closer to Salerno) best way is: from Naples airport take the SITA bus to Salerno (trip time at http://www.sitabus.it/sitabus/campania/orarioCAMPANIA/Salerno-Capodichino.pdf ) fare EUR 7.00, luggage EUR 5.00 each - then board the SITA bus that goes to Vietri, Cetara, Maiori, Minori and stops in Amalfi (trip time at

http://www.sitabus.it/sitabus/campania/orarioCAMPANIA/QUADROXV.pdf ) fare eur 2.00.

From the train station of Naples, take a train to Salerno, then board the Sita bus. Sita bus in Salerno is just in front of the train station exit.

Frequently Asked Questions about Amalfi and Sorrento Coast

2010-06-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Are beaches both public and private in Amalfi and Sorrento Coast?
Yes, beaches are mainly public and private (as private, I mean you can rent a sun umbrella and deck chairs).

Is Amalfi Coast good for bicycle rides?
It is not. The Amalfi Drive (watch the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9AtjiPxeak ) is a narrow road with many bends.

What about golf and tennis courts?
Some tennis courts are available, for instance in the villages of Minori, Praiano, Sorrento and Massa Lubrense. The closest golf courts are located in Naples or Salerno area (at about 1 hour and half driving) On Amalfi and Sorrento Coast there are no golf courts.

Where is the closest Hospital?
On Amalfi Coast it is in Ravello, street address: Via Civita 40, loc Castiglione di Ravello. A larger Hospital is located in Sorrento, or in Salerno.

Is feasible a day trip to Rome?
Probably not, or if so it will be very tired. Note that to get to Rome from Amalfi and Sorrento Coast you will need not less than 3 hours by car, and 4,5 hours by public transport.

Diving center, where is it in Amalfi Coast?
Look at LA BOA DIVING CENTER, in Praiano area. Web site: http://www.laboa.com/main_eng.html

Credit cards, are mostly accepted?
Yes, they are accepted in all the restaurants and in many shops. Anyway, in some small shops they don’t accept credit card payments. My suggest is to have always some cash with you.

Tip, which is the rule in Italy?
Indeed we don’t have a rule. Tip is of course welcome, but there is not a pattern. Basically, us Italians base it on the quality service.

How can I get to Paestum ruins by public transport?
You have to take a bus to Salerno (two if coming from Positano or Sorrento) then board a train to Paestum. Actually by car is much more easily, just check the driving directions on the left of the blog.

Italian school, do you know any?
Yes you can find some in Sorrento and Salerno town center. Read more at http://www.sorrentolingue.com/ and at http://www.accademialeonardo.it/ or at http://www.accademia-italiana.it/?lang=en

For those who love the nights, what disco do you recommend?
“Music on the Rocks” in Positano, the "Fauno" in Sorrento.

What time food shops close? Are they open on Sunday?
About 8.00 pm. Closed on Sunday.

Local Markets - Amalfi Coast

2010-06-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

I often get the following question: "when do local markets take place in the villages of Amalfi Coast"? Here is below where and when they take place.

Amalfi

on Wed from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm. Street address Via Ercolano.

Praiano

on Tue from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm. Street address Via Costantinopoli (clothes, fruit and vegetables, flowers)

Praiano

on Sat from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Street address Via Costantinopoli (clothes, fruit and vegetables, flowers)

Maiori

on Fri from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm. Street address Piazza del Mercato.

Minori

on Thu from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm. Street address Lungomare California.

Ravello

on Tue from 7.30 am to 1.30 pm. Street address Piazza Duomo Parking (on August it doesn't take place).

Vietri sul Mare

on Wed from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm. Street address Piazzetta Ferrigno.

Main Events - Amalfi Coast

2010-06-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here is below a list of the main events of the Amalfi Coast that take place every year.

Ravello Festival
From June to September Classical music concerts
Location: Ravello
Web Site: http://www.ravellofestival.com/

Chamber Music on the Amalfi Coast
From March to July / From September to November
Chamber music concerts
Locations: Villa Rufolo Gardens and Auditorium Ravello, St Rose Convent Conca Dei Marini
Web site: http://www.ravelloarts.org/

Crocefisso Ritrovato Feast
Late April
Big local fair, local food tasting, handcraft exhibition and shows
Location: Salerno downtown
Web site: http://www.turismoinsalerno.it/

I Suoni degli Dei (Concerts on the Path of Gods)
On May, September and October
Concerts on the Path of Gods
Location: Praiano area
Web site: http://www.isuonideglidei.com/

San Pietro and Paolo Feast
On June 29 Midnight fireworks on the main beach
Location: Cetara

International plunge contest
First week of July
Location: Furore

Saint Trofimena Feast
On July 13
Religious event, band concerts on the promenade
Location: Minori

Festival della tradizione
On July/August "i Suoni della Tradizione”
Web site: http://www.festivaldellatradizione.it/
Location: Praiano

Luminaria Di San Domenico
From late July to early August
Amazing lights show
Location: Praiano
Web site: http://www.luminariadisandomenico.it/

Saint Mary Assunta Feast
On 14-15 August
Religious events, concerts and wonderful midnight fireworks on the main beachLocation: Positano

Giffoni Experience
On July International Film Festival
Location: Giffoni (Salerno district)
Web site: http://www.giffoniff.it/

Ferragosto Maiorese
On 14-15-16 August
Music, concerts, fireworks shows
Location: Maiori

Gustaminori
Early September
Food tasting, clothes parades, local bands music, theatre shows
Location: Minori
Web site: http://www.gustaminori.it/

Saint Patron Matthew Feast
On 21 September
Religious events, band conerts, period clothes parades, and wonderful midnight fireworks on the main beach.
Location: Salerno

Rossellini Prize
End of October
Film AwardLocation: Maiori
Web site: http://www.premiorossellini.com/

Just ask to andreaciao@gmail.com (or check the tourist offices web sites on the left) for any further info.

Maiori

2010-06-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

Maiori is a bathing resort on the biggest beach of the Amalfi Coast. The landascape is really suggestive and, in a few minutes, it changes from the sea to a wooded inland, which is an ideal place to go walking and enjoy being in touch with nature.It is one of the most ancient village of the " Amalfi Coast". Some historicals asset that Minori descended from Etruscan origins. But the beauty of this little village attracted many important tourists, especially rich families from the Roman Empire, who built a "Villa" which is well keptand still today, it is possible to visit and admire it. While walking up the Corso Reginna, the visitor can visit the many charming burghs of Maiori. This lovely itinerary can be followed on foot or by car:
- San Pietro: the ancient quarter of S. Pietro with its magnificent little square and its church is 10 minutes from the center of Maiori. The church of St. Peter the Apostle was built in the fourth century on the ruins of the Temple of Vertumno, destroyed by the citizens of Maiori following their conversion to Christianity.
Queen Giovanna II d'Angiò worshipped in this church during her visit to Maiori in 1416 on the occasion of her second marriage to James the Bourbon, Count of Marra.
The statue of the Apostle is of great artistic value. The visitor to this tiny corner of Maiori finds himself immersed in the atmosphere of a past era.
- Santa Maria delle Grazie: the first burgh encountered after leaving the quarter of S. Pietro is S. Maria delle Grazie (Saint Mary of the Graces).
It is a minute village, although the population has increased through the years. The economy of this small burgh of Maiori, with its many lemon groves, is still based on agricultural activities.
The town church is worth visiting; the church is situated on the banks of the Reginna Maior river and historians trace the present structure to an ancient sixth century Basilica.
Rebuilt in the eighteenth century, the church of S. Maria delle Grazie was almost completely destroyed by the flood of 1910. The church was subsequently rebuilt and a fresco was added to the interior of the church under the vault over the alter. It depicts the Madonna during the terrible flood. The marble baptismal font, dating back to the end of the thirteenth century, is of significant historical and artistic value.
- Ponteprimario: going up from the burgh of S. Maria delle Grazie, the visitor finds the small burgh of Ponteprimario, which borders with the Tramonti valley.
The church which dominates this small village is the Church dedicated to the Madonna del Principio (the Madonna of the Beginning), which dates back to the seventh century.
The recently renovated church has been rebuilt many times following the floods which through the years have upset the entire territory of Maiori. What remains of the original structure can be found in the crawl space under the present pavement, and on the left side of the open area in the front of the church, where the arch of an ancient Apse bearing the fresco of a flower can still be seen.

The towers

All of the he towers along the Amalfi Coast (the first fortifications along the coastline) can be dated to the epoch of the Swabian domination of the coastal zone. As regards the territory of Maiori, the oldest towers are dated to the era of the reign of Carlo I d'Angiò in 1278, specifically the towers of Erchie and of Capo d'Orso. The towers which were important structures for sighting enemy assaults, were constructed in such a way that the entire territory could always be under control and so that messages could be sent between the various lookout points. Among the most majestic of these towers, is the Torre Normanna (Norman Tower) at the entrance into Maiori coming from the direction of Salerno, which in the past was called the Torre dell'Angolo (the Corner Tower). It was built in 1563 and is an imposing bastion set on a rocky abutment. Today the tower houses a restaurant. Between the cities of Maiori and Minori, there is another ancient tower, called the "Torricella", built in 1563. This tower is quadrangular in form, and through the years it was transformed into a Castle and given the name of its ancient owner, Mezzacapo, hence it is called the Mezzacapo Castle. Other important lookout points were found in the Acquaruolo Tower in the locality of Salicerchie and the Sanspirito Tower in the locality of Badia. Ancient tradition dictates that the inhabitants of the city of Atrani realized that pirate ships were approaching the shoreline without an escort from the various towers positioned in the territory of Maiori, and so they lit a great bonfire on the beach to warn Maiori of the danger. Since then, as a sign of gratitude for the help given by the people of Atrani, in the occasion of the celebrations dedicated to the Patron Saints of the two cities, the first citizens of both cities exchange visits, and a great bonfire is lit on the eve of the celebration.

What to see in Maiori

Collegiate of Santa Maria a mare
In the thirteenth century, the ancient fortress of St. Angelo, built after the Longobard invasions, was partially demolished to enlarge the church dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. In the meantime, the church had been elevated to Basilica in order to host the rectory of S. Maria a Mare (St. Mary at Sea), after a wooden statue of the Madonna, wrapped in a bale of cotton, had been found at sea in the first years of the century. Every year, on August 15th, at the end of a procession through the city streets, the citizens of Maiori carry the statue of Santa Maria a Mare on their shoulders, and run up the steep stairs that lead to the Collegiate, and with this gesture of faith and folklore, they represent the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Chruch of San Francesco
The church of S. Francesco dates back to 1405 and was built in proximity to the Grotto dell'Annunziata (Grotto dedicated to the Madonna of the Annunciation). It was annexed to the western side of the convent, to the opposite of its present location. In 1435 both the church and thge convent were destroyed by the army of Mohammed II, and the church was rebuilt the following year by S. Bernardino di Siena (St. Bernardine of Siena). In 1440 a violent tidal wave again destroyed the church was once again rebuilt in the same place. Construction of the newer, larger church was begun in 1517 and was interrupted during a Turkish invasion of the entire coast in 1558. In 1590 construction of both the church and the convent, in their present location, was completed.

Church of the “avvocata”
The Chiesa dell'Avvocata (Sanctuary of the Protectress) is located at the top of a long rock formation on the plateau of Mount Mirteto (approx. 900 meters above sea level) at the base of Mount Falerzio (1024 meters above sea level). A steep stairway from the Lama quarter in Maiori leads to the Sanctuary; instead, from the city of Cava de' Tirreni, a narrow mule path leads to the Sanctuary from the S.S. Trinità Abbey. Every year, on the Monday after Pentecost, the main feast day of the Madonna dell'Avvocata, numerous faithful followers go up to the mountain top. From this summit, the beautiful panorama of the Gulf of Salerno and the Amalfi Coast can be admired.

Castle
The Castle of St. Nicholas de Thoro Plano is situated on the hill bearing the same name, and from this position it overlooks the entire city of Maiori, offering a splendid view. If you are on foot, the steps of Via Castello lead from the burgh of S. Pietro to the Castle, or, if you are traveling by car, you can reach the Castle from the village of Vecite.
The castle was built in the ninth century to defend the city from pillaging after the barbaric incursion of the Longobards of Sicardo. After a period of abandonment, the castle was rebuilt in the fifteenth century.

Restaurants in Maiori

Mammato
Località Mare Amendola
+39 089 853683

La vela
Via G. Amendola, 13Telephone: 089/852874

La ninfaVia Santa Tecla, 8Telephone: 089/877202

Pietra di LunaVia Capone, 27Telephone: 089/877500
Ristorante Capo d'Orso
Via D. Traiani n° 48
Tel: +39 089877022

Nettuno
Via Capone 27
Tle. 39 089/877500

Other sights of the area- driving distances and approximate driving times

Amalfi: 6 km / 4 miles / 10 min.
Praiano: 16 km / 10 miles / 24 min.
Positano: 22 km / 14 miles / 28 min.
Ravello: 18 km / 11 miles / 18 min.
Sorrento: 37 km / 23 miles / 48 min.
Pompeii: 60 km / 37 miles / 72 min.
Naples: 80 km / 50 miles / 90 min.
Caserta: 85 km / 53 miles / 82 min.
Rome: 276 km / 172 miles / 165 min.
Salerno: 20 km / 13 miles / 27 min.
Paestum: 60 km / 37 miles / 65 min.
Castellabate: 86 km / 54 miles / 81 min.
Marina di Camerota: 145 km / 90 miles / 152 min.

Minori

2010-06-04T07:21:00.001-07:00

Once a place where noble Romans passed the summer months, which can be seen in archeological findings from the first century, nowadays Minori is a synonym for flavor and exceptional food. Since the 16th century its natives dedicated their time to the production of pasta from wheat imported from Salerno; More recently, local agricultural producers have focused on the production of various kinds of liqueur (made of lemons, mandarins, strawberries and fennel) as well as sweets (for example delizia del limone - lemon delight) that are now known nationwide. During the fine food festival called "Gusta Minori" (Tastes of Minori), that takes place in early September, visitors can sample local specialties and attend theatrical performances based on chosen themes.

Driving distances and approximate driving times
Amalfi 3 km /1,8 miles / 8 min.
Praiano: 13 km / 8 miles / 19 min.
Positano: 19 km / 12 miles / 30 min.
Ravello: 13 km / 8 miles / 19 min.
Sorrento: 35 km / 21 miles / 43 min.
Pompeii: 52 km / 32 miles / 72 min.
Naples: 73 km / 45 miles / 80 min.
Caserta: 79 km / 49 miles / 82 min.
Rome: 278 km / 173 miles / 180 min.
Salerno: 21 km / 14 miles / 28 min.
Paestum: 60 km / 38 miles / 60 min.
Castellabate: 91 km / 63 miles / 91 min.
Marina di Camerota: 152 km / 95 miles / 165 min.

Cilento National Park

2010-06-04T07:19:00.001-07:00

Very close to Amalfi and Sorrento Coast, Cilento National Park is the second largest park in Italy, and the most important amongst the parks that border on the Mediterranean Sea. It stretches from the Tyrrhenian coast to the foot of the Apennines in Campania and Basilicata. The extraordinary naturalist complexity of the heterogeneous territory goes hand in hand with the mythical and mysterious character of a land rich in history and culture. This land melts people and civilization and preserves the evident traces of them in its distinctive characters: the Nature, the Cultural, Archaeological, Architectural Patrimony, the Territorial order soaked of medieval elements, the alive world of the Traditions. Placed at the center of the Mediterranean it is therefore its proper Park because of this sea it embodies what is the deepest spirit, the bio-diversities wealth, the environmental interpenetration, the History, synthesis of the meeting of people and different civilization.

It is a protected area comprised of several small rural towns and seaside villages. The interior area of the park has thick woods, a number of rivers, rolling green hills with olive trees and some fluvial plains. Designated as a "World Heritage Site" by the United Nations, in 1998, the Park hosts a fascinating array of natural wonders and historical sites. Here is the justification given by the U.N for the Park's designation as a World Heritage site: "The Cilento National Park is an outstanding cultural landscape. The dramatic groups of sanctuaries and settlements along its three east–west mountain ridges vividly portray the area's historical evolution: it was a major route not only for trade, but also for cultural and political interaction during the prehistoric and medieval periods. The Cilento was also the boundary between the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia and the indigenous Etruscan and Lucanian peoples. The remains of two major cities from classical times, Paestum and Velia, are found there, as well as the impressive monastic property of the Certosa di San Lorenzo in Padula." There are very few places in Italy that provide as unspoiled an environment as the Cilento Park. The long list of natural sights include dramatic grottos by the sea (Palinuro), prisine sandy beaches (Marina di Camerota), stalactite caverns (Pertosa and Castelcivita), canyons, mountains and valleys with chestnut trees and olive-groves (Castellabate), colorful wild flowers in spring and mushrooms in winter. Massif of calcareous origin host on their slopes medieval villages. The weather is ideal year round, with a typically Mediterranean climate. There are two types of vegetation in the park, Apennine and Mediterranean. Plant life ranges from fir trees to evergreen maquis. In the Cilento massifs there are wolves, wild cats, martens, polecats and badgers. Otters live along the many of the larger rivers in the Park and their respective tributaries. The Park is rich with bird life including golden eagles, black woodpeckers, kites and ravens.
All in all, Cilento Park is wonderful place to visit for nature lovers seeking to escape the crowds.

And, for those who long to admire some of the most beautiful and well-known places in the world, Pompeii, Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Ischia, Positano and the Amalfi Coast - to name a few - are all within reach of a day trip. Amalfi is at just 2 hours driving.

Meta di Sorrento

2010-06-04T07:15:00.001-07:00

Meta di Sorrento is a small picturesque tourist location, with large beaches overlooked at the crystal blue sea.
It is at just three kilometres from Sorrento (about two miles).
So named because here came the old Roman road, Meta di Sorrento was landmarked by a temple dedicated to Minerva, upon which was built a paleochristian church, replaced in the 18th century by the Basilica of Madonna del Lauro, which is today the symbol of Meta with its dome paneled with majolica and its characteristic bell-tower. From the church it starts the road leading to the Marina di Meta. Along the way it rises the town with the palaces of the sea captains and of ship proprietors. In fact Meta had once a great tradition of sailors, belonging to the Bourbon’s dominion: until there were the sail ships, Meta kept a leading place among Italian municipalities as regards to the registered tonnage. On a side of Marina di Meta it stretches the large and beautiful beach of Alimuri, a resort much frequented and appreciated.
Meta di Sorrento is linked by local train to: Sorrento (five minutes), Pompeii (fifteen minutes), Napoli, the city centre (one hour). It is also joined to this cities by motorway and local way, this second very panoramic, and from Meta di Sorrento you can take the road to the famous “Costiera Amalfitana”, with its countries -Positano, Amalfi, Ravello-, best known all over the world.

Restaurants in Meta di Sorrento

Grillerie del Casale – via Vocale n° 35 Tel: +39 0818787722

La Conca - 3° Traversa Alimuri - tel. +39 081 5321495

La Tavernetta Via A. Cosenza, 56 - tel. +39 081/5342131

Da Ninuccio - Via Casa Iaccarino 31 – +39 081/5321436

Tico Tico – via Caruso 3 - +39 081.5321837

Da Giosue a Mare – Via Caruso 3 - tel 39 081/8786685

Tourist sights of the area - Distances and driving times

Amalfi: 34 km / 21 miles / 37 min.
Praiano: 24 km / 15 miles / 27 min.
Positano: 19 km / 12 miles / 23 min.
Ravello: 41 km / 25 miles / 51 min.
Pompeii: 28 km / 15 miles / 37 min.
Naples: 46 km / 28 miles / 53 min.
Caserta: 74 km / 45 miles / 77 min.
Rome: 261 km / 163 miles / 170 min.
Salerno: 59 km / 37 miles / 59 min.
Paestum: 103 km / 64 miles / 100 min.
Castellabate: 124 km / 78 miles / 126 min.
Marina di Camerota: 185 km / 116 miles / 185 min.

Marina di Puolo

2010-06-04T07:14:00.001-07:00

Between Sorrento and the promontory of Capo di Massa Lubrense, the pictoresque Marina di Puolo is enclosed with its rustic village looking on it. Its history flows among the wrinkles of the old fishermen, intents to mend nets and to search the sea, the sea of the Riserva Naturale Marina of Punta Campanella, a protected area of important environmental merit for its biodiversity. During the course of the centuries the village always has been inhabited because it's sure the presence of three churches. The Church of the Virgin Mary Addolorata builded about in 1500 and rebuild in the eighteenth century when the Church of Saint Erasmus, which stood near the stream brook, collapsed. They said that there was the column where Saint Erasmus suffered the martyrdom and that the sand in front of the church was miraculous.The third church is the Chapel of Saint Eustacchio which stood on the Cape of Massa (where there is the inlet called 'o Maciello).
The word "Puolo" derives from the Latin "Pollius", the name of the Roman patrician Pollius Felix, the proprietor of the villa extolled by Stazio in the poems:"Villa Surrentina Pollii Felicis" and "Hercules Surrentinus Pollii Felicis". The villa enclosed the whole bay (from the Cape of Sorrento to the Cape of Massa Lubrense);surrounded by wonderful gardens and vineyards, it was a downright jewel-case of treasure and works of art, adorned with splendid polychrome marbles from Mediterraneo. Many centuries after, the french Jean-Jacques Bouchard, who was in Sorrento in 1632, in his "Journal" wrote: "...there is a gulf, a bay called Polo... where it's possible see that view described by Stazio and where there are the remains of an ancient civilization, the remains of ancient splendour...". Marina di Puolo, located in the heart of the Sea Park of Punta Campanella, is distant about 50 Km from Naples, 3 Km from Sorrento, 2 Km from Massa Lubrense, 4 miles from Capri.
Restaurant in Marina di Puolo
Baia Di Puolo. Via Marina di Puolo, 10 – Tel. +39 0815339796
Sant Rapahel. Via Marina di Puolo, 23 - tel. +39 081 5339814
La Villanella. Via Partenope, 31 - Tel. +39 0818075651
L'Angolo del Mare. Via Marina di Puolo, 14 tel. +39. 081.5338022
Da Rafele. Via Marina di Puolo, 3 - tel. +39. 081.5338020
Tourist sights of the area - Distances and driving times

Sorrento: 3 Km /2 miles/ 5 min.
Amalfi: 33 km / 20 miles / 32 min.
Praiano: 20 km / 12 miles / 22 min.
Positano: 15 km / 11 miles / 22 min.
Ravello: 37 km / 24 miles / 51 min.
Pompeii: 31 km / 19 miles / 39 min.
Naples: 49 km / 30 miles / 53 min.
Caserta: 75 km / 46 miles / 77 min.
Rome: 265 km / 165 miles / 170 min.
Salerno: 58 km / 36 miles / 56 min.
Paestum: 102 km / 63 miles / 96 min.
Castellabate: 121 km / 76 miles / 124 min.
Marina di Camerota: 184 km / 115 miles / 180 min.

Paestum

2010-06-04T07:12:00.001-07:00

Paestum is one of the best collections of Greek temples anywhere, and certainly the most accessible to western Europe. Located in the Sele plain (Cilento National Park), Paestum was founded by the Dorics in 650 B.C. under the name of Poseidonia; conquered by the Lucanians who called her Paistos and then, in 273 a.C. by the Romans who gave it the name of Paestum. The walls date back to the IVth century with Roman and Lucan parts and are strengthened by towers often as thick as 7 meters. Inside the town there are the Temple oh Hera, dating back to 550 B.C., with nine columns on the short sides and eighteen on the long ones and remains of the decoration of the architrave, and the Temple of Nettuno, built in 450 B.C., imposing and harmonious, formed by a base with three steps on which stand six columns on the short sides and fourteen on the long ones. The columns are all nine meters high and are united, on top, by an architrave supporting a sloping roof ending both on the front and in the back with two pediments; the Temple of Cerere of 500 B.C., with six columns on the short sides and thirteen on the long ones. In the inside part there can be still seen the remains of such places as the Curia, the thermae, the Italic temple, the comitium, the aerarium etc.. In the nearby museums there are precious materials coming from the town and from the neighbourood among which ceramics and sculptures, fictile little statues, bronzes and the slabs of the famous "Tomba del Tuffatore" dating back to 490 B.C., the only example of wall paintings of Magna Graecia. Next to the museums stands the early Romanic basilica of Annunziata, noteble sacred building with nave and two aisles.

The National Archaeological Museum of Paestum
The Museum of Paestum is certainly between the most important Italian archaeological museums. In it is guarded one of the most valuable collections of archaic sculptures than coming from southern Italy (cycle of metope of the Heraion of Foce Sele VI sec. B. C.) and of funeral paintings referable to the lucano period (IV sec. B.C.) that they are today an unicum, like it is, for the Classical age, the so-called "Tomba del Tuffatore" (Tomb of the Diver), exceptional example, splendidly preserved, of funeral painting of Greek tradition.The Archaeological Park of Paestum
The Archaeological Park of Paestum is characterized from the ruins of the city Sanctuary with the monumental testimonies of the three great Temples, exceptionally preserved, dedicated to the goddess Hera (the so-called Basilica and Temple of Neptune) and to Athena (so-called Temple of Cerere), datable between the half of VI and half of V sec. B. C. . The testimonies of the Greek city (Agorà, so-called sacello ipogeico) and Roman, with the amphitheatre, the monuments of the Foro and the insulaes of residence are moreover visitable.

Restaurants in Paestum

Da Nonna Sceppa Via Laura, 53Telephone: 0828/851064

Il GranaioVia Porta Marina 86Telephone: 0828721014

Nettuno Archaeological zoneTelephone: 0828/811028

L’OasiVia Magna Grecia 72Telephone: 0828/811935

Il Cantinone
Via Magna Grecia 51Telephone: 0828/723377

Le Trabe Via Capodifiume 1Telephone: 0828/724165

Driving distances and approximate driving times
Salerno: 37 km / 23 miles / 45 min.
Pompeii: 74 km / 46 miles / 80 min.
Sorrento: 100 km / 62 miles / 103 min.
Amalfi: 61 km / 38 miles / 90 min.
Naples: 99 km / 61 miles / 100 min.
Acciaroli: 44 km / 27 miles / 54 min
Santa Maria di Castellabate: 20 km / 13 miles / 30 min.
San Marco di Castellabate: 22 km / 15 miles / 35 min.
Perdifumo: 29 km / 19 miles / 45 min.
Agnone: 37 km / 23 miles / 57 min.
Ascea Marina: 50 km / 31 miles / 70 min.
S.Mango Cilento: 32 km / 20 miles / 50 min.
Marina di Camerota: 44 km / 27 miles / 54 minutes

Massa Lubrense

2010-06-04T07:11:00.001-07:00

This village is an ideal place for a great vacation, more than 100 km of marked trails in the country side, country landscape, famous for its cuisine (7 restaurants in the top 20 of Campania, one of the best 3 in Italy), a coastline almost 20 miles long in the middle of the Protected Marine Area of Punta Campanella. The early testimonies about Massa belong to the 10th century, when it was property of the Sorrento Duchy. It succeeded to gain its freedom from Sorrento only in 1470. The territory characterised by Mediterranean bush, typical cultivation and coasts just on the sea, constitutes one of the main tourist resources of Sorrento Peninsula. One the activities promoted in this view has been the localisation and delimitation of a series of foot-paths. In 1990, in the sole commune of Massa Lubrense were localised 22 foot itineraries for an overall development of an area of about 110 km far from the carriage road and by the built-up area. Along these paths, whih are clearly indicated, it is possible to rediscover enchanted places rich in historical memories, panoramic points and ancient hamlets, the whole through lemon-orchards, olive-groves, oak-woods, sunny coasts and a luxuriant and evergreen nature, typical of the whole Sorrento Peninsula. The shores of Massa Lubrense are the closest to Capri (only 3 miles away) and you can reach Positano (13 miles), Amalfi (25 miles), Pompeii (21 miles), Ercolano (28 miles), Vesuvius (30 miles) and obviously Sorrento (3 miles) in less than one hour. Massa Lubrense offer the holiday visitor the opportunity to share in the beautiful natural scenery of this part of the of Sorrentine peninsula.

The territory of Massa Lubrense occupies all the final part of the Sorrento Paninsula, with a settlement divided into about thirty hamlets.

Ieranto Bay

Located at few miles from Massa Lubrense, Ieranto Bay includes traditional rural architecture with domed structures characterised by typical building materials and techniques. There are important elements of industrial archeology, including the village complex established in the early 19th century for quarrying activity, and the related infrastructures of warehouses, powder magazines and piers. The territory is structured in terraces for extended cultivation of olive trees. Important evidence of the coastal defensive system include the Montalto tower overlooking the bay. Archaeological evidence spread over the entire territory include ruins of a Roman villa and of old kilns found on the property. All decisions concerning the restoration were made in respect of the important value of the historical, architectural and rural elements characterising the landscape. Special attention was to the continous interrelationship between individual elements and the general landscape. Works of conservation and enhancement have involved all evidence of man's presence on this territory, while recovering the remains of agricultural and road infrastructure, old coastal defensive buildings, rural and industrial buildings. The aim of protecting the integrity of the characteristic, complex and cultural landscape, and the interesting botanical naturalistic heritage of the area was paramount.

Marina della Lobra

Marina della Lobra is a short drive from the center of Massa Lubrense. It is a small fishing village with houses built on the seashore and harbor. At the entrance of the village of this hamlet of Massa Lubrense, there is the Church of Santa Maria della Lobra (Our Lady of the Lobra), built in 1528 to replace the former ancient christian church that was built upon an ancient pagan temple. Inside the church there is a beautiful pavement in majolica tile of the 18th century and a vaulted ceiling. Near the church there is a Franciscan convent. Inside its cloister are kept some archaeological remains of the Greek and Roman age.

Sport and free time in Massa Lubrense

Boat Rental

“Forza 7 Sorrento Boat Rental” delivers any where along The Sorrento Peninsula coastline.
You can hire a motor boat or Sail Boat by the hour, daily or weekly, on weekly rentals discounts are applied.
Forza 7 Sorrento Boat Rental , loc. Marina della Lobra, Massa Lubrense - Tel.: (+39) 0818789008.

Diving

Dive Center Cala di Puolo - via Marina di Puolo - Massa Lubrense - tel: 0039-081-8072410
Diving activities: free and escorted dives for novices and experienced divers - Cave dives - Discovery program Dive school training to all level held by qualified - Intructor Dives and accomodation personalized package

Restaurants in Massa Lubrense

Aspiett nu poc - via Capo d'Arco, 12 - tel: +39 3683060863

Cantuccio 2 - largo Vescovado, 6/8 - tel. +39 081.8789549

Maria Grazia - Marina del Cantone - +39 081.8081011

Riccardo di Francischiello - Via Partenope, 26 -Tel. +39 081 8789181

Tramonto Rosso - via Caprile, 1 - tel. +39 081 808 10 45

Torre Cangiani - loc. Vigliano - tel. +39 0815339849

Agrimar- via Vincenzo Maggio - tel. +39 081 8089682

Tourist sights of the area - Distances and driving times

Amalfi: 25 km / 15 miles / 31 min.
Praiano: 18 km / 11 miles / 22 min.
Positano: 13 km / 8 miles / 19 min.
Ravello: 33 km / 20 miles / 44 min.
Pompeii: 21 km / 13 miles / 40 min.
Naples: 52 km / 32 miles / 58 min.
Sorrento: 3km / 2 miles / 7 min.
Caserta: 78 km / 48 miles / 81 min.
Rome: 268 km / 167 miles / 177 min.
Salerno: 51 km / 31 miles / 50 min.
Paestum: 97 km / 60 miles / 92 min.
Castellabate: 117 km / 73 miles / 115 min.
Marina di Camerota: 177 km / 110 miles / 175 min.

The Royal Palace of Caserta

2010-06-04T07:10:00.001-07:00

Of all the magnificent works and constructions by which the Bourbon dynasty adorned and modernised the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the pride is the universally famous Royal Palace of Caserta. It was designed and mostly built by the Dutch architect Ludwig Van Wittel, who received the Italian onomatopoeic name of Vanvitelli. He was called to Naples by King Charles, who, as real grandchild of the Roi Soleil, wanted to build a new Royal Palace, a “residence” fit for a Bourbon King and his Court. The palace - in the King’s intentions - had to be the most beautiful and largest royal palace in the world after Versailles, a pride for the new Kingdom he had conquered and a further evidence of his willingness to make this Kingdom an independent and sovereign one.

Charles personally followed the work together with the Queen and they both were Vanvitelli’s inspirers, however without modifying the original design of the great architect. It was an excellent “union of souls”: evidence of this is given by Vanvitelli himself, in his periodic letters to his brother, where he always expressed his joy for the attention that the two Sovereigns paid to his work and for the good understanding that made the work progress quickly and with great profit. Its foundation stone was laid on 20 January 1752 in an official ceremony celebrating the 36th birthday of King Charles. Vanvitelli had presented his project the previous year, on 2 May 1751. Charles and Maria Amalia were so enthusiast that the architect wrote his brother that reality had overcome his best expectations. The Palace had been designed as a huge building with twin facades, one looking on to the parade ground, the other to the gardens. The central dome and the statue of Charles on the gable in the middle of the facade were present in the original design but were never realised. For the first time, the central stairway leading to the royal apartments (at whose entrance we now find the Public Administration High School), was put at the centre of a building. The Royal Palace of Caserta was planned by Charles of Bourbon, who came to the Kingdom of Naples in 1734. In the choice of the site, which had belonged to the family of the Princes Gaetani di Sermoneta, foe of the Bourbons, climatic motives were predominant – salubrity of air and fertility of soil – strategic reasons, being the distance from the sea and the consequent risk of naval gunfire, and political-economic ones regarding the development of hitherto neglected land. Several architects were considered, finally Luigi Vanvitelli was given the charge, already designer and architects in the service of the Pope.
The construction of the Reggia continued at a good pace until 1759, the year in which Charles of Bourbon left the kingdom of Naples to take up the crown of Spain. Thereafter building slowed down, and at Vanvitelli’s death in 1773 it was still far from being completed. Up to 2681 workers were engaged simultaneously on the yard, of whom 300 master masons, 166 convicts, 245 Turkish Mohammedans captured on the pirate ships that infested the Mediterranean, 160 Christians guilty of misdemeanour; all under supervision of 438 guards, 14 adminstrators and 3 directors. According to the reports of the times, for the transportation and the removal of materials, aside from horses and donkeys, camels and elephants were used! It was not until 1847 that the Throne Room was finished and the work could finally be considered completed.

In total, the Palace has 1200 rooms! A description of the Palace and its gardens is impossible here. It is one of the most famous and loved architectural masterpieces in the world. We will limit ourselves to show some pictures and spend a few words on the most important and beautiful rooms. Entrance to the Palatine Chapel (similar to the one in Versailles) is from the upper hall. The Chapel is an unadorned and vaulted room with columns and a high stylobate. It was inaugurated by the Mass of Christmases Eve in 1784, at the presence of the King and all the Court. The chapel is dedicated to Mary Immaculate, whose image is painted on the apse. A mention must be made to the Rooms of the Seasons, small and highly decorated rooms: in the room of “spring”, the King and Queen welcomed their most intimate guests and Hackert embellished it with some splendid views of harbours. Whereas the King’s apartment is furnished in a rigorous way and contains German pieces of furniture, the apartment of Queen Maria Carolina is somehow frivolous and elegant. Once crossed the three neoclassical rooms of the Palatine Library, we reach the Elliptic Room, all white washed, without decorations, destined to the Court recreation; it presently houses the enchanting Bourbon Crib. The Bourbons always encouraged the ancient Neapolitan tradition of the Crib and every Christmas a huge crib was prepared in the Palace by expert artisans but also by the Princesses, who tailored the dresses of the shepherds. The hands, heads and feet of the statuettes were made of clay, whereas the body was made of stow and wire. Real designs were realised for the crib: the last one was made in 1844, and the present crib in the Palace is inspired by that last project. Leaving the Elliptical Room, we entry the splendid Art Gallery, recently furnished with the portraits of the Sovereigns. But even more important is the area dedicated to the splendid landscapes that Ferdinand IV ordered to J.P. Hackert, the other famous artist who worked in the Palace of Caserta. Mention must be also made to the small and precious theatre, located in the western wing. The theatre was not foreseen in the first design, and Vanvitelli made it upon a precise will of King Charles in 1756, when the work had already begun.

To conclude, no description can convey the beauty of the wonderful gardens and their enchanting sculptures, that can only be appreciated while personally seen. Only a visit to the place can give merit to the splendour of the Palace and the munificence of the Bourbons, makers of the most beautiful and largest Palaces in the world.
Admittance ticket to the Royal Palace of Caserta: EUR 6.

Restaurants in the area

Casa Hirta
Via Ruggiero
Tel. 0823-353655

La Leccese
Piazza Vanvitelli
Tel. 0823-329612

Lampara
Via Vico
Tel. 0823-321709

La Taverna dei Mannesi
Via XXV aprile
Tel. 0823-491422

La Tegola
Via Mondo
Tel. 0823-442689

La Toppa Rossa
Via Case Sparse
Tel. 0823-341076

Le Colonne
Via Appia
Tel. 0823-467494

Driving distances and approximate driving times

Amalfi: 79 km / 49 miles / 82 min.
Praiano: 89 km / 55 miles / 93 min.
Positano: 82 km / 51 miles / 84 min.
Ravello: 90 km / 56 miles / 100 min.
Sorrento: 72 km / 45 miles / 70 min.
Pompeii: 48 km / 30 miles / 40 min.
Naples: 33 km / 20 miles / 30 min.
Rome: 198 km / 123 miles / 121 min.
Salerno: 78 km / 48 miles / 60 min.
Paestum: 117 km / 73 miles / 86 min.
Castellabate: 138 km / 86 miles / 109 min.
Marina di Camerota: 159 km / 99 miles / 170 min.

Sant'Agata dei due Golfi

2010-06-04T07:09:00.002-07:00

Sant'Agata sui due Golfi is a small town between Sorrento and Positano.
It is on a hill, at about 400 mt. above sea level. The name of Sant'Agata dei Due Golfi is due to the wonderful sight, opening fom here, on the two gulfs: Golfo di Napoli at north, Golfo di Salerno at south.; it is a well known holiday resort and one of the "pearls" in the Gulf of Naples. S.Agata is situated between the Gulf of Naples and the Gulf of Salerno, in the hills surrounding the Sorrento Peninsula, with fabulous views on the sea. Well known for its healthy air and organic vegetables, S.Agata has been a popular tourist resort since the Eighteenth Century.
Its Church (XVI century) was visited for its late renaissance structure and its very precious altar attributed to the school of Florence of the XVII century. It is a masterpiece with very fine and elaborate marquetry of motherpearl, lapislazuli, malachite and every type of precious marble. Etruscans, Greeks and Romans, were enchanted by the beauties of the Siren Land and lived in the wooded hills for centuries. This has been confirmed by the wide necropolis existing on the northern side of the hill. Probably on these heights - Montes Sireniani, they used to be called - was a sanctuary of Greek age dedicated to the mermaids. Later it was occupied by the Carmelitani Padri who built a Monastery which they gave the name "Deserto". In the Roman age it became the junction of merchant traffic between the two gulfs. S. Agata nowadays derives its name from a Chapel built in the XVI by the Festinese family dedicating it to the young Sicilian Vergin.
The village itself is in a very good location. Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ieranto Bay and Massa Lubrense can all be easily reached either by car or bus. Also, it is the ideal centre for unforgettable excursions to Capri, Pompei, the Vesuvius and Ischia. If you like hiking, from Santa Agata you will able to ahve striking walks, along paths and hilltops of unforgettable beauty.
In Santa Agata you can have a dinner at “Don Alfonso 1890”, the most famous (and expensive…) restaurant of the Sorrento Coast.

Restaurants is Santa Agata dei Due Golfi

Don Alfonso 1890 - Corso S. Agata 11- Tel +39 0818780026

Reginella Ristorante Pensione - Via Termine, 7 – tel. +39 0818780043

i 4 Venti - Via Nastro Azzurro, 28 - Tel. +39 0818080901
Tramonto Rosso - Via Caprile, 1 – Tel +39 0818081045

Le Tore - Via Pontone 43 – tel +39 0818080637

Other sights of the area – Distance and approximate driving times

Sorrento: 7 km / 5 miles / 15 min.
Amalfi: 26 km / 16 miles / 25 min.
Praiano: 18 km / 11 miles / 20 min.
Positano: 6 km / 4 miles / 10 min.
Ravello: 31 km / 19 miles / 31 min.
Pompeii: 35 km / 20 miles / 47 min.
Naples: 56 km / 35 miles / 63 min.
Caserta: 80 km / 50 miles / 88 min.
Rome: 271 km / 169 miles / 180 min.
Salerno: 50 km / 31 miles / 52 min.
Paestum: 93 km / 58 miles / 90 min.
Castellabate: 114 km / 70 miles / 108 min.
Marina di Camerota: 177 km / 111 miles / 170 min.

Sant'Agnello

2010-06-04T07:09:00.001-07:00

Is a pleasant holiday resort on the coast at about at 1,5 miles from Sorrento, named after its patron saint, which is venerated in the beautiful baroque church with the same name. On its side there is the imposing campanile and both are preceeded by a stairway as large as the whole facade. In this church by tradition they came from the neighbourhood the husbands of parturient women, to ask the Saint for a good result of the birth.The most interesting place to visit architecturally is the baroque style church of Sant’Agnello.
Whilst you walk through the streets of the town you can also see some houses with original windows and doors from the 15th century. From the main square of Sant’Agnello, if you go down Via Dei Cappuccini, you arrive at the beautiful beach of the Marinella which is situated at the end of a deep gorge of volcanic rock which in ancient times was used as the jetty of a Roman villa. If you continue along Corso Crawford, you can see an ancient convent surrounded by lush vegetation which has been cleverly renovated and transformed into a hotel without spoiling its historical architecture. Don’t’ miss to visit the beautiful countryside of Santa Agnello. Also, a nice excursion is a boat trip to the Grotta delle Sirene (the mermaids’ cave).

Restaurants in Sant’Agnello

Da Arturo, via Crawford 6. tel. +39 081 8772689

Da Peppino, via Balsamo 79. tel + 39 081 8074072

Eldorado, via del Pini 40. tel +39 081 8783255

Il Camino, via Nastro Azzurro 2. tel. +39 081 8083844

Il Capanno, rione Cappuccini. Tel . +39 8782453

Mezzaluna, via Pietra Piana 7. Tel. 081 8783436

Via Nastro Azzurro 19 +39 081 8083525

Tourist sights of the area - Distances and driving times

Amalfi: 33 km / 20 miles / 35 min.
Praiano: 23 km / 14 miles / 25 min.
Positano: 18 km / 11 miles / 20 min.
Ravello: 40 km / 24 miles / 48 min.
Pompeii: 28 km / 16 miles / 37 min.
Naples: 48 km / 30 miles / 53 min.
Caserta: 77 km / 48 miles / 77 min.
Rome: 263 km / 164 miles / 170 min.
Salerno: 58 km / 36 miles / 56 min.
Paestum: 102 km / 63 miles / 96 min.
Castellabate: 123 km / 76 miles / 120 min.
Marina di Camerota: 184 km / 115 miles / 180 min.

Punta Campanella Protected Area

2010-06-04T07:07:00.002-07:00

Located between Sorrento and Positano, the territory of Punta Campanella Area is characterized by homogeneity in the landscape and in the natural aspects of great importance at a global level, by the historical and cultural quality of the sites, by the presence of tourist settlements, of food and alimentary and artistic craftsmanship, by commercial activities, and by high-quality tourist services. Because of the calcareous nature of the peninsula, the area is characterized by karst phenomena leading to the formation of a considerable number of emerged cavities, which became underwater because of tectonic movements and of the raising of the sea level. Among the most spectacular ones there is the Grotta della Cala di Mitigliano in which, at not a very great depth, you can explore the charming world of the underwater dark caves.

The establishment of the Marine Protected Area “Punta Campanella” has the aim to preserve one of the most beautiful and rich stretches of Italian coast from a naturalistic point of view, both for the terrestrial and for the underwater environment. The 40 Km of coasts are a succession of green promontories and welcoming inlets: the Baia di Ieranto is famous, since it offers to the visitor a unique landscape.

Historical-Artistic Monuments

The Roman Villas

Already during the 1st century BC Roman villas began to be built by the Roman elite in the most panoramic points of the coast: as a matter of fact, the Roman elite had chosen already in the previous century the Gulf of Naples as a place of idleness and holiday. The impressiveness and the luxury of these aristocratic residences of Sorrento is documented by some finds worthy of the capital.
Athena's Sanctuary
The cultural horizon in which the cult of Athena in Punta della Campanella must be read is a horizon “integrating earth and water, coast and open sea in relationship with the ideal needs of navigation”. The cult can “legitimately be considered addressed to the patronage of the maritime access of the Gulf since ancient times".
The coastal towers
The watching towers characterizing all the coasts of the Kingdom of Naples were built according to the will of the viceroy Don Parafan de Ribera and mainly accomplished during the vicekingdom of Don Pedro di Toledo.
Zones

Vervece Zone
The cliff of Vervece, situated at about one thousand meters from the small harbor of Marina della Lobra (Massa Lubrense), can be considered a real sea Sanctuary for the presence at 12 meters of depth of the statue of the Virgin Mary which protects divers.
From the surface to the bottom, the Vervece holds all the charm of diving into the Mediterranean Sea. Just below the surface of the water, the walls seem gardens in bloom, because they are covered with Parazoanthus with the open octopuses ready to catch planktonic particles. Red starfishes lie down on the yellow colonies, while hundreds of multicolored small fishes circle around the divers.

Vetara Zone

The small cliff of Vetara lies on a seabed of about fifty meters, its walls degrade by alternating gentle slopes to steep falls. Flora and fauna enrich it from its first meters and a luxuriant “coralligenous” colonizes each ravine.At less than one hundred meters from the cliff there is a shoal linked to it with its top at -6 meters, and it is possible to glimpse it through the crystalline water. When you dive, you will imagine to be in a tropical atoll: groups of multicolored Labridae, clouds of Ray's breams, Blotched picarels, and Boces. Sworms of small anchovies, sardines, and mackerels attract greedy shoals of Little tunnies and Greater amberjacks. On the slope facing the open sea, at -15 meters there is a small cave full of Shrimps Parapandalus narval, with red colors and long white antennas. At a greater depth, the walls are covered with yellow and red Gorgonians, adorned by clusters of delicate and pink laces of Briozoan (Sertella beaniana) and by thick “bouquets” of transparent Ascidians (Clavelina lepadiformis). In the fissures of the walls you can catch sight of White Breams sharing their den with Brown Meagres and Greater Forkbreads, and also with some rare Groupers. On the bottom there is the Pinna nobilis and big cup-shaped brown Sponges.

The Riserva Naturale Marina Punta Campanella is provided with the following structures:
Multimedia hall with Internet points and didactic software;
Meeting hall with multimedia overhead projector and giant screen with videorecorder for didactic projections.

The area of Punta Campanella is at about 1,5 miles from Postano on a side, and at 2 miles from Sorrento on the other side.

Salerno

2010-06-04T07:07:00.001-07:00

Helped by an excellent location, in the north edge of the huge homonimous Gulf, where the natural ways of communication have their outlet in the hinterland of Basilicata, Irpinia and Campania, Salerno, rich of ancient and illustrious history, delightfully adorned by charming sorroundings, extending toward the two sides of the homonimus gulf and which are known also for their mild climate, spreads out between the overhead hills and the seaside, with its districts, which, from west eastwards, underline the historical development of the town, from Roman Age to the post-war period. The urban centre, at the foot of Bonadies hill, between the XVI century church of Annunziata, with its beautiful baroque bell tower made by Sanfelice, and the XVIII century Porta Nuova, which divides the modern built-up area from the medieval one, testifies, with its monuments, the opulence of the town during the periods of its greatest civil, cultural and political prosperity, still famous worldwide for the magnificence of the first medicine school born in Europe, the famous Scuola Medica Salernitana.

Salerno is very well connected by train both from the south and from the north of Italy.

MONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS

The main monument of Salerno is the Cathedral (Duomo), romanesque building of XI century, dedicated to the apostle San Matteo, the patron saint of the town; the saint's body and that of Pope Gregorio VII (dead banished in Salerno) are kept inside the church. The cathedral - full of remarkable works of art (including two oustanding ambos and a mosaic-floor) - has three naves, with pillars incorporating the original columns; the entrance consists of a (central) bronze door, melted in Constantinople. The building is completed by a hall (surrounded by a colonnade and by arabian-norman style arches), where in summer concerts of classical music are held, and the baroque crypt (visit time: every day from 9 am to 7,30 pm).
The Museo Diocesano, situated in the archiepiscopal seminary in Piazza Plebiscito, keeps several paintings, a famous ivory baldaquin of the XII century with biblical scenes and an illuminated Exultet of the XIII century (free entrance every day from 9 am to 6 pm). In the restored wing of the former medieval abbey of San Benedetto is settled the Museo Provinciale, in which archeological items found in the town and in various places of the province are collected, including a remarkable head of Apollo made of italic bronze, of the I century b.C.
Facing the Museo Provinciale, it has been recently reopened the wonderful romanesque church of S. Benedetto, consacrated to Gregorio VII, who lived in the attached monastery.
The Castello Longobardo enjoys a great view on Bonadies hill, over the centre of the town. The byzantine castle was enlarged by the Lombards and fortified by the Normans. In the rooms recently restored are now settled collections of items relies found nearby. Exhibitions and meetings are also held.

Among central religious monuments in Salerno we indicate:
* S. Giorgio's church (via Duomo) recently restored by the Monument and Fine Arts Service, rich of frescos and stuccos of the XVII century, among which stand out some Francesco Solimena's works (1675).
* the church of Crocifisso (piazza Matteotti) has three romanesque naves, with XIII century frescos in the crypt.
* the church of S. Pietro a Corte, palatine-lombard chapel, with its original bell tower and frescos of the XIII century, which offered to the experts valuable evidence of the roman and medieval history of Salerno (now closed for restoration).
* the former S. Grogorio's church (via Mercanti), where now is settled the exhibition on Scuola Medica Salernitana, undertaken by the Monuments and Fine Arts Service, illustrating the activity of the school during XI and XIII centuries (free entrance from monday to saturday, from 9 am to 1 pm and from 4 pm to 7 pm).
* in the top area of the centre is S. Maria delle Grazie church (Largo Scuola Medica) with a XVI century tablet representing the Holy Mary with Child.
* XVI century church of Annunziata (near the Villa Comunale) with a XVIII century bell tower made by Sanfelice.
* behind the Palazzo della Provincia, the S. Agostino's church a byzantine picture of S. Maria of Constantinople.

Restaurants in Salerno

Concord P.zza della ConcordiaTelephone: 089/226856Fax: 089/253026

Del Golfo Via Porto, 57Telephone: 089/231581
Il Brigante Via F. Linguiti, 4Telephone: 089/226592

Trianon
Piazza Flavio Gioia
Tel. 089252530

Da Pasquale Via Indipendenza, 44Telephone: 089/254017

Il TimoneVia Generale Glark, 29/35 Tel. 089/335111

Driving distances and approximate driving times

Acciaroli: 80 km / 50 miles / 102 min.
Santa Maria di Castellabate: 59 km / 36 miles / 72 min.
San Marco di Castellabate: 62 km / 38 miles / 80 min.
Perdifumo: 68 km / 42 miles / 90 min.
Marina di Camerota: 120 km / 75 miles / 120 min.
Agnone: 75 km / 46 miles / 95 min.
Ascea Marina: 86 km / 53 miles / 102 min.
S.Mango Cilento: 68 km / 42 miles / 86 min.
Paestum: 37 km / 23 miles / 5 min.
Pompeii: 29 km / 18 miles / 31 min.
Sorrento: 56 km / 36 miles / 58 min.
Amalfi: 24 km / 15 miles / 31 min.
Naples: 54 km / 33 miles / 50 min.

Vietri

2010-06-04T07:06:00.001-07:00

Vietri is considered the "First Pearl" of the Almalfi Coast, and is one of the most important villages in the province of Salerno. It is indeed the entrance to the Amalfi Coast coming from south. Distinctively clear waters met by bright blue backdrops and eternal sunscapes create a magical and healing place which is nourishing to the soul. Brilliant tones of orange, green, red, and deep sea blue are the natural color schemes which represent the many beautiful and healing attributes of this magical Mediterranean retreat.
Vietri is the town where is produced the famous ‘’ Ceramica Vietrese’’. The ceramics of Vietri are a feast for the eyes, a joy to use and amarvel for memories. The delightful Musuem of Ceramics set up in the Tower of Villa Guariglia, situated inside the grounds of a park that juts out and overreaches the sea at Raito numbers among its exhibits pieces that date as far back as the year 500 and later pieces belonging to all epochs including the present time: holy water containers, decorated plates, candlesticks, pots, painted, tiles kitchen pots, flowers pots, objects for display. All this reproduced in the ovens bringing back to life the antique traditions and customs of craftsmen from generation to generation, you will find in the omporiums of ceramics, walking and browsing your way through the streets of Vietri.

It is possible to visit the Solimene Family factory where in the morning from 9.00 a.m. until 12.00 p.m possible to see the artists that paint each dish one by one. It is possible also to visit the Ceramic Museum: it is located in the Villa Guariglia tower in Raito; it includes documentation about ceramic production from XVII century to the "German period".

Also, do not miss to visit the Church of S. Giovanni Battista, with late-Renaissance façade, dome tiled with majolica.

Restaurants in Vietri

Bristol - Via C. Colombo, 2 - Telephone: +39 089210216

La Lucertola - Via C. Colombo, 29 - Telephone: +39089210255
La Sosta - Via Costiera, 6 - Telephone: +39 089211790

Sapore di mare - Via G. Pellegrino, 104 - Telephone: +39089210041

I Due Fratelli - Via Statale, 18 - Telephone +39089761300

Tourist sights of the area - Driving distances and approximate driving times.

Salerno: 1,5 km/ 1 mile / 2 min.
Pompeii: 29 km / 18 miles / 31 min.
Sorrento: 56 km / 36 miles / 58 min.
Amalfi: 24 km / 15 miles / 31 min.
Naples: 54 km / 33 miles / 50 min.
Acciaroli: 80 km / 50 miles / 102 min.
Santa Maria di Castellabate: 59 km / 36 miles / 72 min.
San Marco di Castellabate: 62 km / 38 miles / 80 min.
Perdifumo: 68 km / 42 miles / 90 min.
Marina di Camerota: 120 km / 75 miles / 120 min.
Agnone: 75 km / 46 miles / 95 min.
Ascea Marina: 86 km / 53 miles / 102 min.
S.Mango Cilento: 68 km / 42 miles / 86 min.
Paestum: 37 km / 23 miles / 5 min.

Capri

2010-06-04T00:54:00.002-07:00

The Isle of Capri is famous in all over the the world as a classy and beautiful holiday destination. There are few who won't express their envy when you tell them of your trip. Everyone has their own Capri myth, whether it's a myth of Sirens charming seafarers, of ancient Roman orgies, of dreamy seaviews, of 1950s celebrities in big sunglasses, or of lazy summer evenings spent browsing in exclusive boutiques.
There are two towns in the island: Capri and Anacapri. About 8000 people live in Capri and 7000 in Anacapri. The town of Capri is located on the eastern side of the island, Marina Grande - the port - to the North and Marina Piccola to the South. Anacapri is on the western side of the island and is separated from Capri town by the imposing slopes of Mount Solaro The climate of Capri is typically mediterranean.
The principal Capri tourist attraction is the island itself; its views, its rocky seashores and its scenic charm. There is plenty of good walking - or strolling - to be done as you explore the island. Top scenic panoramas include views of the Bay of Naples, the Faraglioni Rocks and the Gardens of Augustus.At the ruined Villa Jovis you can see the remains of the Emperor Tiberius's palace, and also the cliffs over which he is reputed to have had his enemies tossed. Back in Capri town, the 14th-century Certosa di San Giacomo is a handsome old monastery-fortress, now hosting a school and art exhibitions. For shopaholics, Capri town is a dream, with all the big designer names and expensive boutiques. Almost every Capri visitor makes the trip to the Grotta Azzurra, the Blue Grotto. Like the island itself, it tends to split its visitors in two - those who find the blue-lit cave an unforgettable experience, and those who find the jostling boatsmen and extortionate prices a rip-off. A boat trip around the island, though, is a more rewarding experience. You can admire the coastline and the island's other grottoes, and the famous Faraglioni, in a leisurely fashion.
The heart of Capri is the Piazza Umberto I (the exclusive “Piazzetta”), which is a small, compact, closed-off square that resembles a courtyard. Surrounding the square are the ''Torre dell'Orologio'', or Clock Tower, which may have been the belltower of the old cathedral, plus the municipal offices (located in the rooms of the former bishop's residence), and a series of stores and caffes; the picturesque left side of the San Stefano church acts as a backdrop. The piazza was probably part of the primitive inhabited are a of Capri (Vth-IVth cents. BC), as shown by a number of sections of wall made from limestone blocks some squared and others formed in the more ancient, pseudo-polygonal-technique.
Also, don miss to have a shopping in the fabolous boutiques of the island. Beautiful lanes to wander. No cars. Allowing you to sashay from one side of the street to the next, without looking both ways. The wonderful dressed shop windows. And the goods themselves. Like Gucci's, Tod's & Prada's. And Loro Piana's.

Get to Capri
Regular ferries run to Capri both from Sorrento and Amalfi and Positano. From Amalfi and Positano journey time is approximately 70 minutes. From Sorrento you should be in Capri in about 40 minutes.

Get around Capri
Capri ferries arrive at the port of Marina Grande. From Marina Grande, buses run up to Capri town and Anacapri. There is also a funicular which travels to Capri town. Buses travel busily around the island, connecting Capri, Anacapri, Marina Grande, the Grotta Azzurra, Faro and Marina Piccola. Boats also run around the coastline. The island, however, is highly walkable so you may not bother too much about public transport when you're there.

Sailing and motorcycle hire

SAILING CHARTERING

Banana Sport - Via Marina Grande, 12 (spiaggia) - Tel. 39 081 8375188

CapriMar - Via C. Colombo, 75 - Tel. 39 081 8375581

Capri Relax - Tel. 39 081 8377849

Sercomar - Via C. Colombo, 64 - Tel. 39 081 83787

81Simeoli - Tel. 800 801661

Taxi del mare - Via degli Aranci, 180 (Sorrento) - Tel. 39 081 8773600

Whales - Via C. Colombo, 17 - Tel. 39 081 8375833

Capri Yacht Charter - Piazza Vittoria 3 - Capri - Tel. 39 0818370819

MOTORCYCLE HIRE

Capri

"Capri" di Alfano Antonio - Via Marina Grande, 280 - Tel. 39 081 8377941

"Capri" di Alfano Ciro - Via D. Giobbe Ruocco, 55 - Tel. 39 081 8378018

Oasi Motor - Via C. Colombo, 47 - Tel. 39 081 8377138

Rent an Electric Scooter - Via Roma, 68 Tel. 39 0818375863

Rent an Electric Scooter - Via Prov.le Marina Grande, 210 Tel. 39 0818375863

Anacapri

Alfano Antonio - Piazza Barile, 26 - Tel. 39 0818373888

Grotta Azzurra - Via Tuoro, 57 - Tel. 39 0818371486

Oasi Motor - Piazza Caprile, 3/A - Tel. 39 081 8372444

Restaurants in Capri

Capri
AISHA - Via Gradoni Sopramonte, 6/8 - tel. 39 0818379054

BUCA DI BACCO - Via Longano 25 - tel. 39 0818370723

BUONOCORE - Via V. Emanuele - tel. 39 0818377826

CAPRI - Via Roma, 71 - tel. 39 0818370003

CASANOVA - Via Le Botteghe, 46 - tel. 39 0818377642

DA GEMMA - Via Madre Serafina - tel. 39 0818370461

DA LUIGI - Via Faraglioni - tel. 39 0818370591

DA GIORGIO - Via Roma, 34 - tel. 39 0818370898

SETTANNI - Via Longano, 5 - tel. 39 0818370105

SOLLIEVO - Via Fuorlovado, 36 - tel. 39 0818370665

SYRENE - Via Camerelle, 51 - tel. 39 0818370102

VERGINIELLO - Via Lo Palazzo, 25 - tel. 39 0818370944

VILLA BRUNELLA - Via Tragara, 24 - tel. 39 0818370122

VILLAVERDE - Via Sella Orta 6 - tel. 39 0818377024Marina Grande
AL GALLO D'ORO - Via Marina Grande, 23 - tel. 39 0818370853

BAGNI SMERALDO - Via Marina Grande - tel. 39 0818377212

BAGNI TIBERIO - Via Palazzo a Mare - tel. 39 0818377688

DA FRANCESCO - Via C. Colombo - tel. 39 0818376490

IL RISTORO - Via C. Colombo, 8 - tel. 39 0818370384

SAN COSTANZO - Via Marucella, 26 - tel. 39 0818377947

Marina Piccola
CIRO A MARE - Via Marina Piccola - tel. 39 0818370264

DA MARIA - Via Marina Piccola - tel. 39 0818375648

LA CANZONE DEL MARE - Via Marina Piccola - tel. 39 0818370104

LA PIAZZETTA - Via Marina Piccola - tel. 39 0818377827

LE SIRENE - Via Marina Piccola - tel. 39 0818370221Anacapri
'A CURTIGLIA - Via Nuova del Faro, 86 - tel.39 0818373334

AL NIDO D'ORO - V.le D Tommaso - tel. 39 0818372148

COLUMBUS - Via Caposcuro, 8 - tel. 39 0818371441

IL SARACENO - Via Trieste e Trento - tel. 39 0818372099

IL SOLITARIO - Via G.Orlandi, 96 - tel. 39 0818371382

LA GIARA - Via G. Orlandi, 67 - tel. 39 0818373860

LA RONDINELLA - Via G. Orlandi - tel. 39 0818371223

Pompeii

2010-06-04T00:54:00.001-07:00

Pompeii, an ancient city frozen in time by a volcanic eruption, offers the best insight into the daily life of the Romans. It is the most important archeological site anywhere. The eruption of the Vesuivius in 79 A.D. buried the city when it was still part of the Roman empire. The volcano, in fact, is still active, but not much of a threat. The ongoing excavations are open to the pubic. Pompei was inhabited by the Greeks and the Samnites before it became a Roman colony. However, it was devastated by an earthquake in 79 A.D. When Vesuvius erupted 16 years later, about 10 percent of the 20,000 inhabitants died. The eruption did hasten the city's decline, and it was abandoned during the Saracen raids and earthquakes that followed. The ruins of the abandoned city weren't discovered until 1594, and the excavation didn't begin until 1748, during the reign of Charles of Bourbon. Work continues today, although many of the famous mosaics and murals that have been recovered have been moved to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples. The Museo Vesuviano also has Vesuvian-era artifacts.
The first archaeological explorations took place towards the mid-18th century, and excavations soon began in earnest, but not until 1860 were they conducted in an orderly, systematic fashion. It is thought that, to date, about three-fifths of the ancient town has been excavated. Pompeii is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, because it provides a complete picture of the topography and life of a Roman town.

The origin
Pompeii was built on a highland at a middle height of around 30 ms. on the sea-level formed from a prehistoric lava casting. At the mouth of the Sarno river (at that time navigable), the city was destined to become the harbour of some countries far from the sea. The name may derive from the Oscan “pompe” (five), to mean a community of five villages, or from the Greek “pempo” that means “to send”, to underline the fact that it was a huge commercial harbour able to supply of agricultural products (oil and wine) different points of the Mediterranean.
Soon Pompeii was influenced by two populations of superior civilization, established in Campania since the VII century B.C.: the Greeks of Cuma and the Etruscans of Capua. These last succeeded to the Greek between 530 and the 474 B.C. when they conquered the coast and they became a big power of the Mediterranean. The Greeks, defeated the Etruscans with the help of the Syracusans, held Pompeii up to 438, when some Samnite populations belonging to the same log of the ancient Oscans, invaded the whole Campania. It goes up again to this period the expansion of the city from 9,3 to 63,5 hectares of territory, extending itself till the whole lava casting. In the IV century B.C. the Samnite populations that lived on the Apennines did new invasions to damage the same Samnites of the lowland and of the coast, by now totally urbanized. For the occasion (300 B.C.) they were forced to restructure the urban boundaries made by Sarno limestone. Even Rome, in help of the Samnites of Capua, took part to these events (Samnite wars: 343 - 290 B.C.), going out of it victorious and becoming the mistress of the whole territory. Pompeii drew from this situation a notable positive push in the commerce and in the art. It goes up again in fact to this period the frequently employment of Nuceria tufa, above all for the public buildings that were partly restructured, partly built ex - novo.

Sights to see
The archaeological excavation sites are constantly packed with tourists and have been placed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Some of your top priorities here should be the Forum Baths, complete with bodycasts of those who were bathing at the time, and the House of the Vettii, with preserved frescoes. The brothel, known as the Lupenar, is also popular. Pompei also contains the oldest standing amphitheater in the world, which was built in 80 B.C. and held 12,000 spectators at a time. Some other sights are the Tempio di Apolo, temple remains built by the Samnites in the Doric style. The Tempio di Glove is a similar sight. Porta Marian is the southwestern sea gate, also worth a look. Many remains of theaters are worth seeing, especially the Teatro Grande. The Villa dei Misteri, meanwhile, is one of the most complete structures left standing, and its Dionysiac Frieze is one of the largest paintings from ancient Rome still in existence.

Herculaneum - is less famous than nearby Pompeii, but as the excavations progress, and with the recent opening to the public of the Villa dei Papiri - one of the best-known sites in this area - it is once again becoming a great tourist destination.

getting there

By Public transprtation
The Circumvesuviana Railway every half hour from Sorrento.
A round-trip fare is EUR 2; trip time is 45 minutes each way.

By car - driving distances
Amalfi: 37 km / 23 miles / 46 min.
Praiano: 42 km / 26 miles / 54 min.
Positano: 38 km / 23 miles / 47 min.
Ravello: 45 km / 28 miles / 60 min.
Sorrento: 28 km / 17 miles / 36 min

Restaurants in Pompeii

Addu' Mimi'- Via Roma, 12 Tel. +39 0818638332
Al Gambero Rosso - Via A. Rossi, 41 Tel. +39 0818638322
Amitrano - Via Lepanto 93/95 Tel. +39 0818505253
Anfiteatro - Via Roma, 109 Tel. +39 0818631245
Carlo Alberto - Via Carlo Alberto, 15 Tel. +39 0818633231
Corallo - P.Zza Anfiteatro Tel. +39 0818632523
Da Peppino - Via Duca D'aosta, 39 Tel. +39 0818504821
Degli Amici - Via Plinio, 43 Tel. +39 0815631223
Dei Platani - V. C. S.Bartolomeo Tel. +39 0818633973
Hostaria Del Gallo Nero - V.Le Mazzini, 116 Tel. +39 0818630034
Tiberius Via Villa Dei Misteri, 7 Tel. +39 0818613550
Vecchia America Via Roma, 111 Tel. +39 0818633418
Vesuvio Via Plinio, 133 Tel. +39 0815367494
Vittoria P.Zza Esedra, 3 Tel. +39 0815368166
Zi' Caterina Via Roma, 20 Tel. +39 0818507447

Tourist sights in the area - Distances and driving times

Amalfi: 37 km / 23 miles / 46 min.
Praiano: 42 km / 26 miles / 54 min.
Positano: 38 km / 23 miles / 47 min.
Ravello: 45 km / 28 miles / 60 min.
Naples: 23 km / 14 miles / 21 min.
Caserta: 47 km / 29 miles / 40 min.
Rome: 243 km / 151 miles / 141 min.
Sorrento: 28 km / 17 miles / 36 min
Salerno: 30 km / 18 miles / 30 min.
Paestum: 72 km / 46 miles / 62 min.
Castellabate: 84 km / 52 miles / 74 min.
Marina di Camerota: 149 km / 94 miles / 142 min.

Positano

2010-06-04T00:53:00.002-07:00

Situated in a superb spot which opens out southwards to the centre of a vast gulf, stretching from the Germano tip in the east to Capo Sottile in the west, Positano is one of the famous and popular seaside resort of the Amalfi coastline. An ancient fishing village nestling on the southern slopes of the Monti Lattari, it is crowned to the north by the steep slopes of Monte Comune and Monte S. Angelo in Tre Pizzi, between which snakes a deep valley falling away to the sea. Positano’s origins date back to the inhabitants of Paestum who, around the tenth century, took refuge in a Benedictine abbey, where the hid from the Saracens who had destroyed their city.

As the natural disposition of the new site made it much easier to defend, the refugees established a new city there. Within a few decades, Positano had become a maritime centre of Amalfi. At the beginning of this century, its particularly lovely setting and mild climate began to attract tourist, initially Pathenopean aristocrats, who built some villas on the slopes of Monte Comune. In more recent years, the city’s hotels and sports facilities have been upgraded, thus allowing a grater development of tourism, which is currently the main activity of the people of Positano.
The oldest part of the town has preserved the typical aspect of a seafaring village, with its staged terraces descending toward the sea, and houses in the characteristic cubic shape, separated by narrow little streets most of which are marked with steps. The backbone of the area is via Pasitea, which is an extremely windy street. The little Flavio Gioia square, from which one can enjoy a magnificent view, is the centre of the town: on to it looks the church of S. Maria Assunta, with its great majolica cupola in geometric patterns.
From the square one goes down to the clifframed beach of the Marina Grande. On the other side of the town, looking west, the beach of Fornillo opens out just beyond a tract of rocky coast. To the east Positano lie the highly accessible beaches of La Porta, Ciumicello and Arienzo. The area surrounding Positano is full of extremely attractive spots. Near Punto Germano the coast road passes over a deep fissure in the rock with a precarious little bridge called “Ponte dei Libri” (Bridge of books). The name comes from the regular stratification of the rock walls which seem like leaves of enormous tomes superimposed on one another and which one can see better by climbing down the valley via a path

Leaving Positano for Amalfi, the road runs high above the sea, passing the two charming villages of Montepertuso and Nocelle on the left. On the slopes of Monte S. Angelo in Tre Pizzi, stands the imposing “Arco Naturale”, which is particularly beautiful in the morning as the rays of the rising sun fall upon it. Near Punta S. Pietro is found the eponymous church which commands a grand and truly splendid view of the coast and the island of Capri, which can be seen protruding from behind Punta Campanella. From Positano trips can be made to Monte S. Angelo in Tre Pizzi and Monte Comune, while one can also test one’s strength in an arduous climb down the steep spurs which fall sharply away to the sea.

Shopping in Positano – Boutiques

Quality fashion tailoring is an activity that has distinguished Positano since the end of the 50's when, with the creation of the bikini, innovative swimming costume, the town on the Amalfi coast became famous in Italy and throughout the world. Today production is wide ranging and offers a great variety of clothing: including typical garments for the seaside, wraparound skirts, beach robes, bags and Bermudas, to the more formal afternoon clothes or elegant evening dress and even very special wedding dresses. Bright, cheerful patterns, brilliant colours and the use of absolutely natural materials, linen, gauze or cotton, characterise Positano fashion. After a phase in the 1950s and 60's, in which Hawaiian-inspired designs predominated, during the 70's plain-coloured gauze took over, instead today, patterns that portray Mediterranean plants prevail, lemons, flowers and leaves, "borrowed" from the luxuriant
natural surroundings. So, pleasant little shops cheer the lanes of the centre and are a must for the many tourists who come to the town all the year round. Apart from its skilled tailors, Positano is outstanding for its famous cobblers, able to create the typical Positano sandals hand-made to measure while you wait in front of the shop: with names like "spider", "monk", flipflops, wooden or cork clogs and the very comfortable canvas mules, with string soles.
Our favourite boutiques in Positano

BON BON - web site: http://www.bonbonsrl.it
LA BOTTEGA DI BRUNELLA - web site: http://www.brunella.it
LUISA POSITANO - web site : http://www.luisapositano.it/
MARIA LAMPO - web site: http://www.marialampo.it

What to see in Positano

Positano preserves many artistic and archaeological treasures, for example, the ruins of a Roman villa, or the three defence towers that were built by the Viceroy of Spain - Peter from Toledo in the 16th century.

Dont miss to visit:

The Collegiate of the S. Maria Assunta
Romanesque, built in 1200 AD, it holds a precius Sacred Treasure, the "Circumcision" (painting) by Santafede of the XV century, and on the main alter the Byzantine icon of Black Madonna with Child which legend say that came to Positano, on the wave of the sea. Its original structure was almost completely rebuilt in 1700. The impressive inside wall painting in the dome dictates the church, which is divided by pillars, into three separate aisles.

The Siren's Rocks (Li Galli Islands)
In front of Positano are the Rocks of the Sirens or even the sirens themselves, who humiliated by Ulysses died of pain... the mariners of the places tell that on the days of the Scirocco wind, you can still hear singing! Easily reachable by boat from Positano harbor.

And, for those who love the night dont miss the famous discoteque “Music on the rocks” (Grotta dell'Incanto - tel +39 089-875874).

Rent a Boat – Excursions

Blue Star Positano – web site : http://www.bluestarpositano.it/inglese/default.htm
Gennaro e Salvatore – web site : http://www.gennaroesalvatore.it/english
Lucibello – web site : http://www.lucibello.it

Restaurants in Positano

CANNETO Via G. Marconi +39 089-875881
CHEZ BLACK Via Marina +39 089-875036
COVO DEI SARACENI Via Regina Giovanna +39 089-875400
DA ADOLFO Spiaggia di Laurito +39 089-875022
DA COSTANTINO Via Mons. Saverio Cinque +39 089-875738
DA PUPETTO Spiaggia di Fornillo +39 089-875087
DA VINCENZO Viale Pasitea +39 089-875128
LA MARINELLA Via Positanesi d'America +39 089-811843
LE SIRENE Spiaggia di Laurito +39 089-875490
LE TRE SORELLE Via Marina +39 089-875452
LO GUARRACINO Via Positanesi d'America +39 089-875794
O' CAPORALE Via Regina Giovanna +39 089-875374
SANTA CROCE Loc. Nocelle +39 089-875319
SARACENO D'ORO Viale Pasitea +39 089-875390

Other sights in the area – Driving distances and approximate driving times

Amalfi: 15 km / 10 miles / 22 min.
Ravello: 28 km / 17 miles / 35 min.
Sorrento: 17 km / 11 miles / 24 min.
Praiano: 6 km / 4 miles / 8 min.
Caserta: 82 km / 51 miles / 84 min.
Naples: 60 km / 37 miles / 70 min.
Pompeii: 39 km / 24 miles / 48 min.
Rome: 275 km / 171 miles / 181 min.
Salerno: 41 km / 25 miles / 56 min.
Paestum: 78 km / 48 miles / 100 min.
Castellabate: 106 km / 66 miles / 120 min.
Marina di Camerota: 168km / 105 miles / 183 min.

Mt Vesuvius - The Volcano

2010-06-04T00:53:00.001-07:00

Mount Vesuvius is certainly the symbol and the main feature in the Neapolitan landscape, and it is one of the smallest active volcanoes in the world (1277 mt high). It consists of a truncated cone, Monte Somma, which rises to the height of 1152 mt in punta Nasone, on the Northern side. In it there is a smaller cone, the Mt. Vesuvius (1281 metres), divided by lowering named Valle del Gigante (Giants Valley), a part of the ancient caldron where in a later period, perhaps during the 79 A.D. eruption, the Gran Cono (Great Cone) or Mt. Vesuvius arose. The Valle del Gigante is still divided in Atrio del Cavallo on the west and the Valle dell'Inferno on the east. The Somma's ancient crater is well preserved as far as its entire northern part is concerned, in fact in historic times it was less exposed to the volcano's devastating violence, because it was well protected by the height of the internal face that has prevented the downflow of lava on its slopes. The slopes, which vary in their steepness, are furrowed by profound radial grooves produced by the erosion of the meteoric waters. The whole section is then characterized by dikes and fringes of dark volcanic rock. The old crater edge is a stream of summits called “cognoli”. While the height of mount Somma and its profile have remained the same for centuries, the height and the profile of the mount Vesuvius have suffered considerable variation, because of the following eruptions, with raisings and lowerings. Mt. Vesuvius is a characteristic polygenic mixed volcano, meaning that it is constituted by lava of different chemical composition (for example trachytes, tephrites, leucitites) and formed either by casting of lava or pyroclastic deposits. All the zones at the slopes of the mountain are formed by transported earth of lava mud which goes down from the steep slopes in the rainy seasons through deep and narrow grooves called channels or more commonly "lagni". The high embankments are formed by piles of lavic scoriae, which precipitated in incandescent state and spread towards the low slopes, proving precious for the vegetation thanks to their fertile material, rich in silicon and potassium. Proceeding along the rim of the crater, one can observe the whole extent of the southern part of the volcano and, during days with good visibility, it is possible to see the entire gulf of Naples, from the Sorrento peninsula to Cape Miseno, Procida and Ischia. It is also possible to note the large number of buildings which have been built on the vulnerable flanks of the mountain.

THE VESUVIUS NATIONAL PARK

The park was founded to preserve animal and vegetable species, vegetable and forest associations, geological peculiarities, palaeontological formations, biological communities, biotopes, scenic and panoramic values, natural processes, ecological balances. Also, its purposes are the application of ways of management or environmental restoration suitable to realize an integration between man and the natural habitat, also through the protection anthropological, archaeological, historical and architectural values and the protection of traditional and pastoral activities; the promotion of educational and formative activities of scientifis research, that can be interdisciplinary too, the promotion of compatible recreational activities as well; another purpose is the defence and the reconstitution of hydraulic and hydrogeological balances. The task and the values concerning the Vesuvius National Park are even wider because we have to defend the most famous volcano in the world, and at the same time one of the five most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the high urban conurbation that ahs recently grown up around it, disrespectful of the laws forbidding the construction of buildings. Therefore the Vesuvius National Park represents an anomaly among the European National Parks, a sort of challenge aimed to rescue the wild and enchanting beauty of Vesuvius and Monte Somma (Somma Mountain), pulling them away from the incredible deterioration and giving them back to the pleasure of the old and the new generations they belong to.

Enviroment and nature

The territories around the Vesuvius and Monte Somma are different for various environmental seasons but, at the same time, they share some aspects, in particular the strong anthropization that characterizes the lowest slopes of both mountains. Speaking of the differences, it is necessary to point out that the first area is drier and sunnier than the other, with a typical Mediterranean vegetation, artificial grown pinewoods and ilex trees, which are occupying more ground in comparison with pines, and are reforming the splendid Mediterranean forest. The second (Monte Somma) is damper with a wood vegetation similar to the Apennine one, with chestnut woods, oak trees, alders, maples, ilexes; among these there is, even if rarely found, the wonderful birch, a very unusual presence in a Mediterranean habitat. The colonization of lava grounds by the numerous plants, begins after the cool down and is due to the liche Stereocaulon vesuvianum, which has a coral shape, it is grey and is the first living being which installed itself on the cold lava by preparing the land in receiving roots of the plants. It entirely covers the Vesuvian lava making it change to grey, giving the lava a silvery reflection during the full-moon nights. The list of plants includes 906 different species. Among these species we can observe interesting types, such as the Neapolitan maple, the Neapolitan alder and the Helichrysum litoreum, particularly abundant on the Vesuvius. We can point out also the large number of orchids (23) and the broom present in different species: Genista tinctoria, Genista aetnensis; the last one was imported from Etna in 1906 and today it is widespread on the entire Vesuvian territory.

VESUVIUS OBSERVATORY

The observatory was built during the reign of Ferdinand II of Borbon between 1841 and 1845 and it is located at 600 m asl, and it has survived some notable eruptions (in 1850,1855, 1861, 1868, 1872, 1906, 1929, 1944) without being damaged. It was built on the southern border of the Somma caldera, between two deep valleys bordering the hill. These valleys have now been filled by the lava flows of the above-mentioned eruptions.
Since 1983, the National Group for Vulcanology has encouraged research in the geological structure of the volcano, and improved its monitoring. In the 80s there was a significant number of earthquakes, called bradysism, in the Phlegrean Fields and particularly in Pozzuoli that made the earth rise about 1,8 m and after which 30.000 people were evacuated to other nearby areas. Now everything seems to be quiet ot within the limits of natural movement of the earth mass. The only evident exterior activities are the steam fumaroles inside the crater of Vesuvius, in the Phlegrean Fields and on the isle of Ischia. In the historical building of the Osservatorio Vesuviano is a volcanological museum where old instruments are on display. The exhibition takes the visitor on a fascinating tour through the world of volcanoes. It starts off with a description of the various types of eruption and how dangerous they are, and finishes with observation, in real time, of seismic and geochemical data recorded by the Vesuvius Observatory surveillance team. And everything is brought to life with the aid of video clips, illustrations, collections of rocks and minerals, historical instruments, books, paintings… It is also possible to look through the camera’s eye deep into the craters of Vesuvius, Etna, Vulcano and Stromboli. One of the Observatory guides will show visitors round. The entrance is free.

HOW TO ARRIVE
By car
If you have a car, you can reach Mt. Vesuvius going through the motorway A3 Salerno - Napoli till the exit of “Torre del Greco”: at that exit you have to turn right, then you have to go straight toward the first crossroads. Left this crossroads, go straight through Via De Nicola and then Via Vesuvio; an easy path 3 kilometres (1,86 miles) long take to crossroad with the road getting on from Ercolano (next to La Siesta restaurant), where you need to turn right and go on. After passing the aforesaid crossroad, you have to continue going up, and after 3 kilometres ( 1,86 miles) you meet with another crossroad: turning right you can reach the old and new Vesuvius Observatory. If you want to reach the crater, instead, you have to go straight on, but the road divides further: the right fork take to the ex-chair-lift (not more operating), where there is a pleasant bar with a sight-seeing terrace; take the left fork, which stops after 2 kilometres (1,2 miles) in a wide parking at 1000 metres (0,62 miles) of altitude where you have to continue on foot.

By train, bus and taxi

Who comes from Sorrento or Pompeii, can reach Ercolano-Scavi station taking the Sorrento-Napoli or Pompei-Napoli lines. A bus service, managed by Trasporti Vesuviani, and a taxi service is available from Ercolano-Scavi station to Mt. Vesuvius, until 1000 metres (0,62 miles) of altitude.

The access to the crater

When you arrive by car, bus or taxi at 1000 metres of altitude, from the parking there is a short trail 860 metres long, with a drop of 135 metres and an average slope of 14%, which in about 15 minutes arrives on the west crater rim (1180 metres) where there is a refreshment-point and the ticket office. The crater can be visited all the year, except when weather forecast aren't good. The access to the crater is allowed from 9.00 to 15.00, upon buying a ticket of 6.5 Euro for grown-ups, and 4.5 Euro for school-children supplied with pupil list and for boys from 6 to 12 years. From the ticket office starts a conducted tour, accompanied by the local volcanological guides. The crater presents inside a cavity over 300 metres deep, a circumference of the crateral rim about 500 metres long. The path continues among characteristic projections and briefly takes to the Capannuccia (1170 metres) and then to the highest point of Mt. Vesuvius (1281 metres). Shoes and dresses must be suitable for an excursion above 1000 metres of altitude on unpared terrain.

Driving distances and approximate driving times

Sorrento: 41 km / 25 miles / 62 min.
Praiano: 55 km / 34 miles / 75 min.
Positano: 51 km / 32 miles / 70 min.
Ravello: 47 km / 29 miles / 67 min.
Pompeii: 17 km / 11 miles / 29 min.
Naples: 32 km / 20 miles / 47 min.
Caserta: 58 km / 36 miles / 64 min.
Rome: 249 km / 155 miles / 175 min.
Salerno: 47 km / 29 miles / 54 min.
Paestum: 91 km / 56 miles / 93 min.
Castellabate: 112 km / 70 miles / 111 min.
Marina di Camerota: 173 km / 108 miles / 180 min.

Sorrento

2010-06-04T00:52:00.001-07:00

Sorrento is one of the best known resorts in Italy. The town is situated on a plain above the sea, overlooking the Bay of Naples. Sorrento is surrounded by orange and lemon groves and lush thickly wooded hills where vines and olives are grown. A deep gorge runs down to the port on the sea. The town has pretty pastel-coloured houses and several quaint small squares. Sorrento boast 2 harbours, the Marina Grande and the Marina Piccola, both are picturesque bays with small beaches. The Marina Piccola lido is situated right below the Villa Comunale gardens and accessed by lift or steps. Marina Grande is a 15 min walk or a short bus ride away.
According to legend, it was at Sorrento that Ulysses heard the tempting song of the Sirens, the nymphs who attempted to seduce passing sailors. The site of luxurious villas during Roman times, Sorrento has been a popular vacation retreat since at least 600 AD. The town has been nicknamed "La Gentile" because of the gentleness of its climate and the cheery friendliness of its inhabitants.
A charming resort in a spectacular setting, the town is exceedingly popular with tourists, many of whom flock here every year, using it as base for exploring the famous Amalfi Coast. It is a great town for wandering around on foot. At the center of Sorrento is Piazza Tasso, a bustling and typical Italian square filled with several bars and restaurants. The view from the public gardens above this square is spectacular. Near the square is the church of San Francesco, a major landmark of the town where evening concerts are staged the evening. Close to the plaza are lanes lined with bakeries, boutiques, clothing stores, and souvenir shops.
The old historic quarter has charming cobbled streets and alleyways, a 15th-century cathedral, and several luxurious old villas. The area of Via Comunale, lined with colourful flower beds and stately trees, terminates at a seaside terrace that offers spectacular views of the Bay of Naples the peak of Mt Vesuvius.
There is some very good shopping in Sorrento, with inlaid wood, lace, designer clothes, antiques and jewellery being the most popular items, together with Italian wines, aperitifs and liqueurs in festive bottles. The town has a number of excellent pizzerias, trattorias and restaurants, with an emphasis on Southern Italian cuisine. Local specialties include seafood, almond cakes, smoked cheeses and limoncello, a sweet-sour liqueur fermented from the lemons that grow in the area.
Sorrento is an ideal base for visiting other nearby sights in the region. The town harbour has frequent ferry departures to Capri, Amalfi and Naples, and is within easy reach of the Amalfi Coast, Pompei and the city of Naples. You can easily reach Pompeii and Naples by train, and Amalfi and Positano and Ravello by car or by bus.

What to see in Sorrento

- Piazza Tasso, formerly called Largo di Castello: it is the unavoidable crossroads to reach every place in Sorrento. On the opposite sides of this square there are the Town Hall, housed inside the Old Orphanage by the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Our Lady of Graces), and the Basilica of Sant'Antonino: in the crypt it is kept the reliquary of Sant'Antonino Abate, the patron saint of the city, portrayed also by the statue in the middle of the square.
- San Frank Convent: inside the convent of San Frank there is the characteristic cloister nowadays used as scenery for concerts of classical music. The cloister has a rectangular plan, with columns and their capitals carved in tufa rocks and which form slender double lancet arches in Gothic Moresque. Its style is not uniform because of several restoration works done in different times, but it is very suggestive.
- the Villa Comunale: behind the S.Frank Convent, on the edge of the cliffs, there is the the Villa Comunale (Public Gardens), with a wonderful view over the bay in front of Sorrento. In its flowerbeds there are some marble busts. The adjacent rooms of the convent nowadays house the local School of Arts, who continues the prestigious tradition of the inlaid wood works done by the craftsmen of Sorrento.
- Marina Grande, a charming bay with a characteristic fishing village: on its beach, as a shipyard in the open air, they were built the famous "gozzi sorrentini", typical boats from this area, with a single lateen sail, long from 6 to 12 meters, manageable and reliable, practically unsinkable. In the middle of the Marina there is the church of Sant'Anna, the patroness of the village, who is celebrated on the first Sunday after the 26th of July, which is the day dedicated to this Saint. For this occasion the village is adorned with illuminations, the bay is populated by boats and they present a show of fireworks.
- the Romanesque style Cathedral dating from the 15th century: located between Corso Italia and Via San Cesareo, the Cathedral, seat for the Archbishop of Sorrento, was restructured several times but it saved an interesting Aragonese portal of the 15th century. Nearby there is the campanile (a dislocated bell tower), with a medieval structure but decorated in the 18th century.
Another pearl of the town is the "Correale Museum", where a collection of paintings and pieces of furniture dating back to various periods, ceramic statuettes and archeological remains are kept. In addition, from Sorrento You can easily reach Punta Campanella, with its beautiful views and seascape from the very tip of the Gulf of Naples and also its relics of historical interest, as well as the towns of Massalubrense and Nerano.

Restaurants in Sorrento

L'Antica Trattoria Via P.R. Giuliani, 4 - Tel. +39 081 8071082

Zintonio Via L. De Maio - Tel. +39 081 8781623

Gigino Via Degli Archi, 15 - Tel. +39 081 8781927

La Fenice Via degli Aranci, 11 - Tel. +39 081 8781652

Giardiniello Via dell'Accademia, 7 - Tel. +39 081 8784616

Ristorante Da Cataldo Via Marina Grande 202 - Tel 0818782170

Caruso Via Sant’Antonino, 12 - Tel. +39 081 8073156

'O Canonico 1898 P.zza Tasso, 7 - Tel.+39 081 8783277

Il Buco
2° rampa Marina Piccola - Tel. +39 081 8782354

Le Macine Via Atigliana, 6 - Tel. +39 081 8072034

Antico Frantoio Via Casarlano, 8 - Tel. +39 081 8072959

Il Pozzo Via Tasso, 32 - Tel. +39 081 8073124

Tourist sights of the area - Distances and driving times

Amalfi: 31 km / 19 miles / 35 min.
Praiano: 21 km / 13 miles / 25 min.
Positano: 16 km / 10 miles / 20 min.
Ravello: 38 km / 23 miles / 48 min.
Pompeii: 28 km / 17 miles / 37 min.
Naples: 49 km / 30 miles / 53 min.
Caserta: 75 km / 46 miles / 77 min.
Rome: 265 km / 165 miles / 170 min.
Salerno: 56 km / 35 miles / 56 min.
Paestum: 100 km / 62 miles / 96 min.
Castellabate: 121 km / 75 miles / 120 min.
Marina di Camerota: 182 km / 114 miles / 180 min.

Ravello

2010-06-04T00:51:00.001-07:00

Ravello is a charming and quiet seaside resort, rich of art and history; it is a terrace overlooking the sea (m. 350), from which you enjoys a unequalled scenary of natural beauties. From its viewpoints the Amalfitan coast shows an enchanting vision. The city is known as the Città della Musica because of the classical music concerts held here. It is located on the ridge projecting from the mountain that divides the Valle del Dragone (Dragon's Valley) and del Regina. Based at 350 meters on the sea level, Ravello overhangs the underlying towns of Minori and Maiori. This enchanted place is among the most beautiful in the whole Amalfi Coast, with an intense and unique landscape. It is renowned for its peacefulness and the deep fascination it emanates from each corner and its image is mostly connected with villas with breathtaking views seen all around the world by pictures. Ravello is a village with a very ancient history. It has been built on a rock high 350 meters from the cliffs of the Coast of Amalfi. From Ravello you can see an exalting view, where subsequent terraces declining to the sea have been transformed by the work of generations of men in green terraces cultivated with lemon trees and dotted with white houses. Ravello is like an open terrace facing the sea, a point from which we can appreciate panoramas of unique natural beauty. From its dizzy heights, the view of the Amalfi Coast is simply breathtaking. The places where you can take the most beautiful view are the gardens of the ancient Villas of Ravello: Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone.
Villa Rufolo takes its name from an ancient family of Ravello, rich and powerful in the times of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi. The villa suffered carelessness and degradation until in 1851 the Scottish Francis Neville Reid bought it and brought it again to the ancient splendor. In 1880 Wagner, who stayed in the Villa for some time, remained astonished by the extraordinary glamour of the place and here he found the inspiration to compose the second act of the "Parsifal". From that time, the Villa continued to attract visitors and artists and personages as Jacqueline Kennedy and Illary Clinton. During the summer performances of classic music and ballets of the highest level take place at night in the garden of the villa. The garden becomes a charming scenery, with the orchestra playing on a stage hanging between the sky and the sea.
Villa Cimbrone lies down on seven hectares of rocky terraces peaking on the sea. It had been brought in 1904 by Lord Grimthorpe, who embellished the Villa with antiquities coming from every place of Italy and made in the garden walks of statues and little temples. The most suggestive walk is called "The Walk of the Infinite", because it ends with a belvedere, where the height above the sea and the view can leave you breathless.
Ravello was a bustling centre of commercial activity. Between the XI and XII centuries many trading routes were active among Ravello, the Middle East and Sicily. The Arab-Sicilian architecture of many of the buildings in Ravello still reminds us of those ancient exchanges. Ravello possesses many building of high artistic merit, most of them constructed by wealthy merchants.
The cathedral dates back to the XII century. Its facade has two smaller entrances, which wing either side of the main doors of the marble portal. The doors are in bronze, a fine craft by Barisano of Trani, and date back to the year 1179. The XIII century bell tower is decorated with many ornamental arches.
The dream-like views, the lush vegetation and the charming atmosphere make Ravello a "must see" for those visiting the Amalfi Coast.

What visit in Ravello

* The Cathedral of St. Pantaleone: it was originally built by bishop Papirio in the later 11th century, but has subsequently undergrone considerable alterations, especially in the 18th century, which have alterde its spirit, though leaving its underlying structure substantially intact. The Cathedral is flanked by a handsome campanile dating to the 14th century, and entered through magnificent bronze doors made by Barisanus of Trani in 1179. The interior is notable for its magnificent Pulpit dating to the 13th century. The Pulpit represents a wonderful fusion of the classic, Byzantine and Saracenic style. Opposite it stands a no less magnificent Ambo. The nave and the transepts are decorated with paintings of some value, while the choir is adorned with a handsome episcopale throne and paschal candelabrum. The Chapel of San Pantaleone houses the reliquaries of the blood of the Saint to whom the Cathedral is dedicated.

* Museo del Duomo: it is situated in the crypt and keeps, among other interesting works, the bust of Sighelgaita Rufolo, one of the most beautiful sculptures of the XIII century, the reliquaries of S. Barbara (XII century) and S. Lorenzo (XV century), the altar marble mosaic relics (1272), tomb slabs (XV century) and an outstanding pluteus with relieves and mosaic.

* Villa Rufolo: this made up of a whole series of buildings and gardens set on the wide terraces overlooking the sea, offering a unique panorama of Amalfi's coastline from Capo d'Orso to Conca dei Marini. The wealthy Rufolo family made its fortune trading in the Middle East. They were not only merchants but also skilful bankers, and they built the villa in the 13th century. The villa ws later owned by the Confalone family, the d'Affitto family and, in 1815, it was bought by the Scotsman, Francis Neville Reed, who commissioned Michele Ruggiero to restore it. Over the centuries, the villa has had many illustrious guest, including kings, queens, popes and personalities from the world of art and culture. THe present entrance is in the Torre Minore, with its small arches and Moorish-inspired decorations. The vestibule takes us into a pleasant shady avenue lined with cypress trees, leading to the Cloister or Moorish Courtyard, which is now almost all in ruins. Looking over the balustrade on the right, we can admire what is left of the Cloister or, rather, what has been saved by restoration. The loggia above the ogival arches is composed of small pairs of columns supporting beautiful arabesques, surmounted by more pairs of terracotta columns below the decorated walls. From here we preceed to the upper garden on the right there is a part of the villa which houses animals and fragments from the ancient cathedral. From the top of the 30 metre high Torre Maggiore on the left, we can enjoy a view over the whole of Ravello. This was once the defende tower, with its narrow stairway and simple interior. On the second floor, there are two double mullioned windows on each side, and three round windows, whilst on the third floor there is a series of double terracotta columns like those in the Torre Minore. Beyond the well and the Sala dei Cavalieri, we reach the belvedere, a spacious terrace overlooking the sea, abounding in trees and exotic plants. Two staircases led down from each side of this balcony to the lower terrace with its brightly-coloured perfumed gardens. "This is the magic garden of Klingsor" exclaimed Richard Wagner in 1880, dazzled by the splendour of the colourful flowers and intoxicated by fantastic vegetation. It was in this harmonious setting that the great German musician wrote the 4th scene of Act II of Parfisal. Each year, a series of Wagner concerts are organized in the gardens, in this fairytale, setting against a backcloth of sea and sky.

* Villa Cimbrone: from Villa Rufolo, we take the winding steps up via S. Francesco leading to the church of San Francesco, which is said to have been founded by St. Francis in 1222, and rebuilt in the 18th century. There are two entrances in the atrium the main entrance leads into the church, which has a single nave with two altars on each side. It was originally Gothic, as we ca see from the ogival transept and apse. The church houses the marble tomb of Beato Bonaventura of Potenza, which was transeferred there from San Giovanni del Toro. The smaller door leads to the square Romanesque cloister with its double and single columns. Continuing our journey along past the quiet old buildings to Santa Chiara and its nunery, we finally reach the flight of steps leading to the garden of Villa Cimbrone. The Villa was built by the Acconciagiacomo family, and later taken over by the Fusco family, the Amici di Atrani and finally by William Beckett (later Lord Grimthorpe). To the left the entrance is the Cloister, whit its double mullioned windows, arches and central well, in imitation of the San Francesco clositer. Despie the presence of contrasting elements, the overall effect is very pleasing and orginal in addition to the works in wrought iron, the wooden statues and stuccoes, there are two fine bas-relief sculputures of nine Norman Warriors and the seven Deadly Sins. The crypt is also on the left as we enter, and is an unusual contemporary construction in Gothic style, which offers a fine view over the southern part of the Amalfi coas. The colonnade is composed of twenty-two pillars in grey stone, each with eight horozontal bands both the vault and the arcades are pointed, in mock Gothic style. Our visit continues to the Castle, with its small mullioned and loop-holes in different styles, and its two tower. In addition to housing a fine collection of works of art, many seminars and conferences have been held there, and it has many famous guests. We now begin a tour of the gardens beyond the Ponte del Roseto, along the avenue with its beds of reses, camelias, hydrangeas and geraniums on one side and luxuriant trees and shrubs on the other, we find various construction and ornamental statues Mercury (copy of the Hermes at rest in the Museo Nazionale in Naples), Bacchus' Temple (with a small avenue lined with cypress trees leading up to it), Eve's Grotto with its statue of Venus by the Roman sculptor Tadolini, and a small temple with six columns and wrought-iron dome. We finally reach the Belvedere, a wide balcony decorated wih marble busts, wich offers a marvellous view over the Gulf of Salerno, Punta Licosa, Punta della Campanella and the coast around Amalfi from Capo d'Orso to Conca dei marini. We can also see Maiori, Minori, Catiglioni (Ravello beach), Atrani, and the various district of Amalfi dotted about the promontory abd dominated by the ancient Torre dello Ziro. Our tour of the gardens end at the Roseto, with its staues, amphoras and fountains, and finally the Tea-Room, a rectangular room with columns arrangedin pairs, and walls decorated with arabesques in imitation of the Cloister of Villa Rufolo. Opposite the Tea-Room are four ancient carved columns, two bronze fawns and a stone shell decorated with sea scenes.

Restaurants in Ravello

CUMPA' COSIMO
Via Roma, - Tel. 48 089-857156

LA COLONNA
Via Roma, 20 - Tel. 089-857876

LA MARRA
Via Della Marra, 7 - Tel. 089-858302

SALVATORE
Via Della Repubblica, 2 - Tel. 089-857227

VILLA EVA
Via S. Chiara, 3 - 089-857255

VITTORIA
Via Dei Rufolo - 089-857947

Concerts in Ravello

The dreamlike setting of Ravello's gardens inspired Wagner, and it's fitting that today music is a major feature of Ravello. The Ravello Concert Society organises a long season of chamber music concerts (March-November), most of which are held against a backdrop of sky and sea in the panoramic gardens of Wagner's inspiration for Parsifal, the Villa Rufolo. If there's a concert on when you're in Ravello, you really shouldn't miss the opportunity to attend. The combination of scenery and music creates an atmosphere that you're unlikely to forget.

Public Transport

Ravello and Conca dei Marini are connected to Amalfi. From Amalfi you can go on to: Praiano - Positano - Sorrento
Minori - Maiori – Salerno. Ticket are available in local selling points and have to be bought in advance.
After the concerts it is necessary to book a taxi, since the last bus to Amalfi leaves at 21.30

Tickets purchase
Ravello Festival Box office
Ravello, Via Roma 10-12Tel e fax +39 089 858422
info@ravellofestival.com
Open: every day9.00-14.00/15.00-20.00On performance days the Box Office stays open until 20 minutes before doors are closed.

Ticket Admittance: EUR 20

Advance booking and information: call center: +39 199 10 99 10Available weekdays: 9.00-21.00; Saturdays 9.00-16.00

Driving distances and approximate driving times

Amalfi: 12 km / 7 miles / 13 min.
Praiano: 22 km / 13 miles / 27 min.
Positano: 28 km / 17 miles / 35 min.
Sorrento: 43 km / 26 miles / 51 min.
Pompeii: 64 km / 40 miles / 87 min.
Naples: 85 km / 53 miles / 93 min.
Caserta: 89 km / 55 miles / 95 min.
Rome: 290 km / 181 miles / 193 min.
Salerno: 38 km / 23 miles / 45 min.
Paestum: 77 km / 48 miles / 83 min.
Castellabate: 103 km / 63 miles / 104 min.
Marina di Camerota: 164 km / 102 miles / 178 min.

Ravello

2010-06-04T00:50:00.000-07:00

Praiano

2010-06-04T00:49:00.000-07:00

Praiano is an ancient fishing village placed at 6 km (about 4 miles) from Positano and 10 km from Amalfi.
At the age of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, it was chosen as a summer residence on the Amalfi Coast for the the Dogi (the Dukes of Amalfi), as testimony of the vocation by this place for the relaxing vacation far from the usual touristic routes and loved by elites. During the Angevin period it was raised to the dignity of University (the name by which in the Southern Italy they defined those towns with partial autonomy from the central government and their own organs of rulement) by Charles I of Anjou. In the past it was famous for its production of silk and yarns.

The village, known for its fine climate and excellent facilities, presents itself to the sea as a cascade of white houses on a green, flowering slope. In the center of the higher part of the town, in a beautiful panoramic position, there is the main church of Praiano, dedicated to the patron saint San Luca Evangelista (St.Luke the Evangelist).
It was built in the 1588, upon a preexisting church of the 1123, and rebuilt in the 1772; it does not show any baroque exaggeration, but, on the contrary it has a sober and austere style. The facade, of an immaculate white, integrates harmoniously in the Mediterranean environment. Remarkable are the majolica pavement, belonging to the end of 18th century, and some polychrome marble altars, other than the silver bust representing St.Luca.
The lower part of Praiano stretch up to the Marina di Praia, with a narrow beach between two rocky walls, at the mouth of the rough ravine of Praia. On the promontory there is the Guard Tower of medieval origin, built to watch the sea and alarm the town when the ships of Saracen pirates came for forays. Nowadays the Marina di Praia is an appreciated sea resort and by renting a boat is possible to visit the surroundings, most of all the beautiful grottos of Suppraiano and of the Africana.
On the other side of Capo Sottile, at the right of the village, with wonderful view over Positano and the whole final part of the peninsula up to the isle of Capri, there is Vettica Maggiore, today hamlet of Praiano, but in the past autonomous village. It rouse around the church of San Gennaro Vescovo e Martire (Bishop and Martyr) built in 1589 upon the remains of a oreexisting church of the 13th century, always dedicated to the patron saint of Vettica, but mostly famous to be the patron saint of the city of Naples too. Upon the Renaissance plan with three naves, it rises a beautiful dome roofed with majolica, in the traditional style of Amalfi. At a few distance of the centre of Vettica Maggiore, going down to the sea, there are the Tower of Grado, built by the Spanish during the Viceroyalty, and the Beach of Gavitella in the cove with the same name, the only beach on the Amalfi Coast lightened by the sun until sunset, for its favourable position facing the West and view over Positano and Capri.
Near Gavitella there are also the Fountain of the Altar, a natural swimming pool inside the entrance of a grotto, and the Beach of the Praie, reachable only by boat.

A very characteristic aspect of Praiano are the "edicole votive", small chapels spread over the territory of Praiano as testimonies of the popular religious devotion. Generally done with painted majolica or fresco, they are on the border walls of the cultivated fields or on the external walls of houses. They are expression of the ancient social customs: when a family settled on their new property, they relied on a sacred image both to invoke God's protection and to strenghten their right over the property.

Historical places to visit in Praiano

St. Maria del Castro Church and convent
These were built by Dominican Fathers in 1599; the convent was suppressed at the end of 17th century. It has been recently restored together with the church thanks to the monks stong work.

St. Luca Evangelista Church
Saint Luca’s remains are kept here, a silver bust of him from 1694 and canvases attributed to 16th century painter Giovanni Bernardo Lama. Madonna del Rosario by Padovano di Montorio, dated 1572, is situated in a chapel on the right of altar. The interior of the church, restored in 1772, has three naves divided by pillars supporting beautiful rounded archs. Also very interesting are: a wood pulpit with paintings representing St. Pietro and St. Paolo, major altar in '1700 majolica and the floor with birds, flowers and St. Luca are painted. To the right of the church is the three story belfry
St. Gennaro Church
Situated in Vettica Maggiore, it’s visible from the sea. St. Gennaro Church is an often photographed landmark of Praiano. Of ancient foundation, it was restored in 1602. It presents three naves with transept dominated by an oval cupola, covered by multicolored tiles. The belfry has a high octagonal coping finished with a little majolica cupola. Inside one will admire the Assumptions of 1696 and St. Bartolomeo’s martyrdom, by Giovan Bernardo Lama and the Holy Family of the end of XVIth century.

Grado a Vettica di Praiano coast tower
This ancient Viceroyal tower visible from Positano was built to guard against sea invaders, and has recently been transformed into a private house.

Sciola coast tower
Another coastal tower, this one built in the Angevin age on a circular plant and transformed during Spanish reign, using the base part of medieval building.

Sports and free time in Praiano

Diving center
The diving center “La Boa” is situated on Marina di Praia beach.
It has a boat of 12 metres long. The customers can rent complete equipments.
Tel. 089 813034

Rent a boat and sea excursions
“La Praia rent a boat”, Via Marina di Praia, Praiano.
Tel. 338 3508555

Night club
L’Africana Club
Via torre a Mare, Praiano.
tel. 089 874042

Restaurants in Praiano

Il ContinentalVia Roma,63Tel. 089 874084

Il PinoVia G. Capriglione, 11Tel. 089 813045

Il Pirata Via Terramare, Tel. 089 874042

La Brace Via G. Capriglione, Tel. 089 874226

La Bugia Via G. Capriglione,Tel. 089 874653

La StradaVia G. Capriglione,178Tel. 089 813048

Paradise Via Terramare, 6Tel. 089 874534

Driving distances and approximate driving times

Amalfi: 10 km / 6 miles / 14 min.
Positano: 6 km / 4 miles / 8 min.
Ravello: 16 km / 10 miles / 21 min.
Sorrento: 21 km / 13 miles / 26 min.
Pompeii: 42 km / 26 miles / 51 min.
Naples: 63 km / 39 miles / 65 min.
Caserta: 86 km / 53 miles / 82 min.
Salerno: 34 km / 21 miles / 42 min.
Paestum: 71 km / 44 miles / 92 min.
Castellabate: 101 km / 63 miles / 107 min.
Marina di Camerota: 161 km / 100 miles / 146 min.

Furore

2010-06-04T00:48:00.001-07:00

Furore was founded by a group of Romans who, followed by the Barbarians, sought refuge in the local mountains (the Lattari Mountains) from where they descended to settle on the coast. The town takes its name from the fury which takes hold of the sea during stormy nights, when the waves crash onto the craggy rocks, creating a frighteningly deafening roar. Gradually the inhabitants began to dedicate themselves to fishing, hand-made products and milk pasteurising. The “Terra Furoris” is the other face of the coast, where “noises are none other / than a slight flaw in the silence.” Some one ijn past defined it as “a place dear to the gods, a hanging garden clinging to the mountain and stretching out into the blue of the sea and the sky”.
Its houses seems to have sprung up from a deck of cards scattered by the wind. A sleeping divinity could be hiding on the steep walls of the canyon or on some huge, rugged cliff: a naked faun, evoked once again by the free love heretics, or a siren, glimpsed from a stairway, from a boat on the sea, or from the path with flowering agaves. This is Furore: a well of mythic desires, the breath of a civilization on the edge of cliff poised above the sea.
Precious historical buildings in the valley around the village include the two flour mills and the two paper mills, interesting examples of industrial architecture that made use of the motive power of water.
Next to this area are the fishermen’s monazzeni, old storage sheds for tools. The wedge-shaped stretch of sand in this narrow inlet has been a landing place for boats for centuries. After years of neglect and deterioration, this fishermen’s village is now entirely restored.
here is also a unique open-air art gallery, composed of over 100 “artist’s walls,” murals and sculptures that make Furore a “painted village” that tells its story in this manner as well.
The churches are the only other important buildings: the four churches of San Giacomo, Sant’Elia, San Michele and Santa Maria, with the majolica-tiled domes of their bell towers and the recently discovered frescoes (an interesting cycle by the school of Giotto in San Giacomo).
But the most attractive thing about this village-non-village is its beautiful setting: the olive trees, the grapevines on terraces going up the mountainside, the bowers of lemons with nets stretched between poles, the red roofs and colorful majolicas on the small bell towers, the brilliantly colored flowers of the wild blackberry brambles, and the sea: blue, down below, in the corner of your eye, ever present.
Completing the panorama are the flaking, sun-baked walls, the high grass of the uncultivated fields, the boats pulled up onto the beach, the tortuous curves of the road: other elements in a landscape rescued from abandonment, which can return to life by virtue of its own legend

The Fjord of Furore is a unique, natural refuge abounding in natural beauty. Inside it, along the opposing faces of the great valley, unveil many provocative walks:
"La Volpe Pescatrice" Path ( The Fishing Vixen )The ancient fisherman's village, with its two characteristic stairways, acts as the starting point for this trail which, immersed in dense Mediterranean colours, arrives at the grounds of the Furore Inn Resort and takes its name from the Resort's exclusive restaurant. Caves and caverns appear among the calcareous valley walls in which peregrine falcons nest.
"I Pipistrelli Impazziti" Path ( The Crazed Bats )
On the eastern side of the valley, hidden by the limekiln, begins a well marked botanical trail leading to Punta Tavola (Table Point), in the Conca De Marini Municipality. The trail, which winds between holm-oaks and carub trees, passes the mills and the canals to arrive at the solitary, silent paper factory, the undeniable kingdom of the bats.

To visit the church of S.Elia, built in the XIII century, where you can see a triptych of Angelo Antonello da Capua.

Restaurants in Furore

ALFONSO A MARE Spiaggia di Furore +39 089 874091

AL GERANIO Via Nespoli, 5/7 +39 089 874109

BACCO Via G.B. Lama, 9 +39 089 874006

LA CONCHIGLIA Via Marina di Praia, +39 089 874313

LUCA'S Via S. Michele +39 089 874115

LA VOLPE PESCATRICE via dell'Amore 1 tel. +39 089 8304711

Driving distances and approximate driving times

Amalfi: 8 km /5 miles / 10 min.
Praiano: 3 km / 2 miles / 5 min.
Positano: 11 km / 7 miles / 15 min.
Ravello: 20 km / 12 miles / 25 min.
Sorrento: 25 km / 15 miles / 31 min.
Pompeii: 46 km / 28 miles / 62 min.
Naples: 65 km / 40 miles / 70 min.
Caserta: 71 km / 44 miles / 75 min.
Rome: 270 km / 168 miles / 170 min.
Salerno: 34 km / 21 miles / 45 min.
Paestum: 73 km / 45 miles / 81 min.
Castellabate: 100 km / 62 miles / 110 min.
Marina di Camerota: 160 km / 100 miles / 175 min.

Atrani

2010-06-04T00:47:00.001-07:00

It is the “smallest village in Italy”, and one of the most enchanting. Atrani is a exstension of Amalfi, which is at about 5 minutes of walking, and it was indeed another part of the maritime republic, whit a similarly styled church sporting another set of bronze door from Costantinople, manufactured in 1086. It's a quiet place with a pretty, almost entirely enclosed little square, Piazza Umberto I, giving onto a usually gloriously peacefull patch of sandy beach.

It is situated in a small inlet, between sheer cliffs and the sea, at the mouth of the Valley of the Dragon. In times gone by, the village was the traditional residence of the noble families of Amalfi. Quiet and picturesque, its winding streets remain true to character and largely unchanged.

The beauty of Atrani lies in the choreography of the beach around it and the intricate maze of houses, built practically on top of each other, that make it look like a nativity scene, especially at night with the lights glimmering. In the daytime, the tiny streets sometimes seem to disappear behind the houses, only to reappear suddenly, widening into a small square, where the light of the sun can finally shine freely. Atrani is the coastal village that has best preserved its original medieval structure of narrow streets, arches, courtyards, small squares, and the typical scalinatelle, or stairways. It has a small, sheltered, secluded beach, from which the "lampare" boats leave in the evening for night fishing. At night, the myriad lights of the lampare on the sea is the prettiest sight one will ever find of the Mediterranean.

What to see in Atrani

For such a small place, there are many things to see. This is because during the time of the Maritime Republics, Atrani was the residence of the noble families of Amalfi. This is where the Doges were crowned and buried.
A tour of the village must therefore begin with the Church of San Salvatore de Birecto, where the coronation of the highest government authority took place, with the solemn placing of the doge's birecto, or cap, on his head.
Later remodeled in the neoclassical style, the church is actually very old, having been founded in 940. It contains a marble pluteus from the late 11th century with high reliefs in the Byzantine style and Lombard-influenced anthropomorphic figures. The handsome bronze doors were cast in Constantinople in 1087, commissioned by the noble Pantaleone Viaretta, who twenty years earlier had provided Amalfi with the doors of its Cathedral. The doors of the two churches are very similar, and those of Atrani are composed of 24 panels, with the four central panels richly inlaid with silver, copper and enamel, done using a Persian-Syrian technique.
Standing on the slopes of the mountain is the collegiate church of Santa Maria Maddalena, built in the 13th century by the people of Atrani in thanks to the Madonna for having saved them from the Saracen marauders. It has a single rectangular room, covered by a barrel vault and lit by two large Baroque windows. The façade is also Baroque. The small sacristy holds a white marble Roman cinerary urn. The glazed tile dome and square bell tower have become the symbol of the Atrani skyline. Next to the church is Masaniello's Cave, and below it is the home where Masaniello, the popular revolutionary leader, was born, built at the top of a flight of 500 steps.
A little ways above the old public road that links Atrani and Amalfi is the Cave of the Saints. It was probably part of the old Benedictine monastery of Saints Quirico and Judith founded in 986 by the future archbishop Leo I. The entrance to the small cave, which opens onto a terraced lemon grove, is enclosed by one of the arches supporting a water channel. The Cave's perimeter is an irregular quadrilateral, and the walls are decorated with Byzantine-style frescoes from the 12th depicting the four evangelists. In the green background there is a warrior saint, undoubtedly St. George.

Restaurants in Atrani
A’ Paranza Via Dragone 1/2Telephone: +39 089871840

Da Cecco Via dei Dogi, 9Telephone: +39 089872051

Arcate Via G. Di Benedict, 4Telephone: +39 089871367

Le Palme Largo Vollaro, 7Telephone: +39089871700
Driving distances and approximate driving times

Amalfi: 500 m / 550 yards / 5 minutes walking
Praiano: 10 km / 6 miles / 14 min.
Positano: 16 km / 10 miles / 22 min.
Ravello: 12 km / 7 miles / 13 min.
Sorrento: 31 km / 19 miles / 38 min.
Pompeii: 52 km / 32 miles / 72 min.
Naples: 73 km / 45 miles / 80 min.
Caserta: 79 km / 49 miles / 82 min.
Rome: 278 km / 173 miles / 180 min.
Salerno: 26 km / 16 miles / 32 min.
Paestum: 65 km / 40 miles / 70 min.
Castellabate: 91 km / 63 miles / 91 min.
Marina di Camerota: 152 km / 95 miles / 165 min.

Amalfi

2010-05-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

The glorious Maritime Republic of Amalfi, which spread its name all over the world thanks to the successful trade, is nowadays well-known as seaside resort, due to its natural beauties and mild climate. Amalfi overlooks the sea with its characteristic set of white houses on the rocks, narrow streets among arches, ancient towers to guard the town. It is a very picturesque town, characterized by enchanting panoramic views and cliffs rising sheer from the sea: a real Eden with a gentle climate, delightful beaches, buildings clinging to the rocky slope. The architectural value of its monuments, the beauty of the landscape and of the seaside, its traditions and food have made it an incomparable place. The origin of the town date back to the IV century, when a of a group of Roman families found a small village near the actual Palinuro, named Melphe. From there they continued to explore the nearest places and found a location with plenty of fresh water, where they decide to settle a colony: the village of people who came from Melphe, "a Melphe" in latin, the future Amalfi. After the fall of Roman Empire, it was the first town to establish commecial relations with the Eastern Roman Empire, carrying and selling in the whole Southern Italy many exotic and luxury goods as carpets, silk, spices, paper. Amalfi became an independent maritime republic, rich and opulent due to intense trade and cultural exchanges, and it was the first among the Four Maritime Republics.
The richness of Amalfi was so big that Guglielmo Appulo wrote that only this town was so rich of gold, silver and every kind of fabrics and it was visited by Arabians, Sicilians, Africans and Indians.
The city was also renowned for Flavio Gioia’s invention and development of the marine compass and the “Amalfitan Tables” - the first maritime legal code; it controlled the relations between ship's master and sailor, between sailors and traders. It was also during this time that mills of Amalfi began to produce paper rather than parchment. The paper was used for all the official acts and documents of the Court of the Duchy of Naples. The particular variety of Amalfitan lemon “the Sfusato Amalfitano” crossed the borders of Europe, and was exported throughout the world.
In the 12th century, after the Norman conquest, Amalfi lost its importance in the Mediterranean commerce and had to be content with a modest local role. The new dynasties ruling over Naples and the Southern Italy will have been supported in their conquests by other Maritime Republics (first Pisa and then Genoa) that will receive in exchange the monopoly of the international commerce. After a long period of decadance, in the 19th century Amalfi was rediscovered as a touristic and cultural destination by many foreign travellers, thanks to the new Romantic sensibility: so its landscapes, monuments, scenes of daily life, became cause of inspiration for painters, architect, writers coming from all parts of Europe.

From its prestigious past Amalfi keeps some important testimonies: on the cliff there is the former Monastery of Benedictine nuns, founded in the 10th century. At the entry to the town there is the magnificent Torre di San Francesco (St.Francis' Tower) today called “Torre Saracena” and upside is the ancient convent founded by St.Francis himself in 1222. Suppressed during the French Decade, it keeps a precious cloister. Annexed to the convent is the church of Sant'Antonio (St.Anthony) beautiful building right over the sea: with single nave, in the crypt there are some valuable frescos from 13th century. At the begnning of Viale delle Regioni (Regions' Promenade) there is the beautiful panel in ceramics by Cossa, monument for the achievements of Amalfi. Inside the Town Hall, a palace from the 16th century and formerly a monastery, are exhibited some remarkable antiques: the ancient coins (tarì), some nautical instruments, among which the compass (by tradition invented by Flavio Gioia from Amalfi); a rare copy of the Tabule Amalpphitane (Amalfi's Laws); the ancient banner and the clothes for the Historical Regatta, a contest among the rawing boats from the Four Ancient Maritime Republics.

The architectural and artistic values of its monuments and historical buildings, the indescribable beauty of its landscapes, its folklore and traditions have made, and still make, Amalfi a place without comparison, so much so that it has been said: “For an Amalfitan the day he goes to heaven is just like any other day”

Among the many monuments and historical-artistical evidence we indicate:

** The Duomo built about the 6th century and dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle whose remains are kept in the crypt. Its present facade, brilliant with mosaics, is in Oriental style; its bronze doors, the first ones to appear in Italy, were given to Amalfi by Pantaleone di Mauro Comite, a noble man from Amalfi who melted them in the 11th century in Constantinople where he lived and led the Imperial Party.
** Paradise’s Cloister set beside the Duomo was built the 13th century in Arabian style. It holds ancient sarcophagi, marble sculptures and mosaics.
** The Ancient Armouries of the Amalfi Republic, dating back to the 9th century, witness a glorious maritime past. ** The Salone Morelli where you can admire the 14 paintings by Domenico Morelli, reproduced in mosaic on the fronton of the Duomo; some paintings and sketches by the Amalfitan painter Pietro Scoppetta and the artistic pluteus holding the only existing specimen of the ``Tabula de Amalpha''; the costumes for the Regattas.

** The arsenal of the Republic, large room with two naves, interesting for the architecture, where exhibitions and meetings are settled.
** The Museo Civico (working days 9 am/1 pm free entrance) is in the council room of the Town Hall and keeps town- and nautical relics, in particolar the "Tavole Amalfitane", ancient code of maritime right.
** The Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto) is set in the charming bay of Conca dei Marini, 4 km away from Amalfi. This cave can be reached by road using a lift or stairs, or by sea. At the entrance a raft gets you in the cavern which, like magic, turns into a fantastic green temple full of figures, caryatids and bas-reliefs formed by dripping water from the vaulted ceilings, over the thousands of years. The most surprising thing, however, is offered by a number of sturdy stalagmitic structures rising from the sea which could never form if once the cave had not been on a dry ground. This stalagmites can now be found in the water because the bradyseism made the ground subside and carry into the see the lower part of the cavern. An interesting feature: the underwater pottery crib.

** The Museo della Carta (Museum of Paper) (ask for visiting to AAST tel. 089/871107) situated in an old paper mill of the Mill valley (Valle dei Mulini) is a suggestive exemple of hand-made paper processing and keeps books, manuscripts, engravings and prints.

Sea excursions

A boat trip in the Mediterranean to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Amalfi and Sorrento coasts and of the islands of the Gulf of Naples (Capri, Ischia and Procida) is indeed a unique experience.
La Dolce Vita Taxi Charter offers both leisure cruises and sea-taxi services, with services ranging from a quick transfer between any two jetties in the area to the rental of a whole ferry to host your private party! They will be also able to arrange guided day trips by sea as well as sail cruises along the coast.

Night clubs

Marana Club, P.zza Dei Dogi
Torre Saracena, Via Comite, 20

Restaurants in Amalfi

Da Gemma
Via Fra Gerardo Sasso 9,
Tel. 089 871345

Lido Azzurro
Lung.re dei Cavalieri
Tel. 089-871384

Il Doge
Supportico Ferrari
Tel. 089-872303

La Caravella
Via Matteo Camera 12,
Tel. 089 871029

Antica Osteria Bacco
Via G. B. Lama 9,
Tel. 089 830360

Taverna degli Apostoli
Via S. Anna 5,
Tel. 089 872991

Lo Smeraldino
Piazzale dei Protontini 1,
Tel. 089 871070

La Taverna del Duca
Largo Spirito Santo 26,
Tel. 089 872755Cheap

S. Giuseppe, Via Ruggiero II 4,
Tel. 089 872640

Da Maria
Via Lorenzo d'Amalfi 14,
Tel. 089 871880

Driving distances and approximate driving times

Praiano: 10 km / 6 miles / 14 min.
Positano: 16 km / 10 miles / 22 min.
Ravello: 12 km / 7 miles / 13 min.
Sorrento: 31 km / 19 miles / 38 min.
Pompeii: 52 km / 32 miles / 72 min.
Naples: 73 km / 45 miles / 80 min.
Caserta: 79 km / 49 miles / 82 min.
Rome: 278 km / 173 miles / 180 min.
Salerno: 26 km / 16 miles / 32 min.
Paestum: 65 km / 40 miles / 70 min.
Castellabate: 91 km / 63 miles / 91 min.
Marina di Camerota: 152 km / 95 miles / 165 min.

Sights to see

2010-05-26T00:51:00.001-07:00

In Amalfi and Sorrento Coast area there is really quite a lot to do and see. Amalfi and its Cathedral, the charming Positano, Sorrento and its charateristic old town, the wonderful island of Capri, Ischia and Procida, the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the churches of Praiano, Ravello with its amazing views and its famous music festival, the cities of Salerno and Naples, the small but beautiful villages of Cetara and Minori, the large beach of Maiori, Vietri and its famous ceramics. Also, close by, don’t miss to visit Paestum (about 1 hour and half driving from Amalfi Coast), whose Greek temples are one of the greatest archeological sites in the world, and the Royal place of Caserta (two hours driving away from Sorrento and Amalfi Coast), the pride of all the magnificent works and constructions by which the Bourbon dynasty adorned and modernized the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Last but not least, the Cilento National Park (two hours driving from Amalfi) and its lovely seaside villages, located few miles off the usual tourists' routes of Amalfi and Sorrento areas, where you will find an enchanting mix of culture, art, nature and folklore. I will introduce each tourist spot mentioned above in the next posts, as well as the best way to get there both by car and by public transportation.