Amalfi Coast WELCOME TO THE AMALFI COAST! ”A piece of heaven fallen down to eath” (that’s how the locals describe the coast) The entire coastal region was named after Amalfi, where, in the 10th century, the first maritime republic of Italy was founded, which had far-reaching trade relations. It was not until Pisa and Genoa became more powerful that it lost its economic significance. UNESCO HERITAGE since 1997 because: the Amalfi coast is an area of great physical beauty and natural diversity. There are a number of towns such as Amalfi and Ravello with architectural and artistic works of great significance. Costiera Amalfitana is an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with exceptional cultural and natural scenic values resulting from its dramatic topography and historical evolution. The area has so many beautiful places to visit like: SORRENTO ‘TORNA A SURRIENTO’, ‘COME BACK TO SORRENTO’, the old song goes, and Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli have all sung about this citrus-blossom-scented, southern-Italian town celebrated for millennia. The Greeks founded the settlement of Surrentum, ‘the city of the Sirens’, around the 6th century BC. The Romans built opulent villas and great temples along its shore, while in the 18th and 19th centuries, the mild, sunny winter climate and the air of romance inspired Ibsen, Byron, Wagner and Dickens to include it on their Grand Tours. Today the romance persists, just stroll through Piazza Tasso and you’ll be exposed to one of Italy’s finer passeggiatas (strolls), passing the lovely hotels, magnificent marquetry shops and simple Campanian restaurants serving gnocchi alla sorrentina, finished off with a shot of ice-cold limoncello. The spectacular cliff-top setting facing Mount Vesuvius across the glittering Bay of Naples high above the Mediterranean, is like a balcony over the sea with views that extend from the island of Procida across the Gulf to Naples and Mt. Vesuvius. The city sits on the bluff that ends abruptly at a sheer cliff that plummets straight down to the sea. COLOURFUL POSITANO Positano, like the legendary Sirens of Li Galli in front of the town, never fails to seduce! Seen from the sea, Positano is set in a dramatic vertical panorama of colors; the green of the Monti Lattari, the white, pink, and yellow of the Mediterranean houses; the silvery grey of its pebble beaches; and the blue of the sea. The urban structure of Positano is made of terraces, of small narrow and winding streets and of homes climbing the hillside. CAPRI An island that offers a landscape of wild beauty sculpted by wind, sea and the hand of man, this is Capri. With a precipitous, jagged coast, and encircled by the famous faraglioni (sea stacks), enormous and uniquely-shaped boulders, and by numerous caves that tell of evocative plays of light. The most famous of these caves is the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), closely connected to the history of tourism in Capri. TThe legendary villa of Swedish Doctor Axel Munthe, today a museum, attrack visitors from the entire world to admire the views an beaty. The island continues to be both a legend and a favorite destination for travelers, intellectuals and the international jet-set – “performing” at any given time in the legendary piazzetta, the real-time theatre of the island’s ‘Dolce Vita’. PROCIDA The Bay of Naples’ smallest island is also its best-kept secret. Off the mass-tourist radar, Procida is refreshingly real, and has been elected The CULTURAL CAPITAL OF ITALY 2022.Many films has been directed here, and each time visitors are captured by the colours of the houses, the authentic atmosphere, and the slowing down vibe the Island gives. AMALFI Amalfi is a charming, peaceful resort town on Italy’s scenic Amalfi Coast. In the centuries before Papal dominance of the Italian peninsula, Amalfi was one of the four powerful Maritime Republics and as a result, has a lot of historic sites. It’s also incredibly scenic, with narrow alleyways that through the town up the slopes between the sea and mountains. Besides history and beauty, the town is noted for its good beaches and bathing establishments, historic resorts and hotels, lemon cultivation, and handmade paper. The landmark of AMALFi is the square with the wonderful dome; reached by an impressive staircase of 62 steep steps leading up from the main piazza. Mosaics decorate the exterior of the church. It’s huge massive bronze doors were made in 1066. Inside, the 9th-century basilica has Romanesque columns and frescoes.