A Journey through the Amalfi Coast: Amalfi
Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, Italy (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 s)
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**This post is the 4th of a 8-post series discussing what to see in this town of the Amalfi Coast (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific town. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**
The Amalfi Coast is one of the premier destinations in not just Italy, but the whole of Europe. Situated on the South side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, it is a collection of village towns that bear fine churches, plentiful beaches, and stunning coastlines. The entire area is named after the town of Amalfi which is the main historical and political center, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each town has a different vibe so it worth checking out multiple ones on your visit. I personally was able to see Ravello, Minori, Maiori, Amalfi, Atrani, Fiordo di Furore (the beach), and Positano, but I hope to come back someday to also check out Praiano and Conca dei Marini.
In this blog post, I will cover the town of Amalfi. The town of Amalfi was known as a famous former trading post, it is known today for its Limoncello liquor and central location along the coastline, providing port access to other coastal towns. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its Cathedral, the Duomo di Amalfi. A Google Map of the places I will talk about can be seen at the end of this article.
Check out my drone video of Amalfi on the Amalfi Coast below!
You can see all my Amalfi Coast related blog posts below:
Ravello (A Journey Through the Amalfi Coast: Ravello)
Minori ( A Journey Through the Amalfi Coast: Minori)
Maiori (A Journey Through the Amalfi Coast: Maiori)
Amalfi (A Journey Through the Amalfi Coast: Amalfi)
Atrani (A Journey Through the Amalfi Coast: Atrani)
Fiordo di Furore (A Journey Through the Amalfi Coast: Fiordo di Furore)
Positano (A Journey Through the Amalfi Coast: Positano)
Summary (A Guide to the Towns of the Amalfi Coast in Italy)
Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, Italy (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 s)
How to get to Amalfi
In order to get to Ravello, you will have to get yourself to Italy and then to the Amalfi Coast first. The best airport to fly into is Naples Airport (NAP), followed by taking a train to the city of Salerno. If you want a cheaper option, you can go by bus.
Take the SITA 5000 bus to Salerno from Naples City Center
Take the SITA 5003 bus to Salerno from Naples Airport
*There is also a Direct Bus that goes from Naples to Amalfi, however it runs 1-2 times daily and takes 2 hours. Just look for SITA bus 5020.*
Then from Salerno, you can:
Take a ferry from Salerno to Amalfi (the ferry also stops at Vietri Sul Mare, Cetara, Minori, Maiori, and Positano).
Take SITA bus number 5120 from Salerno bus station to Amalfi.
Take a taxi direct to Amalfi.
Option #2 is the cheapest option and the one we ended up doing. We rarely take taxis if public transport is available. You can get bus tickets at any Tabacchi in Italy, but usually only with cash.
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Here are some places that are worth seeing in Amalfi:
Duomo di Amalfi (Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea)
The Amalfi Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Andrew and has origins from the 9th and 10th centuries AD. It is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral that displays Arab-Norman, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque elements, and finally a new 19th century Norman-Arab-Byzantine facade. The relics of St. Andrew can be found in the crypt of the church itself. What I especially loved about the church was its gorgeous emerald green roof, which looked amazing by drone!
Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, Italy (ISO 400, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 s)
Holidays Baia Amalfi
I usually don’t write too much about where we stayed during our trip, however I will make an exception in this case. This guesthouse is owned by an Italian couple who were amazing. I didn’t realize that our room also included a private terrace, which gave us amazing views of the entire town. We would eat breakfast and dinner here every night! The prices were also extremely affordable! I looked like a genius!
Getting there required a little bit of work. Once we got in touch with the owner, she met us and guided us to the guesthouse. There were also a ton of stairs to traverse to get to it, but it was all worth it!
Amalfi Beach
The first thing we did was hit the beach after arriving in the Amalfi Coast. This coastline has section of piers with boats of all sizes, whisking away tourists to other parts of the coastline. The beach portion of the coastline is a little bit smaller, containing private establishments and a smaller public beach. I hear that the cost of renting an umbrella and sun chairs on this beach is around 50 Euros. We never decided to do this while in the Amalfi coast period and decided to spend that money on great meals.
Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, Italy (ISO 400, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
Sea Waves Bar
This bar is rather new and is situated on the rooftop of Hotel La Bussola. It was relatively new when we visited it but it was amazing. It is an elegant space with a great vibe. Upon arriving, we could choose our table and upon ordering our drinks realized that they also came with complementary sliders and other snacks. There was also a band practicing for a performance later that night in the venue. All in all, I had nothing negative to say about our experience and wish we could have enjoyed it a few more times before our departure.
Torre dello Ziro, Amalfi, Italy (ISO 400, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 s)
Torre dello Ziro
This tower has some interesting folklore associated with it. Located above the cliffside of Amalfi, here you can get amazing views over not just Amalfi, but also of Atrani. The original function of this tower was to spot Saracen ships. Today, you can hike up to the tower, which requires some decent amount of fitness. From the nearby village of Pontone, you can get to the tower by taking the steps in Via Fritto and follow along the road for ten minutes or so until coming across a flight of steps on the left which leads all the way to Atrani. Take these and follow the signs to the "Torre".
Legend has it that in the early 16th century, Giovanna D'Aragona, the Duchess of Amalfi, and her children were locked up in the tower. Giovanna was accused of having an affair with the court butler, soon after her husband, Alfonso Piccolmini, Duke of Amalfi, died. The relationship caused such a scandal that the Duchess's brothers decided to imprison their sister and her children, still mere infants at the time, in the tower, where they were murdered.
Therefore it is believed that the tower is haunted…so they say.
Amalfi, Amalfi Coast, Italy (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 s)
Veliero del Belvedere
This is a viewpoint on the way to Torre dello Ziro that gives you ample views of the cliffsides if the tower is too high to hike. I always find it nice to combine some physical activity in addition to any lazy activity like going to the beach so these viewpoint hikes are a great addition to any itinerary.
Since Amalfi is a great home base, I would recommend staying in this part of the coast and seeing other villages from here. It is a hub for SITA buses, you can even take a bus from Naples to go directly here. It is also where you can take a ferry to Capri, Ischia, and Naples.
While I absolutely loved every village we saw, I loved Atrani the most. To get there from Amalfi, all you have to do is walk 5 minutes down the main roadway and you are already there. The smaller size of Atrani made it so ideal for some quiet and relaxing beach time. You can read about my time in Atrani in a blog post. Feel free to check out my other blog posts on village in the Amalfi coast as well.
