Things to do 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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Ravello Concert Society
You don't have to come in high summer to catch a concert. Ravello's programme of classical music begins in March and continues until late October. It reaches its crescendo in June and September with the International Piano Festival and Chamber Music Weeks. Performances by top Italian and international musicians are world-class and the two venues (Villa Rufolo and the Convento di Santa Rosa in Conca dei Marini) are unforgettable.
Tickets, bookable by phone, fax or online. For further information and reservations, contact the Ravello Concert Society.
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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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Walks
Ravello is the starting point for numerous walks - some of which follow ancient paths through the surrounding Lattari mountains. If you've got the legs for it you can walk down to Minori, or, heading the other way, to Amalfi, via the ancient village of Scala. 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.
Ask at the Ravello tourist office for further walking information.
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Medea
If you're after something ceramic but are fed up with the ubiquitous range of gaudy yellow fruit bowls, then look no further. At this gallery-cum-laboratory-cum-shop, you'll find an interesting selection of original handmade vases, lamps, animals, figurines, plates and tiles. Particularly outstanding are the huge red and black vases by ceramic artist Ugo Marano. And if you're wondering, yes, they cost a bomb - for a life-sized vase expect to fork out in the region of around €12000.
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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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Ristorante Palazzo della Marra
Sit down to innovative regional cuisine under the vaulted ceiling of this tastefully restored 12th-century palazzo. The menu strikes a good balance between seafood and meat with dishes ranging from paccheri with sword fish and prawns to smoked duck with fennel cream and beef fillet in thyme. Desserts are also given a creative touch, as in tiramisu with cream of pistachio. The lunchtime menu, comprising a pasta, main course and side dish, is good value.
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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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Da Vincenzo
If you don't usually eat dessert this is the place to push out the boat and go for it. There are all the usual suspects - babà (mushroom-shaped sponge cake soaked in sugar and rum), tiramisu and crème brûlée - plus originals such as strawberry and pistachio mousse. For the rest, seafood features heavily, service is friendly and the atmosphere is elegant. Dinner reservations are preferred.
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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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Cumpà Cosimo
If you're looking for some honest down-to-earth Italian grub, you can't do much better than this popular trattoria. An informal family affair - meat comes from the family butcher, vegetables and fruit are homegrown, and the house wine is homebrew - it serves excellent handmade pasta, tasty gnocchi and some fine main courses. House favourites include rabbit with tomatoes and grilled crayfish.
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Osteria da Luisella
Great food, great people-watching and an atmospheric setting make this a winner. Grab a table under the arches and sit back to some fresh-off-the-boat seafood. The menu varies, but if they’re on, the warm seafood salad and the cassuola (octopus stew) are scrumptious. Herbivores might go for the caporalessa, a tasty baked concoction of aubergines, tomatoes and cheese.
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Pizza Margherita
It might look like a bland canteen but this is one of Salerno’s favourite lunch spots. On any given day, the lavish lunchtime buffet might include mozzarella, mussels in various guises, and a range of salads. The daily lunchtime menu (pasta, main course, salad and half a litre of water) is chalked up on a blackboard, and there’s also the regular menu of pizzas, pastas and mains.
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Trattoria da Baracca
Touristy and over the top with its stripy blue awnings and maritime paraphernalia, this cheery trattoria serves excellent seafood. The scialatiella con vongole e zucchini (pasta ribbons with clams and courgettes) is delicious and the fish soup something of a local celebrity. If you don't like fish, play safe with lasagne and gnocchi alla sorrentina.
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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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Al Convento
Tuna and anchovies are the local specialities, appearing in various guises at Al Convento, a sterling seafood restaurant near the small harbour. For your money, you’ll probably not eat better anywhere else on the coast; the spaghetti con alici e finocchietto selavatrico (spaghetti with anchovies and wild fennel) sings with flavour.
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Lo Guarracino
On the scenic path connecting Positano’s two beaches, this a memorable place to eat even if you’re more likely to remember the views than the straightforward food. The menu is seafood-heavy, with dishes like tagliatelle verdi ai frutti di mare (green pasta with seafood). Pizzas and steaks add variety. It’s popular, so try to book ahead.
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Ristorante Bruno
Don’t let the underwhelming decor fool you – this unassuming restaurant serves superb seafood. Bag a table across the street and enjoy the view of Positano while swooning over house specialities like the antipasto of marinated fish with vegetables, orange and Parmesan; for a main course try the grilled fish with a wedge of local lemon.
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Profumi della Costiera
The limoncello produced and sold here is made with local lemons (known to experts as sfusato amalfitano) according to traditional recipes, so no preservatives and no colouring. And it's not just the owners who say so - all bottles carry the IGP (Indicazione Geografica Proteta; Protected Geographical Indication) quality mark.
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Trattoria Il Mulino
A TV-in-the-corner, kids-running-between-the-tables sort of place, this is about as authentic a trattoria as you’ll find in Amalfi. The menu features the usual pizzas, pasta and seafood, but the food is tasty and the prices honest. The scialatiella alla pescatore (pasta ribbons with prawns, mussels, tomato and parsley) is fabulous.
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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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Ristorante Santa Lucia
This is one of the best eateries on trendy Via Roma, good for delicious seafood and bubbling wood-fired pizzas. Expect classic dishes such as linguine ai frutti di mare (flat spaghetti with seafood) and chargrilled cuttlefish, both of which are superb. The laid-back atmosphere and friendly service add to the pleasure.
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Da Costantino
It might not seem so, but it’s worth the slog up to this bustling trattoria about 300m north of Hostel Brikette. One of the few authentic places in town, it serves honest, down-to-earth Italian grub, including excellent pizzas and delicious scialatielli (ribboned pasta) served with aubergines, tomato and mozzarella.
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