Amalfi coast is the fabulous and elegant coast of Naples, Campagna region of Italy. For a long time the coast has been a major choice for “dolce far niente". One of the ideal destinations for the art of doing nothing. The small and cosy towns between Sorrento and Salerno that lie in a 50 km coast are Positano, Praiano, Conca Dei Marini, Amalfi, Atrani, Ravello, Minori, Maiori and Vietri Sul Mare respectively. Here the life and leisure activities are really calm on the other side quite expensive :)
In the old times Amalfi kingdom settles here in these vertical coasts and later on lost power due to clashes with Genova, Pisa and Ottomans. In time of big depression the region became very poor and most of the inhabitants migrated to United States.
Later on Amalfi town, the surrounding calm seas and slopes are explored by holidayers and famous people eventually becoming one of the indespensible destinations for dalce far niente.
Writers like D.H. Lawerence, Virginia Woolf , composers like Richard Wagner found peace and their muse here… Still many celebrities have villas here under umbrella shaped pine trees across the deep blue sea.
What does Amalfi town look like?
Imagine a place that has sea on one side and vertical slopes on the other.. On the slopes there are soft colored small buildings with green windows.. Among these houses lemon gardens are founded on belvederes. In the center of the old town pizza and calamary smell intermingles with lemon and parfume…When you reach the dumo, center Italian high voices intermingle with Japanese tourist group hassle.. The Saint Andrea cathedral in the duomo is amazing and different than most of the other Italian cathedrals as the structure bears Arabian and Ottoman elements. If you like exploring norrow streets the old town might be quite a good challenge if you can omit the expensive prices.
When you try to reach to the sea you need to trans--pass the main road which is most of the time full with cars and motorbikes trying to park. And yes, the traffic is considerably dense..
Swimming here is a unique experience because when you swim you can sight many beautiful lemon gardens, colored houses and terraces. There are public places and private beaches that give sunbed and umbrella service at a certain price. The choice is yours. You should not expect long beaches here as they are tiny, cosy and most of the time quite crowded. Specifically during high seasons of July and August.
How to reach Amalfi town?
The shortest way is to fly to Naples. From Naples you can take Sorrento train or the buses from Naples Airport that go to Sorrento directly. From Sorrento you can rent a car or a bike. If you are gonna drive or ride just be cautios because the roads are very norrow and twisty. Public transportation is via SITA buses. If you are gonna use them make sure that you arrive earlier to get a place (the buses are small and crowds make long ques J )and make sure you have a timetible with you as they are limited during the day.
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