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Where Is The Amalfi Coast ?
... The Amalfi Coast is situated on a tiny piece of a peninsula of southern Italy, overlooking the Tyrrenian Sea.
Pompeii
1 Hour-drive
Rome
3 Hour-drive
What's So Special About It ?
La Dolce Vita
If you’re looking to experience ”La Dolce Vita”, the Amalfi Coast is your go-to destination. In fact, the dream-like location and the people, will put you in the best ”italiano” mood possible.
Authentic Italy
When it comes to italian stereotypes, like the mandilin sound, the amazing food or the fishermen singing ”O Sole Mio”, theres’s no better place to look for than the Amalfi Coast.
REASONS TO VISIT
PATH OF THE GODS
A Jawdropping, 2.5-hour hiking experience, overlooking the Amalfi Coast from above.
How to get to the Trailhead:
- From “Piazza Flavio Gioia” in Amalfi, you want to catch the “Amalfi-Agerola” Bus N°5080, SITA company.
(Make sure to tell the driver you need to reach Bomerano.) - Once In “Bomerano di Agerola”, just follow the road signs for “Sentiero degli Dei”.
(The entrance is from the square “Piazza Paolo Capasso” in Bomerano di Agerola.)
The trail is marked by white and red signposts showing the number 2.
Itinerary:
Starting Point> Bomerano di Agerola (Via Sentiero Degli Dei)
Finish Point> Nocelle di Positano
Hike Duration> 7 Hrs there and back, including stops.
Distances> 6.2 M there and back
Difficulty Level> Moderate. ( not ideal if scare of hights)
Recommended Gear:
- raincoat
- sun lotion
- sunglasses
- hiking shoes
- hat
Slope:
> 490 Feet Uphill
> 1.148 Feet downhill
Cameling Up:
> There are freshwater springs all along the path, good for drinking.
Suggested Plan:
Once you arrive at the finish line in Nocelle, instead of walking back to Bomerano,
you can choose to go visit Positano via Bus or you can go down the 1500 steps.
From Positano, you can then take the ferry back to Amalfi.
Driving a Car?
If you’re driving a car, your best bet is to park in the new parking lots in Amalfi
and take a bus or cab to Bomerano and then ferry back to Amalfi from Positano.
TRAVELER SHOTS :
CHARTA BAMBAGINA
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A Unique, ancient type of paper dating back to the 13th Century, only made in the Amalfi paper mills.
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Where To Find It
The ancient Amalfi Paper is still produced in “Via Delle Cartiere” (“Paper Mill Road”), in the heart of Amalfi.
There are 2 exclusive places where you can put your hands on the legendary “Charta Bambagina” and learn all about its ancient origins:
1) “Cartiera Amatruda”
> This is an active Papermill dating back to the 15th Century.
> The Amatruda family produces and sells the finest Amalfi Paper goods and gifts.
> This is a middle-age Amalfi Papermill, converted to a museum.
> Visitors can learn about the history, roots, and prestige of this unique handcraft and purchase paper and writing goods of the finest quality.
For Hikers
From Amalfi, there is a walking trail of medium difficulty that takes the hiker into the “Valle Dei Mulini” (Valley of the Mills).
Here one can explore an amazing nature and see quite a few ruins of the ancient Amalfi Papermills.
Directions to the Walking Trail:
- Take “Via Delle Grande Lunghe” from the Paper Museum
- Proceed onto “Via Madonna Del Rosario” to the left.
- Proceed to the north, all the way to the end of “Via Paradiso”, until the road becomes a footpath leading into the “Valle Dei Mulini”.
FURORE
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A secret fishermen harbor in which to spend a Celestial beach day.
Video Trailer :
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FACT
Rather than a cute beach, Furore is more of an open-air Museum.
Beware
You can only get to this site via very specific “hacks”, listed below.
Sunlight
The Sun hits the Cove only in the early afternoon, for a couple of hours, then its shade.
What is Furore?
Furore, is also known as the “Italian Neverland” due to its “invisibility” and here’s why:
– The actual village is entirely arranged on the mountain slopes above the road, which makes it basically impossible to spot from the Furore Road sign –
Where is Furore located?
> The Furore roadsign is located halfway between Positano and Amalfi on the State Road n° 366.
> From the roadsign, there is a flight of stairs (200 approx.) leading down to the spectacular Cove and its picturesque Harbor.
Hacks on How to Get There:
For the Driver:
Reserve a table at the nearby restaurant “Locanda del Fiordo” or “Ristorante Euroconca” which grants a parking space.
For the Hiker:
Option A > From the actual Town of Furore (on the mountain), take the “Salita le Porpore” stairway, all the way down to the Fiord of Furore (1.500 steps approximately)
Option B > From the west end of Conca Dei Marini, at the last big corner of “Via 1 Maggio”, there’s a small plateau, with a white Shrine > From the Shrine, follow the hiking trail called “Sentiero dei Pipistelli Impazziti”, down to the Furore Cove.
What is the “Sentiero dei Pipistrelli Impazziti”?
The English translation for “Sentiero Dei Pipistrelli Impazziti” is “Path of the Crazy Bats”.
Reason: There’s an abandoned ancient Papermill along the path, haunted by bats and with a sinister atmosphere.
For the Sailor:
From the “Marina di Praia” cove, rent a kayak for the day and sail east. (It will take 30 minutes to reach the Furore Fiord.)
For Everyone:
Take the SITA Bus Amalfi-Positano and get off at the “Furore-(Fiordo)” Road Sign.
Easiest Hack of All
Stay over night at the “Locanda del Fiordo” nearby (120 mt to the Furore Cove)
OR: From the “Amalfi Residence” in Conca dei Marini, take the “Via Piedicampo” stairway leading down to the “Via Smeraldo” state road then walk to the Furore Cove (700 mt) – be aware of the traffic -.
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Things to see at Furore Cove:
- The houses nestled in the rock are called “Monazzeni” and they were used by the fishermen to store their boats.
- One of these “Monazzenis”, called “Villa della Storta” is a museum (called “Costadiva”) showcasing the works of famous actress Anna Magnani and Rossellini who filmed their Movie “L’Amore” (1948) among these buildings.
- At the far end of the fiord, there is a so-called “Ecomuseum” set inside an ancient Papermill plant.
- On the first Sunday of July each year, a world-famous high diving competition called “Marmeeting” takes place on the bridge.
TRAVELER SHOTS :
4
Strada Statale Amalfitana, 43, 84010 Maiori SA
SANTA MARIA DE OLEARIA
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A mountain-carved Hermitage facing the Mediterranean, immersed in a mystic atmosphere.
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Beware
The Hermitage is quite hard to find and very easy to miss!
Keep in Mind > the Hermitage has limited opening hours, so make sure to check their calendar, either from the Tourist Center in Maiori or by calling the Hotel.
There are really 3 main options for reaching the site:
Option 1 implies that you take a 10-minute Bus ride.
Option 2 implies that you Book a Hotel room.
Option 3 implies that you get lucky in an unusual parking lot.
Here’s Option 1 in detail:
- Take the SITA bus-line “Amalfi-Maiori-Salerno” in the village of Maiori
- Get off at the 7th stop, right at the steps of the Hermitage.
- WARNING: Do not get off at the “Maiori Cimitero” stop (6th from Maiori), or you’ll have to walk for 900 meters.
Here’s Option 2 in detail:
- A section of the Hermitage has been converted to luxury hotel and you can book a night there and park the car for free.
- The hotel is called “Badia di Santa Maria de Olearia”.
Here’s Option 3 in detail:
- Leave the town of Maiori and take the Strada Statale Amalfitana/SS163 towards Salerno.
- Drive for 3 km on a winding road, until a great wall opens to your left with a marble sign that says “Cimitero di Maiori”.
- Take the road that goes to the Cemetery and look for parking.
- Once you’ve parked, just walk back down to the main road and walk to the Hermitage (900 meters from the Cemetery).
The complex is basically the result of multiple Chapels built on top of the other in the course of time, starting from the year 987 A.D. – [ learn more here]
TRAVELER SHOTS :
GROTTA DELLO SMERALDO
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A half-submerged Sea Cavern in which playful emerald lights reveal an underwater native scene.
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Where is the entrance ?
The entrance to the Cavern is opposite the “Picadilly” ceramic shop , just 3 km outside of “Conca Dei Marini”, along the Strada Statale Amalfitana SS163.
Nearest Hotel> “La Conca Azzurra Boutique Hotel” (1-minute walk from the Cave entrance)
Getting there by Bus:
- Take the SITA bus-line “Sorrenot-Meta-Positano-
Amalfi” from the [Campo, Stop 3] Bus stop, in the village of Praiano. - Get off at the 12th stop : [Conca – Grotta Smeraldo]
Tourist Plan to visit the Cave:
- Show up at the entrance
- Pay the Ticket
- Get on the raft
- See the Cavern
- Tip the Boatman
Travel-Hacker’s Plan to visit the Cave:
- Reach out to your Hotel Help-Desk.
- Request a scuba diving tour at the “Grotta Dello Smeraldo”.
- Enjoy a full-body immersion in turquoise waters.
- Admire the Native Scene from its best perspective.
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NOTES:
- Make sure to visit between 10:30 and 01:30 to Catch the best light and see the underwater crib.
- The Crib is made from the famous pottery of Vietri Sul Mare, the easternmost village of the Amalfi Coast.
- The Cavern is called “Emerald” for the natural play of light, giving the water a mystical turquoise glow.
TRAVELER SHOTS:
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Via Smeraldo, 84010 Conca dei Marini SA
From Amalfi With Love...
MADE IN CETARA
Can Oil be made from Fish ? Yes it can! And It’s called “Colatura di Alici” ! Produced by the fishermen in Cetara since 1200 !
MADE IN POSITANO
To get in the mood of the Amalfi Coast, first get yourself a pair of handmade Leather Sandals from the boutiques in Positano.
MADE IN VIETRI
Anywhere you go on the Amalfi Coast you’ll notice lots and lots of colourful ceramics, tribute from the village of Vietri Sul Mare.
the icon
Yellow is the colour of the Amalfi Coast, as it symbolises the number one local produce:The “Sfusato Amalfitano”, a giant type of Lemon grown on the terraced gardens and used in the production of the best Limoncello on the planet.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Contrary to popular belief, the mermaids from the Hodissey are semi-rooster, semi-woman creatures who live off the coast of Positano.
The Hoofprint of the Devil can be found on the mountains above Positano, evidence of a mythical battle with the Virgin Mary.
On the Amalfi coast, Eggplants are topped with chocolate sauce and served as dessert - !
READY —
TO PLAN ?
Dear Traveler,
If you made it to this this point it means you’ve been inspired enough by this amazing destination 🙂 and you’re now READY to start designing your Travel Itinerary !
In this last section you will find some basic insight and essential information to add to your “Travel Planner’s Rolodex”.
This includes useful tips on how to get there, best time to visit, where to base, as well as the main “Red Flags” as it relates to the logistics for visiting this Destination
We’ll wrap it up with the “Travel Hacker’s Plan” – a quick Guide for keeping things simple and hassle-free when it comes to making travel arrangements on the Amalfi Coast.
RED FLAGS
⚑ DRIVING
A daunting task and one which is best to avoid if you’re not accustomed to the local driving mentality . The roads are extremely narrow and congestions – specially during peak season – are very common. – You can potentially get stuck in the traffic for hours just to get from one village to the next. Make sure you keep this in mind when you plan transportation.
⚑ STEPS
The Amalfi Coast could very well be described as a vertical site, with most villages built on the slopes. – you can’t avoid all the steps and stairways involved, but you can definitely minimize the “threat” by traveling via boat and by choosing the right village to base in.
⚑ PARKING
Parking lots are like Oasis in the Desert when it comes to the Amalfi Coast – if you’re going to have a rental car as a mean of transport, you’ll want to carefully plan your visit in advance to make sure you know where to leave your vehicle during the day and at night. – maybe book your parking space ahead of time.
THE —
TRAVEL HACKER’S PLAN
To avoid any hassle and red flags, the Travel Hacker ⛱ will probably stay 1 night in each major village on the itinerary and get transferred by sea, without ever seeing the road! (Or at least, not that much)
They will only get on the road to enjoy the terrific views.
In fact, the Travel Hacker is already aware that seeing the Amalfi Coast from the road is a very rewarding experience, (as long as you’re not the driver!)
Now, would you like us to personally help you put together a custom itinerary of the Amalfi Coast ?
