Amalfi Coast, Italy

Amalfi Coast (Italian: Costiera Amalfitana) is one in all Italy’s most memorable destinations, and it’s a stretch of coastline on the northern coast of the Salerno Gulf on the Tyrrhenian Sea, located within the Province of Salerno of southern Italy. This is the place for relaxation with just a splash of indulgence. The Amalfi Coast maybe a treat for all the senses.

There’s a surprising number of towns and villages to explore here, each with its own vibe and set of offerings to suit almost everyone. In 1997, the Amalfi Coast was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The main town of the coast is, of course, Amalfi, and this makes a good base for exploring the area. Other popular destinations are Ravello and Positano. Ravello is famous for its beautiful gardens perched high in the mountains above the sea, and for its classical music concerts. Positano is on the coast to the west of Amalfi and is a traditionally ‘posh’ resort, where incredibly well-dressed tourists wander past exclusive boutiques before dining at even more exclusive restaurants. Tourism is of prime importance in the area and is the major employer.

During the 10th–11th centuries, the Duchy of Amalfi existed on the territory of the Amalfi Coast, centered in the town of Amalfi. The Amalfi coast was later controlled by the Principality of Salerno until Amalfi was sacked by the Republic of Pisa in 1137.

The colors are intense here; pastel towns line up like sugar cubes on the green hills sprinkled with bright yellow lemons, overlooked by turquoise skies dotted with brilliantly white clouds, and plunging down to sapphire seas. It is a quintessential summer resort atmosphere but with astonishing natural beauty. There are tucked-away bays, deep gorges, and sandy beaches. The hills offer hiking and horseback riding and tranquil towns to explore.

Amalfi Coast lies in a very Mediterranean climate, featuring warm summers and mild winters. It’s located on the relatively steep southern shore of the Sorrentine Peninsula, leaving little room for rural and agricultural territories. The coast comprises 11,231 hectares between the Gulf of Naples and therefore the Gulf of Salerno. The sole land route to the Amalfi Coast is that the 40 kilometers (25 mi) long Strada Statale 163 which runs along the coastline from the town of Vietri Sul Mare within the east to Positano within the west. Thirteen municipalities are located on the Amalfi Coast, many of them centered on tourism.

The people of the coast have a protracted affinity for their seafaring ways and fishing remains an energetic industry. Life is lived at a leisurely pace with artisans still carrying on their crafts, creating commodities like handmade paper, colorful ceramics, food specialties, and lemon liqueur that’s exported everywhere the planet. The cuisine is of course centered on fresh seafood brought in daily, and therefore the regional traditional recipes are simple but flavorful. There are homemade pasta to taste, too; fresh produce plays a giant part on the plate and therefore the flavors burst with freshness.

The Amalfi Coast is a popular destination among tourists. It was featured in Positano, a short story written by American author John Steinbeck in 1953. It was also the setting in “Finding Positano, A Love Story” written by author William James in 2010. The coast was also used for the 2017 American superhero film Wonder Woman as the Amazon island of Themyscira.

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