Sightseeing
All of the Amalfi Coast gains a world-wide fame with the unique beauty of its landscapes. A winding road- twisted between stunning rocks reveals small cute villages, sheltered bays and inlets looking over the lucidly blue sea, which sharply contrasts with the green lush of the Mediterranean flora- occupying every cliff, slope or a hill around. Roads here, will lead the traveller to places of a great historic significant, dating back to the times when Amalfi was a powerful maritime republic, such as Positano, or the extremely elegant Ravello, but will also bring him in touch with some little known pieces of treasure, as Nerano, La Marina di Furore, Conca dei Marini, and Praiano are.The coast line extends further to series of fascinating towns that all look over the sunny and quiet Gulf of Salerno- Maiori, Minori, Vietri sul Mare, Salerno, and Paestum.
Architecture
Amalfi boasts the very rare chance to be blessed equally, by the nature's generosity and human's creative power. Its sensibly gentle climate and delightful beaches, with the buildings clinging to the rocky slope turns it into a nook, compatible only with the concept of Eden. It was just the place that made Renato Fucini to say, once:"when people from Amalfi will go to Paradise, it will be an ordinary day for them". The architectural value and historic significant of all the monuments here are still one more reason for the enormous interest of the place. It attracts a lot of tourists, thirsted of light and beauty, from all over the world.
Ruga Nova Mercatorum
or the better known Via dei Mercanti remains the most fascinating street of the town. It starches away from the Porta dell' Ospedale to the Salita dei Curiali ending at the medieval-era contrada (neighborhood) - filled with gardens and churches. Being the main thoroughfare for the whole region before, it is now completely covered and preserved as a tunnel, but looks wonderful during the night, when the light from alleys and windows plays on its white walls.
History of Amalfi
The most reliable legend about the origins of Amalfi tells the epic adventure of a group of Roman families, which under the empire of Constantine, decided to leave from Ravenna and move to Constantinople (the actual Istambul). But, unfortunately, they were caught in a storm and obliged to take refuge on the Dalmatia coast. So, they had to change their course and steered towards the Tyrrhenian Sea, where founded a small village near the actual Palinuro, named Melphe before. They continued exploring the nearest places and managed to find a sheltered location with plenty of fresh water, where decided to settle a colony: the village of people who came from Melphe, "a Melphe" in Latin, was the name of future Amalfi.
Another legend tells that Hercules loved once a nymph called Amalfi, but the love was short because of her dying. So he buried her in the most beautiful place of the world, which leaved named after her. Having a long and prestigious past, Amalfi keeps some important testimonies of a great historic significance. One of them is the former Monastery of Benedictine nuns, founded in the 10th century and turned into cemetery in the 19th century.
At the entrance to the town is staying the beautiful Torre di San Francesco (St.Francis' Tower)- called today Saracena. Upside it is the ancient convent founded by St.Francis himself in 1222. Suppressed during the French Decade, it keeps a precious cloister. Annexed to the convent is the church of Sant'Antonio (St.Anthony)- a beautiful building right over the sea: with a single nave. There are some valuable frescos in the crypt dating back to the 13th century... At the begnning of Viale delle Regioni (Regions' Promenade) there is the wonderful panel in ceramics by Cossa, monument for the achievements of Amalfi. Inside the Town Hall, a palace from the 16th century and formerly a monastery, are exhibited some remarkable antiques: the ancient coins (tar), some nautical instruments, among which the compass (by tradition invented by Flavio Gioia from Amalfi); a rare copy of the Tabule Amalpphitane (Amalfi's Laws); the ancient banner and the clothes for the Historical Regatta, a contest among the rawing boats from the Four Ancient Maritime Republics.
Other places worth visiting
Convento dei Padri Minori Conventuali
S.Antonio church
Monastery of Benedictines
Madonna of Pompei church
baroque fountain said of S.Andrea or Popolo