Amalfi

The historic maritime republic gives its name to the entire Amalfi Coast and has a compact center made for walking. The Cathedral of Sant'Andrea, the Paper Museum, lemon pastries, and waterfront piazzas make Amalfi a rewarding day trip for culture and food.

Amalfi lies about an hour and a quarter from Villa Lorelei by car along the panoramic SS163, or by SITA bus via Positano, and is also reachable by ferry from Sorrento in season. It is the town that gives the entire coast its name and makes a rewarding full-day trip.

In the 11th and 12th centuries Amalfi was the most powerful Maritime Republic in Italy, predating Venice, Pisa, and Genoa as the dominant centre of Mediterranean trade with the East; today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the rest of the Amalfi Coast. Its centerpiece is the magnificent Cathedral of Sant'Andrea, built in the 9th century, its golden Arab-Norman mosaic facade gleaming above a sweeping flight of stairs that opens onto Piazza del Duomo, where the Fountain of Sant'Andrea plays. Don't miss the Cloister of Paradise attached to the cathedral and the Ancient Arsenal, a medieval shipyard documented from 1042 and now a museum of maritime art and the history of the compass.

Mamy Lucia's tip: walk ten minutes up the Valle delle Ferriere from the back of town to escape the crowds among waterfalls and lemon groves, and taste a warm sfogliatella in the town's pastry shops. Spring and early autumn are ideal; the town is busiest at midday when day-trippers and tour buses arrive, so come early or late and enjoy a leisurely seafront lunch with a glass of local white wine.

Good to know: the coast road between Sorrento and Amalfi is winding and busy in high season, so the ferry from Sorrento is a more comfortable and scenic option when it runs. Amalfi connects easily by bus to Ravello, just above and famous for its gardens and terraces, and to Atrani, the tiny village just around the headland, so you can combine two or three stops into one unhurried day along the coast.