From the 6th century until the 14th century Amalfi was a very large and important Italian port town. Sadly an earthquake and tsunami hit Amalfi in 1343 and destroyed much of the lower town, transforming a large town of 70’000 residents into a village with just a few thousand residents.
Looking around the beautiful little town and the surrounding hills, you’ll see that the primary product of the area is lemons – picked fresh to make limoncello liqueur and used in local dishes, as well. The lemon motif shows up in regional ceramics and citrus scent fills the air as you meander about.
The first thing you see when arriving in Amalfi, it’s the Duomo, when you walk a little further to the center. A 1/2 day is enough to see the town (with good shoes) and have a great meal and a drink before exploring another town at the Amalfi Coast. We strolled around the narrow alleys and saw lots of cute side ways and restaurants hidden in the city center. The alleys are wonderful to discover: Along them you will find pretty corners, balconies, hotels, shops and many hidden courtyards and small openings that make you think of life as it must have been in the past.
You can reach Amalfi by road or the ferry. We always took the ferry since it’s easier and we love the water! The ferry tickets were a bit costlier than the bus ticket, but totally worth it.
From Salerno it’s 45 minutes with the ferry.
Travel & Lifestyle 