Things To Know About Amalfi Coast - Tour Assistance in Amalfi Coast, Italy
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Amalfi Coast: history and useful info
In this page you find: The history of Amalfi Coast, Useful Information: When to visit the Amalfi Coast and best time for any activity (climate), how to visit the Amalfi Coast, Travel time by car
History of the Amalfi Coast:
The legends about the Amalfi Coast ‘s origin are linked with the Greek myths about Hercules and Ulysses. The coast and the whole Campania region were undoubtedly a holiday location for rich ancient Roman families. Most remains of Roman villas on the Amalfi coast are visitable in Minori and Positano. At the end of the Roman Empire, the coast became Byzantine like most of Italy.
The golden age of the coast was from the 9th to the 11th centuries, when Amalfi became the first Italian Maritime Republic.
Italy in 11th century.
Banner of Maritime Republic of Amalfi...
Chart of Amalfitan medieval commercial routes...
Most of the Sorrentine peninsula was a part of the republic and later ‘duchy’ of Amalfi - from Capri to Vietri on the seaward side, and from Gragnano to Tramonti on the inland side. All the inhabitants were called Amalfitans (besides the people from Atrani, God knows why) and each village-town had its own function. They were expert sailors, and for a long time they held a kind of monopoly on maritime trade in the Mediterranean.
The modern code of navigation is still based on the one created by the Amalfitans and the civil code was very progressive for that time, as well. All the best goods from Africa and the East - gold, silks, spices, jewels - arrived in Europe passing through the gates of Amalfi. The relationship with the Arabs was strong, yet ambiguous: the golden coins which the Amalfitans used, called Tarì had Arabic letters engraved on them.
Emblem of the Italian Navy with the 4 Maritime...
Amalfitain medieval coins called Tarì.
Amalfitan feast in medieval clothes.
The architecture of the main cloisters is in Moorish style, now called Amalfitan-moorish, and the rich republic also took part in the 4th crusade against the Muslims. That’s why in the Cathedral of Amalfi the relics of Saint Andrew are kept, who was the first apostle of Christ. Also, it’s important to know that the founder of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is an Amalfitan: Beato Gerardo Sasso from Scala (10th century) as one can see from the Amalfi cross used hundreds of years before the Maltese cross.
To know more about this period, a visit to the cathedral and the Museum of the Compass and Duchy of Amalfi is a must. To book a guided visit send your request.
Amalfi Cathedral VI-XIII centuries.
St. Andrew's holy procession in Amalfi on June 27th.
Museum of the Compass and Duchy of Amalfi...
During the Norman reign, the Amafitans lost their independence, but not their primacy as merchants and sailors in the Mediterranean. Later, under the Angevins (the French dynasty) and Aragoneses (the Spanish dynasty) Amalfi became the feudal property of noble families. There are still many stately homes from this period, palaces where the nobles used to live, and many churches, as well as the military towers built chiefly to defend the coast from the Saracens, the Muslim pirates.
| Houses in Amalfi Coast | ||
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| Accommodations for holidays with amazing sea view | ||
| Transfers from 35 € p.p. | ||
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| Relax & enjoy the view with a professional car/boat transfer | ||
| Minicruises from 35 € p.p. | ||
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| Boat trip along Amalfi Coast & Capri. Private or shared boat | ||
| Pompeii guided excursions | ||
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| A must voyage in the past. With private or shared guide | ||
| Cookery Classes at home! | ||
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Join a local family for lunch or a special birthday. Pick, Cook, Eat! |
Medieval Military tower in Maiori.
Medieval defensive tower in Praiano.
Defensive tower in Cetara.
The first "tourists" reached the coast by riding horses along ancient paths, or by boat. In fact, the construction of the road now called SS 163 Amalfitana was started in the early 1800’s during the war between the Napoleonic troops and the English led by Hudson Lowe that supported the Bourbon kingdom from the island of Capri. The French king of Naples Joachim Murat in fact, needed a place to oversee the military operations to conquer Capri from Punta Campanella, the nearest place to the island. After the restoration of the Bourbons King Ferdinand, continued the French project, and so the road was carved into the rock from Positano to Vietri sul Mare and called "Strada Ferdinandea" (1840 about). So finally the new visitors could reach the towns of the coast riding along the new road.
Amalfi Coast first road in 19th century.
King Murat at Campanella Cape.
King Ferdinand IV Bourbon.
The first "tourists" in Amalfi Coast were pilgrims to the tomb of St. Andrew (since XIII century), then visitors of the so called Grand Tour (XVI-XVII century), then Germans and English, during the Romanticism, in search of nature and hidden abandoned places, were victims of the charm of the Coast, and later after the 2nd World War it was the turn of the Americans (see notable visitors of the Amalfi coast).
Giovanni Boccaccio describes the Amalfi Coast...
Jonh Webster became famous in the history...
Goethe in Campania (1787).
Henrik Ibsen wrote "A doll's house" during...
Richard Wagner. His last drama Parsifal (1880)...
Maurits Cornelius Escher. Some of his most famous...
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Actually, the liberation of Italy from nazi-fascism started from south Italy. The gulf of Salerno and Maiori were witnesses to the famous US Army mission called Operation Avalanche, the largest military operation before the Normandy landing. Hundreds of soldiers landed in Maiori and Salerno to fight against the Nazis.
Mission Avalanche: landing of American allies in Maiori...
Anglo-american allies in Corso Reginna, Maiori, 1943.
A few years later the Italian movie director Roberto Rosselini chose Maiori and the Amalfi coast to shoot movies about the war and other themes of "neo-realism". So, after several changes of dynasties, famines, pestilences, Saracen attacks, world wars, apocalyptic storms and mass emigrations, the rebirth of Italy’s Dolce Vita arrived in the 1950s and 60s, and took not only the big VIPs from all over the world to the Amalfi coast, but also mass tourism, chiefly the summer beach tourism.
Since then, plenty of movies and commercials have been shot on this coast, and artists have been inspired by the "divine coast".
Paisà, by Roberto Rossellini, shot in Maiori (1946).
Beat the devil by John Huston (1953).
What - A comedy with Marcello Mastroianni and...
From 1997 the Amalfi Coast is one of the 6 World Heritage Sites of the Campania Region, of the 50 Unesco sites in Italy. It is protected by Unesco for its biodiversity and architectural beauty. Present-day tourism is based on the sites of historical interest, the architectural originality, the nature trails, the summer facilities and the religious pilgrimages. The most recent event in fashion is the wedding party on the Amalfi coast, and, of course, the gastronomic tours included the cooking class experiences.
Possible daily tours from Amalfi Coast.
Useful Information:
When to visit the Amalfi Coast, climate and best time for any activities:
To enjoy the best that this coast can offer, you should visit it between April and October. April, May and October give you chance to visit more places with no stress from traffic jams and heat. From May onwards it’s easier to join a boat trip along the coast, and catch a ferry to Capri. Walking tours in Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Maiori and Minori are always pleasant, but July and August can be very hot and crowded, but they offer more events and nightlife.
Summer activities in Amalfi Coast.
Amalfi in August.
Summer activities in Amalfi Coast...
June, September and October are perfect months for walking tours (The hottest weeks that hikers should avoid are the 3rd-4th week of July and the 1st and 2nd week of august.), while September and October are still good for swimming, and for enjoying the beach away from the summer crowds, but they can sometimes be rainy. June and October are perfect months to enjoy the summer of southern Italy at a lower price. If you still like warmer temperatures but not the crowded beaches, you can rely on water taxis or boat rental companies to bring you to isolated beaches and wilder places.
Trekking in Amalfi Coast.
Lemon tours in Amalfi Coast.
Home cookery with a local family!
Winter and Spring can give you beautiful experiences in Amalfi Coast if you come in a sunny day to feel the atmosphere of the villages far from the summer touristic business, or to enjoy the feasts such as Christmas, the New Year, Carnival feast or Easter, with their suggestive sacred processions. The winter can be windy and damp, and there are less facilities and bus/ferry connections, and also it's difficult to join a guided tour, because there are not many during that period, so you would need to buy a more expensive private tour.
BOOK A SERVICE  ACCOMODATIONS WITH VIEW IN AMALFI COAST & REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS.  TRANSFERS FROM 35 € RELAX AND ENJOY THE VIEW WITH A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER.  MINICRUISE FROM 35€ ALONG AMALFI COAST.PRIVATELY OR JOINING A GROUP.  POMPEII GUIDED TOURS A MUST VOYAGE IN THE PAST. PRIVATELY OR JOIN A GROUP from 42 € COOKERY CLASS WITH A LOCAL FAMILY. PICK, COOK, EAT! HAVE A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY! TRANSFERS FROM 35 € RELAX AND ENJOY THE VIEW WITH A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER. MINICRUISE FROM 35€ ALONG AMALFI COAST. RENT PRIVATELY OR JOIN A GROUP. POMPEII GUIDED TOURS A MUST VOYAGE IN THE PAST. PRIVATELY OR JOIN A GROUP 42 €  HAVE YOU GOT ITALIAN ROOTS? WE COLLECT YOUR STORY AND CALL YOU BACK HOME! ACCOMODATIONS WITH VIEW IN AMALFI COAST & REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS. MINICRUISE FROM 35€ ALONG AMALFI COAST.PRIVATELY OR JOINING A GROUP. TRANSFERS FROM 35 € RELAX AND ENJOY THE VIEW WITH A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER.  COOKERY CLASS 80€ WITH A LOCAL FAMILY. PICK, COOK, EAT! GET A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY!  ALL THE OPTIONS TO VISIT CAPRI, WILD & CHIC ISLAND. PRIVATELY OR JOINING A GROUP. |
Wine tours in Amalfi Coast.
Maiori beach in early october.
In the past 2-3 years it seems the summer has stretched until October with spectacular weather conditions, no crowds on the beaches, smell of pure sea water, fresh clean air, only a few rain. For gourmands all the seasons are good maybe except the warmest weeks (end of July- begin of August): In September and October there is the harvesting and lot of "sagras", folk feast with traditional local recipes street food and music.
For lovers of home cooking, there is the opportunity to learn to cook at home of local families who like to share their time and experience with foreign tourists. It 'a great activity to do especially on rainy days..
To choose the period you want to visit, do also check the average temperatures and the events calendar.
| Amalfi Coast: Subtropical Mediterranean climate. Minimum/Maximum average air temperature on the Amalfi coast: | ||
| January-February: | 6/13° degrees | |
| March: | 7/14° degrees | |
| April: | 10/18° degrees | |
| May: | 13/22° degrees | |
| June: | 19/27° degrees | |
| July-August: | 20/30° degrees | |
| September: | 17/27° degrees | |
| October: | 14/23° degrees | |
| November: | 11/18° degrees (rainy) | |
| December: | 8/15° degrees | |
Best way to visit the Amalfi Coast:getting around by boat
To appreciate the Amalfi coast, the Gulf of Salerno and the Gulf of Naples, you cannot pass up a trip by sea. Whether it's a ferry to Capri, a private or group tour, with or without a skipper, or at least a kayak rental…it’s a must!
Profile of Lattari Mountains.
Profile of Lattari Mountains.
The profile of the Lattari mountains seen from the sea magically changes every step you take. It’s like a living breathing reality moving beside you. When travelling along the coast, you’ll appreciate the caves, the wild and isolated beaches, the sulphurous water springs, the small waterfalls where you can swim, the cascades of houses with their typical architecture overlooking the sea.
| Houses in Amalfi Coast | ||
| ||
| Accommodations for holidays with amazing sea view | ||
| Transfers from 35 € p.p. | ||
| ||
| Relax & enjoy the view with a professional car/boat transfer | ||
| Minicruises from 35 € p.p. | ||
| ||
| Boat trip along Amalfi Coast & Capri. Private or shared boat | ||
| Pompeii guided excursions | ||
| ||
| A must voyage in the past. With private or shared guide | ||
| Cookery Classes at home! | ||
| ||
Join a local family for lunch or a special birthday. Pick, Cook, Eat! |
Sailing close to the coast.
Sailing close to the coast.
Sailing close to the coast.
Sailing farther.
Sailing farther.
When travelling a bit farther away from the coast, you’ll enjoy the landscape and the mountains as they seem to climb higher and higher. That’s the only way you can really understand where you are.
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Travel time by car to reach the main attractions.
| From-To | Distances-Time | |
| Roma- Salerno | 270 km, via autostrada A1 = 2h and 30 minutes. | |
| Napoli-Salerno | 56 km via autostrada A3 = 45-50 minutes. | |
| Salerno-Maiori | 20 km = 35-40 minutes. | |
| Maiori-Minori | 1,5 km = 3 minutes. | |
| Maiori -Аmalfi: | 5,5 km = 15-20 minutes. | |
| Maiori-Pompei | 40 km (via Salerno-A3, via Valico di Chiunzi) = 45-50 minutes. | |
| Amalfi-Ravello | 7 km = 25-30 minutes. | |
| Amalfi-Positano | 20 km = 45 minutes. | |
| Positano-Sorrento | 16 km = 40 minutes. | |
| Salerno- Bari | 240 km = 2h and 30 minutes. | |