Villas Sorrento Coast

AMALFI

The origin of the city if Amalfi, according to the legend, dating to Constantine the Great, came from the name of a nymph, Amalfi, loved by Ercole and buried by the will of the gods in these paces. The seamanship of the Amalfi people (it is now established that it was they who were the first to invent the compass, an orientational magnetic marine instrument and spread throughout the Mediterranean in the first half of the 13th century) and the great diplomatic ability allowed them to navigate across the entire Mediterranean establishing commercial relationships and peace with all the neighboring populations, including the Saracrene. Amalfi, the first amount the coastal towns for all the Middle Ages was a large and powerful fleet whether militarily or in the market. The military fleet was more often victorious, and especially in the battles against the Arabs in defense of Christianity. After the glorious Middle Ages in Amalfi, the history of the city and the other coastal towns was characterized by a demographic falling anf the invasion of pirates. In 1643, a terrible and ruthless plague killed almost one third of the coastal population and brought about a growth in poverty. In the 1700 Amalfi was almost an uninhabited city and the noble families had moved to Naples. In June of 1807, Giuseppe Bonaparte, upon seeing this place, was so stunned by the beauty of the Amalfi Coast that he decided to build a coastal road that would make it easier to get from Naples to the coast. Started in 1816, and carried on by Murat, the road was inaugurated by Fernandino II in 1854. In 1879, passing through the narrow streets of the little coastal towns, Erik Ibsen was inspired to complete his work on the "Casa di Bambole". On the eve of the 20th century the Amalfi was rediscovered and researched as a touristic place. In the 60s, (those of the economic boom and the roman economic boom lived between Capri and Amalfi during the summer) directors and artists of every genre and explorers came by the coast. Passionate love and tons of works of art were born from this wonderful union of the arts and nature. Today, Amalfi is a peaceful touristic center. Do not miss the view from the dome of Sant'Andrea, from the cloister of Paradiso, the antique arsenals from the Amalfo Republic and the Emerald Grotto.

THINGS TO VISIT:

- Le valle delle Ferriere: the nature reserve "Valle delle ferriere" can be reached by a marvelous path along the Rio Canneto. The path is easy and not tiring and goes through beautiful forests, springs, small waterfalls and different rapids of the Rio Canneto, that were at one time used for motor force for the old paper mills, where at one time produced the famous Amalfi paper which is still highly used to today. There are still ruins left today from these mills, seen and unseen. About half way along the path you will find the old iron mine, from which comes the name of the valley, that that supplied the old Amalfi Republic with iron. The easiness of the past doesn't require a lot of equipment from its visitors; it's only advised to wear long pants and a pair of comfortable athletic shoes. Be careful not to forget your camera, it was be an unforgivable error!

- Santuario dell'avvocata: it is the classic itinerary that puts together the sacred and the secular; as well as the breathtaking panorama of the Gulf of Salerno and on the Amalfi Coast, the search for the divine, strongly favored by the long slope up on foot towards the Santuario Mariano and the wide open spaces sheerly over the sea, that naturally push the visitor towards the the contemplation of infinity. The Santuario dell'Avvocata erected on mount Falerzio, on the edge of a rocky wall, can be reached using a mule track that comes from the Badia di Cava ( the patj is longer but less difficult) or the long stairs that come from Maiori.
- Il Sentiero degli Dei: the visit to the Amalfi coast cannot be considered complete without planning an excusion on "The Path of the Gods". The landscape is always of an indescribable beauty, the sea is an inseparable travel companion and often you can observe it from cliffs, but strongly advised against for those who suffer from dizziness. The view of the Sorrentine Peninsula and the island of Capri is spectacular. At one point it exceeds the Vallone Grarelle reaching the village of Nocelle (440 meters abouve sea level), a little known and characteristic fraction of Positano, and until a little while ago it was isolated, but because of an accessible staircase it is reachable. The adventurer can choose between going down the approximately 1500 stairs that separate Nocelle from Amalfi and enjoy a rejuvenating swim on the Positano beach or, if they still have energy, can keep going on until Monte Pertuso. It gets its name from a hole ("pertuso" is the local dialect) in the rocky part of the summit, caused by the natural phenomenon of erosion, leaving behind unusual stone statues. The path is slightly more difficult. It is a little less than 8km. The necessary time to walk it is about 2.5-3 hours.
- Il Duomo: the Amalfi cathedral is an architectural complex made up of two juxtaposed and communicated churches, a crypt underneath, stairs at the entrance, a belltower, and the Paradise Cloister. The Cathedral was built in a strategical location with a central point of view and with urban emergency and able to defend, on a raised plateau about 20 meters about sea level, made from a particularly hard and compact volcanic pumus, that in our dialect is called "torece". Over the years, the structure has undergone various restorations and modifications. Lastly, at the end of 1891, a medieval aspect and an embellished mosaic made with Byzantine imprints was restored to the façade.

EVENTS:
-Festival of San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph): with a procession from the chapel of Saint Joseph of Castroita to the small laza of Dogi, where they light a bonfire (March 19).
-Festival of Sant'Antonio (Saint Anthony): the statue is brought in a procession from the convent of San Franceso until the Atrani beach, where the statue is put into a boat and followed by fisherman boats. It is then brought until the Amalfi port from where it then returns to the church of Sant'Antonio (June 13).
- June 27 commemorates the accomplished miracle of Sant'Andrea (Saint Andrew) in 1544. The apostle's bust, a baroque Neapolitan sculpture made of silver, called "o' viecchio" (the old man) is brought in a procession through the streets by men dressed in white. At the beach the fishermen take it and bring it, going up the path, on the long stairs of the Dome, and they leave it as an offering for fresh fish.
-Every 4 years (on the 3rd Sunday of June) the historic race takes place taking turns with other fishing towns (Genova, Pisa and Venice). Each one of the four cities revokes an important moment of its history.
-In September the Sacred Lemon of the coast is celebrated, characterized by the thick skin sliced bread that is a basic ingredient for sweets and lemoncello, a household made liquor of old.

WHAT NOT TO MISS!
-A visit to the endless artesian activities and products of Maioliche that are unique and world famous.

Picures from AMALFI