Amalfi
Just 35 kilometers south of Naples, in the Region of Campania, and in the Province of Salerno, is the town of Amalfi.
We have been to Amalfi a number of times, and after many years of travelling on the Amalfi Coast, this is our base town. We find the transportation from Amalfi to be excellent, it is mid-way between the two anchor towns of Sorrento and Salerno. Also the town as a good feel. We feel a little less touristry than say Positano.
The town is located on the water, at the mouth of a ravine that is crowned by Monte Cerreto. The ravine gives the setting for cliffs and elevations that all come together to create a spectacular setting.
Amalfi has a rich history, and during the period 800 to 1200 it was the capital of the powerful Maritime Republic of Amalfi. There were many batles of the various republics of Italy and in 1137 Pisa won its two year battle with Amalfi. From this point in time the status of the town started to decline.
If that was not enough, in 1343 a tsunami wiped out the port and the lower part of the town, washing much of the town away into the sea.
Today, Amalfi has the appearance of a relatively small town and this makes it hard to picture that at one time the populationof Amalfi was over 70,000.
Later, between 1920-30 Amalfi was a trendy place for British sojourns into Europe. The European architecture that remains.
Today Amalfi is one of the principle towns along what is known as the Costiera Amalfitana or the Amalfi Coast. This is a spectacular stretch of coastline. We have never felt alone on any visit to Amalfi. I is one of the population locations for the never ending Amalfi tourists.
When one walks through the porte gate you enter the heart of Amalfi, the Piazza Duomo. From the Piazza you can walk up the Via Lorenzo d'Amalfi towards the smaller Piazza dei Dogi. There are really only a few principle streets to walk.
On the Piazza Duomo we have spent many an afternoon at one of the cafes and enjoyed overly expensive drinks or gelatos and just watched the scene.
Nothing is better than sitting at the cafe and looking towards the grand staircase of 57 steps that leads up to the the Duomo, Saint Andrew's Cathedral. The Duomo dates back to the 11th century. The facade has been rebuilt a couple of times, most recently at the end of the 19th Century. The two-tone masonry and bell tower of typical of what could be called Arabic-Normal style found in Sicily.
The inside of the Duomo is impressive, baroque in style. And where you used to be able to just walk into the Domo, we found on our 2009 visit to Amalfi that now, other than entering the Duomo to attend mass, one buys a ticket for the Cloisters, the Crypt and entrance to the Duomo.
The cyrpt as in 1208 Cardinal Pietro Capuano who brought the remains of Saint Andrew's from Constaniople to Amalfi. This all made the Duomo an important church, and it was a pupil of Micheangelo, Michangelo Naccherino, who sculpted the bronze statue of Saint Andrew which is found inside the church. The tomb in the crypt holds portions of the relics of Stain Andrew.
Beside the Duomo is the Chiostro del Paradiso built between 1266 and 1268. The cloisters were used as a place of burial for the noble families Amalfi. The cloisters are unique in appearance and have white columns and pointed arches showing the influence of Arabic culture.
There is a very small, one room, museum, the Museo Civico located on Piazza Municipio. Free admission and it contacts some historical documents of Amalfi.
We have walked way up into the back area of the town along Valle die Mulini to reach the Il Museo della Carta. This is the paper museum and it is an interesting visit to an actual 13th century paper mill.
We've eat at the Ristorante La Caravella, one of the top restaurants in Amalfi. Great meal, but don't go there expecting a bargain. It is really when you want to treat yourself.