Sights in Amalfi Coast
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Villa Cimbrone
Some way east of Piazza del Duomo, the 20th-century Villa Cimbrone is worth seeking out for the vast views from the delightfully ramshackle gardens. The best viewpoint is the Belvedere of Infinity, an awe-inspiring terrace lined with fake classical busts.
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Cathedral
Forming the eastern flank of Piazza del Duomo, the cathedral was originally built in 1086 but has since undergone various facelifts. The facade is 16th century, even if the central bronze door is an 1179 original; the interior is a late-20th-century interpretation of what the original must once have looked like. The pulpit is particularly striking, supported by six twisting columns set on marble lions and decorated with flamboyant mosaics of peacocks, birds and dancing lions. Note also how the floor is tilted towards the square – a deliberate measure to enhance the perspective effect. To the right of the central nave, stairs lead down to the cathedral museum and its mod…
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Cathedral
The highlight of the centro storico is the impressive cathedral. Built by the Normans under Robert Guiscard in the 11th century and remodelled in the 18th century, it sustained severe damage in the 1980 earthquake. It’s dedicated to San Matteo (St Matthew), whose remains were reputedly brought to the city in 954 and now lie beneath the main altar in the vaulted crypt. In the right-hand apse, the Cappella delle Crociate (Chapel of the Crusades) was so named because crusaders’ weapons were blessed here. Under the altar stands the tomb of the 11th-century pope Gregory VII.
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Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea
Dominating Piazza del Duomo, the iconic Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea makes an imposing sight at the top of its sweeping flight of stairs. The cathedral dates in part from the early 10th century, although its distinctive striped facade has been rebuilt twice, most recently at the end of the 19th century. It’s a melange of architectural styles: the two-toned masonry is largely Sicilian Arabic-Norman while the less impressive interior is pure baroque. In high season, entrance between 10am and 5pm is through the adjacent Chiostro del Paradiso.
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Villa Rufolo Gardens
To the south of the cathedral, Villa Rufolo is famous for its fabulous 19th-century gardens. Commanding mesmerising views, they are packed with exotic colours, artistically crumbling towers and luxurious blooms. On seeing them in 1880, Wagner wrote that he had found the garden of Klingsor (setting for the second act of his opera Parsifal ). Today the gardens are used to stage concerts during the town’s celebrated festival.
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Grotta dello Smeraldo
Four kilometres west of Amalfi, Conca dei Marini is home to the Grotta dello Smeraldo, a haunting cave named after the eerie emerald colour that emanates from the seawater. SITA buses regularly pass the car park above the cave entrance (from where you take a lift or stairs down to the rowing boats). Alternatively, boat service is available from Amalfi (€14 return) at 9am and 3.30pm. Allow 1.5 hours for the round trip.
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Castello di Arechi
Overlooking Salerno, the forbidding Castello di Arechi is spectacularly positioned 263m above the city. Originally a Byzantine fort, it was built by the Lombard duke of Benevento, Arechi II, in the 8th century and subsequently modified by the Normans and Aragonese. Today it houses a permanent collection of ceramics, arms and coins. To get there take bus 19 from Piazza XXIV Maggio in the city centre.
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Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta
The lofty, ceramic-tiled dome of the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta is the town’s most famous, and pretty much only, major sight. Inside the church, classical lines are broken by pillars topped with gilded Ionic capitals, while winged cherubs peek from above every arch. Above the main altar is a 13th-century Byzantine Black Madonna and Child.
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Spiaggia Grande
It's a short hop to the nearby beach, Spiaggia Grande. Although it's no-one's dream beach, with greyish sand covered by legions of brightly coloured umbrellas, the water's clean and the setting is memorable. Hiring a chair and umbrella in the fenced-off areas costs around €17 per person per day but the crowded public areas are free.
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Duomo
Once a flourishing religious centre with more than a hundred churches, Scala is now a sleepy place where the wind whistles through empty streets and gnarled locals go patiently about their daily chores. In the central square, the Romanesque Duomo retains some of its 12th-century solemnity.
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Museo Archeologico Provinciale
To the south of the cathedral, the Museo Archeologico Provinciale was, at the time of writing, closed for restoration. It contains archaeological finds from around the region, including a 1st-century-BC bronze head of Apollo.
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Arsenale
Harking back to Amalfi’s days as a great maritime republic, the cavernous Arsenale was once the town’s main shipbuilding depot. Today it’s used to host temporary exhibitions – opening hours vary according to what’s on.
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Museo Pinacoteca Provinciale
In the heart of the medieval quarter, the Museo Pinacoteca Provinciale houses a small but interesting art collection dating from the Renaissance right up to the first half of the 19th century.
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Museo della Carta
Housed in a 13th-century paper mill (the oldest in Europe), it lovingly preserves the original paper presses, which are still in full working order, as you’ll see during the 15-minute guided tour (in English).
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Museo Civico
In the town hall, the one-room Museo Civico contains the Tavole Amalfitane, an ancient manuscript draft of Amalfi’s maritime code, and other historical documents.
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Regatta of the Four Ancient Maritime Republics
The Regatta of the Four Ancient Maritime Republics, which rotates between Amalfi, Venice, Pisa and Genoa, is held on the first Sunday in June. Amalfi's turn comes round again in 2009.
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Chiostro del Paradiso
To the left of the Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea's porch, the pint-sized Chiostro del Paradiso was built in 1266 to house the tombs of Amalfi’s prominent citizens.
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Skin-Divers Pilgrimage
Every 24 December and 6 January, skin-divers from all over Italy make a pilgrimage to the ceramic presepe submerged in the Grotta dello Smeraldo.
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