Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi
Duration: 8/9 hours
Sorrento is one of Italy’s favourite destinations. You will walk through its typical narrow streets accompanied by the scent of nearby lemon groves and discover its Greek and Roman origins. From the Villa Comunale to Piazza Tasso, passing through Sedil Dominova and finally admiring the majestic cathedral that dominates the main street, Corso Italia. On the road to Positano and Amalfi, you will have the opportunity to admire the famous coastline immersed in the sea, history and nature. Lush gardens and bougainvillea fill the terraces of the charming pastel-coloured houses that dominate the area. Amalfi is a favourite with visitors for its scenic beauty, sea and original architecture, such as the famous Cathedral of Sant’Andrea.
SORRENTO
An important tourist centre on the northern coast of the Sorrentine Peninsula. The name of this beautiful city evokes one of the most mysterious and fascinating inventions of classical mythology, the Sirens: according to legend, ancient Surrentum was founded in a place sacred to the worship of these capricious creatures.
The original settlement of the town, apart from a few sporadic prehistoric traces, dates back to Roman times, and even today the streets Tasso, Fuoro and S. Cesareo reflect the road layout of the ancient Roman municipality. The beauty of the location (Sorrento was founded on a tuffaceous plain in the Lattari Mountains, overlooking the sea) and the mild climate have made the city one of the most important tourist destinations in the region, perhaps somewhat altered by the pressure of construction, which has increased significantly over time. In the centre, among the 18th-century buildings and shops displaying the beautiful inlaid woodwork typical of the town’s craftsmanship, stands an interesting civil building from the Angevin period, the Sedile Dominova (15th century).
POSITANO
When travelling along the Amalfi Coast, the view offered by this famous fishing village is one of the most evocative: a handful of white houses descending towards the sea in a somewhat hidden cove, among citrus groves and olive trees. The architecture of Positano stands out for its simplicity and beauty: the houses are cubic, covered by a low circular vault, often opening onto the sea through a small portico. For years, the village, once known for its skilled sailors, has been an elegant and exclusive tourist centre: its narrow, stepped streets are lined with dozens of small meeting places, and craft shops sell colourful and imaginative clothes.
AMALFI
It is the oldest maritime republic in Italy, a charming and proud city that over the centuries has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in Europe. Amalfi was founded at the mouth of a small valley, with houses arranged in tiers on the slope of the basin, facing the sea. Among the white facades of ancient buildings, such as the noble former Capuchin monastery (founded in 1212), flower gardens and fragrant orange trees sprout, and above it all dominates the dome of its splendid cathedral, covered with colourful majolica tiles. Every year, the noble seafaring tradition of the ancient Republic is revived in the traditional Historical Regatta held in turn by the four Maritime Republics (Amalfi, Genoa, Pisa and Venice).
Interesting facts
Where does the name Positano come from?
Positano is perhaps the best-known town on the Amalfi Coast. It is a very popular tourist destination with pebble beaches and narrow streets lined with shops, bars and traditional craft shops. The majolica dome of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta and a 13th-century Byzantine icon dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The charm of the sea combines with local tradition and scenic attractions to draw thousands of visitors.
According to legend, on the night of 14 August, a band of Saracen pirates landed on Positano’s Spiaggia Grande beach. They laid waste to the town with a series of raids and violence and stole the sacred image of the Black Madonna, a 12th-century Byzantine icon. As they were about to set sail from the pier, a furious storm broke out, involving wind and sea, and the voice of the Virgin Mary was heard asking to be left on land: “Posa, Posa!”. And this is where the name Positano comes from. The sailors obeyed and, converting to the Christian faith, sailed the ship to the inlet where the Madonna was disembarked. A church was built in honour of the Virgin Mary on the site where the sacred image was found, and the village grew up around it.
Over the centuries, this myth has been perpetuated in popular memory, with religious celebrations and spectacular fireworks displays. Hundreds of boats and yachts arrived every year in the small bay from all the towns along the Amalfi Coast and the Sorrento Coast, from Castellammare to Sorrento, from Salerno to Amalfi, to admire them from the sea as they rose into the sky at midnight, then folded back into the reflections of the waves.
Even today, groups of people gather on every terrace and balcony to admire the spectacle of lights, colours and sounds of the Ferragosto festival on 15 August, which combines sacred and profane rituals, ancient beliefs, sounds and popular traditions. A spectacular historical re-enactment: around four hundred actors and extras in characteristic costumes staged the landing of the Saracens and the miraculous intervention of the Madonna, followed by the fake burning of the village and the abduction of the virgins. Finally, people went to the beach until late to eat bread and melon, in the most classic Positano tradition.
The seafaring tradition of Amalfi
Amalfi is certainly known for its majestic cathedral, dedicated to Saint Andrew. The temple, built in the 9th century, was renovated several times until its final reconstruction following the earthquake of 1861. Also noteworthy is the cloister known as the Cloister of Paradise, built in 1266 by Archbishop Philip of Austria in Arabic style. Many peoples have passed through these territories and left traditions and customs that have remained in modern history, but what remains most impressive is the seafaring tradition of the Amalfi people.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Amalfi had a large and powerful fleet, both military and merchant. The military fleet was victorious on several occasions, especially in battles fought against the Arabs in defence of Christianity. In 849, Amalfi’s ships helped save Rome from attack by a powerful Muslim fleet. For the construction of warships, Amalfi had a brick arsenal, of which two lanes divided by ten pillars remain today. It is the only surviving example of a medieval arsenal in southern Italy. Merchant ships were built on the sandbanks, which were referred to by the Byzantine term scaria. The scarium of medieval Amalfi is now located under the sea in front of the city, where medieval piers and moorings have recently been discovered. The port structures were submerged following an underwater landslide caused by a Libeccio storm between 24 and 25 November 1343. This phenomenon dealt the final blow to a merchant and maritime situation that was already in decline.
Today, all that remains of Amalfi’s maritime history, apart from the arsenal, is the maritime code known as Tabula de Amalpha and the tradition of the invention of the compass. A 17th-century paper copy of this code is preserved in the Civic Museum. It was drawn up between the 11th and 14th centuries, and its chapters contain surprising information about the advanced and progressive maritime society of Amalfi.
Sorrento and its lemons
When you say lemons, you say Sorrento!
This fruit is grown in traditional citrus groves scattered throughout the hills of the Sorrento Peninsula and fits beautifully into the charming and evocative territory that hosts it.
Its bright yellow flesh and acidic juice make it unmistakable and famous throughout the world for its unparalleled fragrance. Already loved in ancient Roman times, it was also the subject of many paintings of the period, found in the excavations of nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum. It has always been used to flavour typical Mediterranean dishes, from aperitifs to desserts, but above all for the preparation of limoncello. This digestive liqueur boasts its origins in the early 1900s, but no one can say for sure whether it originated in Capri, Sorrento or Amalfi. It is made by macerating lemon peel in alcohol, then adding a syrup of water and sugar and leaving it to mature for weeks before it reaches its classic pale yellow colour. It is a must on the table at the end of every meal. You won’t be able to do without it!
