Palces to Visit

Positano: A charming seaside village with picturesque streets and colorful houses, immersed in the magic of the Amalfi Coast.

Amalfi: The beating heart of the coast, famous for its imposing Cathedral and the evocative Cloister of Paradise.

Ravello: An oasis of tranquility with the magnificent gardens of Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, known for their breathtaking panoramic views.

Furore: Renowned for its picturesque fjord and the characteristic Bridge of Kisses, a suggestive and romantic spot.

Praiano: An enchanting village with stunning views and tranquil beaches, perfect for those seeking relaxation and beauty.

Minori and Maiori: Two locations characterized by long beaches and the typical atmosphere of the coast.

Sentiero degli Dei: An unforgettable experience, this hiking trail offers spectacular views along the entire coast.

Conca dei Marini: Famous for the Emerald Cave, a natural cavity illuminated by emerald green light, a true jewel of nature.

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The most famous and scenic of Amalfi’s staircases lead inside the six-aisled Romanesque temple, built in 987 by Duke Mansone I and named after St. Andrew in 1208, when the body of the apostle who had arrived from the Holy Land was buried in the sumptuous crypt full of works of art. Attached to the cathedral is the Cloister of Paradise, the thirteenth-century cemetery of the nobles with important frescoes also by the school of Giotto. Opposite the cloister rises the bell tower, in Romanesque style with Moorish elements. Also part of the cathedral’s monumental complex is the 13th-century Basilica of the Crucifix, home to the Museum of Sacred Art, which holds the cathedral’s treasure. Another characteristic monument in the medieval Piazza Duomo is the 18thcentury Fontana del Popolo or Fountain of St. Andrew, with its marble statue of the patron saint. Among the many sub-porticos that characterize Amalfi’s typical urban layout, that of Marina Piccola stands out for the Porta della Marina, the ancient Porta de Sandala, where a famous ceramic panel by Renato Rossi can be admired.

Right there is the church of Santa Maria a Piazza, with an important Byzantine painting of the Black Madonna. Beyond the Porta della Marina you reach the old Arsenal, where the galleys of the Republic were built. Today it houses the Museum of the Compass and the Maritime Duchy of Amalfi with the most significant exhibits of the city’s maritime history such as the “Tabula de Amalpha” and ancient navigational instruments. The galleon of the historical regatta of the Maritime Republics is also preserved there. Worth visiting is the Rione Vagliendo la, a synthesis of all the characteristics of the ancient settlement of Amalfi. There are the remains of the Church of San Bartolomeo and a 12th-century Moorish ” Domus ” there. In Largo Spirito Santo is the Paper Museum, dedicated to the centuries-old history of Amalfi’s famous paper. From there begins the area of the ancient paper mills, in the so-called Valley of the Mills. Starting instead from the city’s Western Gate, there is a magnificent view from Via Annunziatella. Also worth seeing is the 11th-century Church San Nicola dei Greci, with a Moorish-style port and close to the center is the Spiaggia delle Sirene. Other Amalfi beaches can be reached by sea. Such as the famous Emerald Grotto, spectacular for its giant stalactites and stalagmites, but especially for its particular green coloring, due to the reflection of the sun, which penetrates it from a fissure in the rock located below sea level.

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Places to Visit

– Aragonese Castle: An imposing medieval fortress overlooking the bay of Ischia. It offers spectacular views and hosts museums, churches, and gardens.

– La Mortella Gardens: A charming botanical garden created by the wife of composer William Walton. It features a variety of exotic plants and a pleasant atmosphere.

– Maronti Beach: One of the longest beaches in Ischia, characterized by fine sand and crystal-clear waters. Ideal for relaxing and enjoying the sea.

– Sant’Angelo: A picturesque fishing village located on a rocky peninsula. It offers breathtaking panoramic views and a lovely beach.

– Church of Soccorso: Situated in Forio, this charming white church overlooks the sea and is surrounded by a stunning landscape.

– Mount Epomeo: The highest mountain in Ischia, offering beautiful panoramic hikes and views over the bay.

– Negombo and/or Poseidon Thermal Park: Two thermal complexes with natural pools surrounded by lush vegetation and spectacular sunsets. Perfect places for relaxation.

– Museum of the Sea: Located in Pithecusae, this museum showcases a rich collection of archaeological finds related to the island’s maritime history.

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A few steps away is another square, the most important, which appears as a flower garden surrounded by fine period buildings. Ė named after the poet Torquato Tasso, Sorrento’s most famous son, who is also honoured there with a statue. After a route not without charm between rock walls and imposing buildings perfectly integrated into the former, we reach the historic centre, which preserves the original Roman layout based on hinges and ‘decumani’. At the entrance to the town, on the square of the same name, one immediately encounters the Baroque church dedicated to the patron saint Sant’Antonino, who has been venerated there since the Middle Ages and of whom a silver statue is preserved in the crypt adorned with ancient votive offerings from sailors. A few steps away is another square, the most important, which appears as a flower garden surrounded by fine period buildings. Ė named after the poet Torquato Tasso, Sorrento’s most famous son, who is also honoured there with a statue.

On the ancient ‘decumanus minor’, in the heart of Sorrento, announced by a soaring bell tower with a large ceramic clock, is the Cathedral complex consecrated to Our Lady of the Assumption and Saints Philip and James. It consists of the Bishop’s Palace and the adjoining 12th-century Mother Church, which has been renovated several times and rebuilt with its current Baroque appearance. Ten centuries of history of which a remarkable heritage of works of art in various styles remains. The main artery of the centre, corresponding to the ‘decumanus major’, Corso Italia took its name after 1861. Ė the street for strolling and shopping, where Sorrento’s social and cultural life takes place. The white Villa Fiorentino, built in the 1930s by Antonio and Lucia Fiorentino near the ancient city walls, hosts art exhibitions and a rich programme of cultural events throughout the year.

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A spectacular setting of houses overlooking the sea, all of different colous and shades boldly juxtaposed. Ė thanks to this particular custom that Procidan sailors have always been able to immediately identify the places of their affections, observing them from that sea that is itself home to the island’s children. And that is also the first distinctive sign with which Procida presents itself to tourists who land at Marina Grande, the main port where our units call. From above, on the facade of the 18th-century building in which it is housed, the inscription of the renowned Nautical Institute “Francesco Caracciolo,” the oldest in Europe, where generations of Procidan seafarers have been trained, sailing the routes of all oceans.

Without important high grounds, to impose itself in the island’s panorama is the high promontory dominated by the fortress built in the 1500s by Cardinal Innico D’Avalos, to defend the village of Terra Casata, the oldest settlement on the island, which arose in the place where the Procidans could best defend themselves from the constant raids of pirates. At the same time, the village was also fortified, changing its name to Terra Murata, which still belongs to it today. In the fortress the D’Avalos nobles, lords of the island, resided for two centuries, before it became available to the Bourbon kings, who used it during their stays on the island for hunting. In 1832 it was converted back to a political prison and later to a prison for lifers until 1988. The adaptation to a prison completely changed the original layout, of which in fact few traces remain in the building currently open to the public for guided tours.

The historic village of Terra Murata, formed around a Benedictine monastery, still guards its abbey dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, the island’s patron saint. In addition to the important works of art in the church, there is the value of the museum complex below, with other valuable works and a library of eight thousand volumes and various rarities. Another small museum worth visiting is the one dedicated to Graziella, the protagonist of the novel of the same name signed by Alphonse de Lamartine, who made Procida known in Europe. But the island’s other churches are also worth a stop, starting with the characteristic church of Santa Maria delle Grazie along the path up to Terra Murata.

The island’s strong seafaring identity is present everywhere, but among the places not to be missed is the ancient and picturesque fishing village of Corricella, with its colorful houses reflected in the sea of the small bay occupied by the small fishing port. Another small recreational landing place is at Chiaiolella, on the part of the island overlooking Ischia and Vivara. Near one of the island’s many sandy beaches are Ciraccio with its tufa stacks, Chiaiolella, Chiaia, Silurenza and Lingua on either side of Marina Grande, Asino, one of the places where Elsa Morante’s novel “L’isola di Arturo” is set, and Pozzo Vecchio, also known as Postino beach because part of the famous film starring Massimo Troisi was filmed there. Formerly united with Procida, before volcanic events detached it, the islet of Vivara, connected to the larger island by a bridge, preserves between land and sea important remains of Mycenaean-era villages from the 16th-15th BC. Vivara is a state nature oasis, covered by rich vegetation and a reference point for avifauna on the main migratory routes.

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The seaside village began to develop upward, on the rocky outcrop behind, for defensive purposes after the destructive attack suffered by the Pisans in 1268 and because of constant pirate attacks. To spot enemy ships and sound the alarm, several coastal towers were built in Angevin and Aragonese times, which are still clearly visible from land and sea. The oldest is the Torre della Sponda. It was later joined by Torre Trasita, Torre Fornilloand Torre di Renzo, residence since 1915 of the Russian writer Semënov.

The coast of Positano offers numerous pebble beaches, overlooking beautiful views. The Spiaggia Grande is the most well-known and popular, not far from the center. Through a narrow passage along the sea, past Torre Trasita and Torre Fornillo, you reach Fornillo Beach, where the chapel of Santa Margherita is located, with a precious floor made of Campanian terracotta and majolica tiles. In the small village of Fornillo, a longtime favorite of intellectuals, is the neo-Gothic style church of Santa Caterina. And a votive shrine and a characteristic nativity scene are located in the nearby Fornillo cave. Renzo’s Tower, on the other hand, is on Arienzo beach, which 1,500 steps connect to the hamlet of Nocelle, where the world-famous Sentiero degli Dei (Gods’ Trail) arrives.

The built-up area of Positano has expanded upward over the centuries, with several hamlets clinging to the rocky walls of the heights that surround the village by the sea. Uniting the various hamlets are stairs and alleys, which open up among magnificent lemon gardens. And along the uphill and downhill pathways, one encounters the artisan workshops and small stores that invented and made world-famous the “Positano seaside fashion,” still among the main draws of the coastal town. In addition to the village of Nocelle, where it is worth visiting the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie to admire its precious majolica floor, the hamlets of Montepertuso and Liparlati, with a square overlooking a dreamlike panorama, the 19th-century villas on Via Camerelle and the church of San Giacomo with its bell tower topped by a characteristic polychrome majolica spire, are worth a walk.

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They gradually came back to light in the 18th century, when the first discoveries of the settlements of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabia and Oplonti, today’s Torre Annunziata, restored great fame to that stretch of coastline, attracting Grand Tour travellers from all over Europe. And also the nobles of the Bourbon court who, after the construction of the palace of Portici favoured by King Charles, competed to build splendid villas along what became known as the Golden Mile, between Herculaneum and Torre del Greco.

Meanwhile, in spite of Vesuvius’ periodic rages, coastal settlements and those on the slopes of the volcano had been rebuilt and consolidated since the Middle Ages. Many villages, close to the archaeological sites of the oldest centres, that over time were characterised by new peculiarities, traditions and attractions – historical, artistic, religious, landscape – all waiting to be discovered. Starting with Castellammare di Stabia, from which one can take a cable car up to the summit of Monte Faito, to enjoy a unique panorama of the Gulf of Naples and the Monti Lattari. And then the Quisisana palace immersed in the woods, with its museum housing the remains of ancient Stabia. Also worth a visit is the hamlet of Pozzano with its castle and Marian sanctuary. In Herculaneum, in addition to the archaeological area and the nearby Mav museum, you can visit the splendid Villa Campolieto, the most famous of the Vesuvian villas in the Miglio d’Oro (Golden Mile), which offers a rich programme of cultural initiatives. In Torre Annunziata, the ancient Oplontis, the remains of the great villa of Poppea, Nero’s second wife, have come to light. While Torre del Greco has been world-famous for centuries for its coral work and cameos. A visit to the extraordinary collections of coral art objects in the Liverino Museum and the museum set up at the historic State Institute of Art, where the new generations of coral artists are trained, is not to be missed. A visit to the Vesuvian area, however, cannot leave Pompeii out of consideration. Because of the absolute and unparalleled value of the ancient city, which continues to provide astonishing evidence of the daily life that took place there before the eruption of Vesuvius. And for the presence of the Marian Sanctuary, one of the largest and most famous in Italy. To crown the discovery of the Vesuvius area, there are fascinating excursions to the most evocative and representative places of the geological history and great biological, botanical and faunal diversity of the Somma-Vesuvius complex, protected and enhanced by the Vesuvius National Park.

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The Cathedral has a Romanesque structure dating back to its foundation and a bell tower in the Arabic-Norman style, but it blends fascinating elements of Byzantine and Baroque origin. In its crypt, it houses the remains and relics of St Matthew, the city’s patron saint to whom the church is dedicated. The feast in honour of the saint is celebrated every year on 21st September and 6th May, the day of the transfer of the relics, with long processions and spectacular fireworks over the sea. The name of Salerno recurs in history for several important events that took place in this city. Following the Landing of the Allies in 1943, it was the home of the first governments of post-fascist Italy and became the Italian capital until after the liberation of Rome. The so-called ‘Salerno Turn’ took place here, where a compromise was found between the old monarchy and the anti-fascists for a government of national unity. But even earlier, at the beginning of the Middle Ages, Salerno hosted the birth of the Salerno Medical School: the oldest medical university in the world. Walking along Via dei Mercanti, the ancient street full of boutiques and artisan workshops that crosses the old city centre, you can reach the Minerva Gardens: Europe’s first Botanical Garden for the cultivation of plants and herbs for medical purposes, established by Dr Silvatico of the Salerno Medical School. Even today, the Gardens are rich in rare and exotic species, such as the legendary mandrake, once believed to have extraordinary powers.

Immerse yourself in the alleyways of the centre, where the smell of freshly hung laundry mingles with the scent of antiquity, and you can admire a true open-air art gallery: starting from the Rione Fornelle, a historic district of Lombard origin, each street tells something of the city through fascinating works of street art and the romantic verses of the well-known Salerno poet Alfonso Gatto. At Christmas time, then, every corner of the city is enveloped in the magical atmosphere of ‘Luci D’Artista’: the main squares that host Salerno’s nightlife, such as Largo Campo, Piazza Flavio Gioia better known as ‘La Rotonda’ and Piazza Sant’Agostino, are filled with marvellous light installations created by artists from all over the world. A visit to Salerno during the Christmas period is well worth it. And once you’re here, you absolutely cannot miss a walk along the endless seafront, from which you can reach Piazza della Libertà, Europe’s largest square, and Zaha Hadid’s fascinating maritime station. A shell on the sea, from which you can look out over the entire gulf and the two coastlines, which glow golden at night. For a romantic soul, who loves to get lost gazing at boundless landscapes in the blue and wandering through alleys and streets where stories of all times intertwine and are told, Salerno is definitely the ideal destination. Reach it with us and prepare yourself for continuous wonder.

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Behind it, rise the magnificent Monte Faito and Monte Sant’Angelo and Tre Pizzi, whose peaks reach the greatest height of the Lattari. On the slopes of the two mountains are nestled the hamlets of Vico, no less than thirteen in number, one of the characteristic attractions of this peninsular locality. Highest of all is Moiano; the oldest, dating back to the 9th century, is Massaquano; in Arola, in addition to the ancient Camaldolese hermitage, the parish church of ant’Antonino is the largest in the area. On a hill between the territories of Vico and Meta di Sorrento, among the most populated hamlets, Seiano is a well-known tourist destination for its location and its churches.

Overlooking the sea, the historic centre of Vico preserves the original medieval layout in all its charm. An obligatory stop on a stroll through the village streets is the ancient cathedral dedicated to the Santissima Annunziata. Apart from its 18th-century Baroque façade, it is the only example of a sacred building on the Coast in Gothic style, confirming that it was built in the first half of the 14th century. Of great value are the works of art adorning the interior spaces, where the enlightened philosopher Gaetano Filangieri is buried. And not to be missed is the spectacle of the gulf and the islands that can be admired from outside the former mother church. Instead, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Toro, linked to a miraculous event, dates back to the 16th century.

Majestic and imposing, there is also a castle in Vico dating back to the Angevin period, which for two centuries has been named after the last family to own it, the Giusso family. Over time, the monumental complex has undergone transformations and extensions that, after initially enhancing its military function as a fortress, by the mid-16th century were aimed at making it a welcoming noble residence.

The Holy Trinity convent houses the Mineralogical Museum of Campania, which holds thousands of mineral samples from all over the world. The archaeological finds from the excavation of a necropolis dating back to the 7th-5th centuries B.C. are exhibited in the Antiquarium- Among Vico’s attractions is also the Scrajo spa, founded in 1895 on the site of a hot spring that was already frequented in imperial times. Born as a fishing village, Vico has maintained a strong link with the sea. The area offers numerous beaches, including Marina di Vico and Marina di Seiano. While scuba diving enthusiasts can enjoy the wonders offered by the famous Banco di Santa Croce.

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