Amalfi Things to Do

As you enter the town of Amalfi through the Arch at the waterfront, you come upon a square. Many shops and restaurants surround this square, but your eyes will take you higher up and to the right. It is the Duomo of Amalfi, St. Andrews Cathedral, orginally built in the ninth century, remodeled in 1203, and rebuilt in 1865. The Campanile, bell tower, built in the twelfth century, dominates the sky line.

To reach the catherdral you must look at the steep stairs to get your body ready for the struggle to the top, then start your ascent up the stairs. It is like the stairway to heaven. If you can, climb to the top and touch the beautiful stones that make up this grand structure. The feeling of the past comes alive with your touch. The bronze door was cast in Constantinople in 1066. Inside is the crypt holding the remains of St. Andrew the Apostle, brought to the Duomo in the thirteenth century.

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See my Ravello tips too - Ravello is the stunning viewpoint spot up in the hills above Amalfi and Atrani - the place with the beautiful photos looking down over the Amalfi coast.

Buses leave about half hourly from the main bus area in the front of the shops down at the Amalfi waterside for the 6 kilometre steep winding uphill road trip which takes about 20 to 30 minutes up to Ravello.
That means buying a 'one hour' ticket which is only about 1 euro 50.

They are just as frequent coming back but as recommended in one of my Ravello tips walking back down is an enjoyable thing to do - its downhill all the way and interesting to see the local life around the area along the way - lemons were being harvested when I was there.

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Lemons grow in abundance around the Amalfi Coast and they seem to have become an icon or emblem for the area.

tourist shops have lemons on all sorts of things for sale - aprons, teatowels with recipes of the famed sweet Limoncello lemon drink that is made with all these lemons, carry bags, bottle stoppers, all sorts of knick knacks and household items.

Ive seen house number plates decorated with lemons and even road signs and antique porcelain lemons for sale in antique shops!

I was pleased to actually see real lemons growing and also having been harvested as it was the lemon season when I was visiting in November. This must involve a fair bit of hard work I imagine as the areas they were in were the typical steep slopes that are so prevalent around the area!!

The day trip to Capri and along the Costiera Amalfitana is something which will stay with you for the rest of your life.
The colour of the waters, the rugged coastline and the houses perched precariously on the cliff tops are pictures embedded in your brain.

This boat trip was part of my prize winning trip to Italy.
It was organised through http://www.sunland.it/ Sunland Viaggi

We were lucky enough to visit during the Festival of Saint Andrew (June 27). The Almafitanis (?) , who are dressed in white, celebrate the the patron saint and carry his staue out to the waterfront and make fish offerings. He is said to have saved the city from pirate Barbarossa. The saint's remains are in a crypt in the Duomo di Amalfi (Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea) - a beautiful Moorish Norman style church in Almafi. The crypt itself offers "manna" - this is said to be drunk for it's curative properties.

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This is a very small town between Ravello and Amalfi. You can follow the path which goes by homes of Amalfians (?) -- very cool!

Atrani opens to one of the few beaches near Amalfi. And you can only have access by walking from the street (from Ravello) down a long stairway, or again, through the white cave like paths through Amalfi to get to Atrani.

There are only a few shops and bars here but worth a stop.

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The Duomo in town is from the 9th century while the Chiostro del Paradiso with its beautiful facade is from the 13th century and its recorded that here the maritime code originated in 1131 making it the worlds oldest - therefore this town has been around and been significant for several centuries.

With the historical effects on the town through the years you can roam around and see a variety of styles and presentations. This is what i love also about travelling - the architecture and design of the people who live there in past, present and future potential tense.

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Amalfi is the coasts largest town and despite the heavy crowds in the summer is a popular tourist resort with a tranquil atmosphere.

The main attractions are its impressive 10th century Duomo with 13th century stunning facade, and the nearby Grotta dello Smeraldo which rivals Capri's Blue Grotto, and of course the magnificent views and sights of Ravello up in the hills behind Amalfi.

Amalfi was a maritime power before it was subdued in 1131 by King Roger of Naples and the world's oldest maritime code originated here.

Travelling here is so easy with a cheap and frequent bus services servicing the towns along the coast from Salerno up to Sorrento and up into the hills behind such as Ravello and San Lazzaro.