Amalfi Coast

Credit: hotmediterraneancruises.com

Amalfi Coast – Magnificent Mediterranean Landscape

Italy’s Amalfi Coast is a stretch of about 50 km of coastline on the southern coast of the Sorrentine Peninsula in the Province of Salerno in Southern Italy. It is a very popular tourist destination for the people of that region as well as Italy, attracting many tourists every year.

Amalfi Coast has a magnificent Mediterranean landscape which is a blend of both natural and cultural wonders with its breath-taking terrain which includes dramatic coastline topography with terraced vineyard, pasture and orchards together with the amazing views of the water below.

The Amalfi Coast is one of Europe’s most breath taking site with cliffs that are terraced with scented lemon groves together with sparking seas, whitewashed villas giving way to slopes adding an awesome sight with the sea and the sky merging in one vast blue horizon.In 1997, the Amalfi Coast was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape.

For many centuries, its abundant resources, pleasant climate and its natural beauty has drawn many people to this coast with many leaving their mark like the Greeks, Norman, Arab-Sicilians, Romans and Saracens.

Picturesque Tourist Centre

Amalfi itself is a picturesque tourist centre though in the 11th and 12th centuries the city was centred on the Amalfi Maritime Republic and became the naval power throughout the Mediterranean. Its ports were a source of extensive trade with North Africa with the city retaining cloister of Arab-Sicilian architecture throughout, along with the Arsenale, which was a partially preserved medieval shipyard from a glorious period.

For many years after the Amalfi’s glorious days as a maritime superpower, the area became poor and its isolated villages became the target of regular foreign incursions, earthquakes and landslides but it was this isolated environment that drew many visitors in the early 1900 that gave way to the entry of tourism in the latter half of the century.

Presently Amalfi Coast is one of Italy’s most sought after destination which is a favourite to some well to do jet setters and couples seeking some privacy from the hustle and bustle of life.

Positano – Most Expensive and Photogenic Town 

Amalfi is a popular day option together with Positano which is the most expensive and photogenic town along with the town of Ravellowhich is perched high on a hill looking down over it. Salerno which is useful as a transport hub is a lovely old town with several winding medieval streets in its vicinity. The best time to visit Amalfi, is in spring or early autumn.

In summer, the coast’s single road tends to get busy and prices on commodities are inflated while in winter much of the coast seems to be shut down. The Amalfi Coast is famous for its production of limoncello liqueur since the area is popular for cultivation of lemons which are known as sfusato amalfitano in Italian.

These are grown in terraced gardens all along the either coast during the month of February and October. Moreover, Amalfi is also known for its handmade thick paper known as bambagina with other renowned local products which are a kind of anchovies, local Italian – alici from Cetara together with the colourful handmadeceramics which come from Vietri.