Italy Beyond the Obvious

5 reasons to go south of Amalfi

 

The towns on the Amalfi Coast are popular for good reason, but they can get busy in high season. Plan your vacation a few miles down the coast for some impressive food and culture - and no need to give up the incredible coastline you were expecting. Below are five very worthwhile stops. 

The ruins of Paestum

Famous for its Greek and Roman temples and painted tombs, Paestum dates back to the 7th century B.C. and is under two hours from the town of Amalfi. Spend a couple hours visiting this relatively small site, and then head to.. 

  

 

 

See how Mozzarella di Bufala is made

Did you know that the buffalo (bufala) part of the melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella di bufala, actually refers to water buffalo? Since the cheese-making process must start no more than 12 hours after the milking, you know that any production facility is going to have actual water buffalo living nearby. There are many producers near Salerno and here's a specific recommendation near Paestum. 

 

 

 

Shop for ceramics in Vietri Sul Mare

There are several great places to buy ceramics in Italy, and Vietri sul Mare is in the top few. The photo below is of the town's famous landmark and ceramics factory, Ceramica Solimene.

 

 

Eat in Cetara

Easily accessible from the town of Amalfi, the town of Cetara is considered to be the foodie capital of the Amalfi coast (heaven especially for anchovy lovers!). But don't just go for dinner. The town itself is really pretty, has a nice beach, and with few tourists.

 

The incredible coastline

The famous rugged coastline between Sorrento and Amalfi actually continues on down the coast. Not far from Paestum is the Cilento National Park with incredible beaches, views, and fantastic towns (not to mention great hiking and biking trails but that will have to be another post). Driving along coastal roads, it's about a 2-hour drive from Paestum down to Palinuro point, pictured below. 

 

And just another hour or so down the coast gets you to this stunning scenery near Maratea:

 

So there you have it: If you went to the Amalfi Coast, loved it and want more but different, this is for you. If you want the Amalfi Coast but not the tourists, this is for you. And if you've been: Do you agree?

 

Maratea coastline by Mozzercork; water buffalo photo by L-T-L (Almost back); Vietri sul Mare by 'O Tedesc; Cetara photo by Antolo; Palinuro photo from webalice.it

 

 

 

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The Amalfi Coast: My Top 5 Recommendations

How much time do I need to see the Amalfi Coast? is a question I get all the time. 

How you spend your time on the Amalfi Coast depends on your interests and travel pace, of course; that said here are the five things I would definitely include on a first visit to the Amalfi Coast. I'd take three full days to do them, mainly because my #1 would take most of a day.

#5. Visit the gorgeous Duomo di Sant'Andrea in the town of Amalfi. If you go in high season, there's a good chance you'll see a wedding taking place. Photo from www.istockphoto.com

#4. Take a boat between Positano and Amalfi (or really, between any of the towns on the coast) to gape at the views of the coastline from the water.

Photo, above, by Sanjay

#3. Have dinner at Don Alfonso's, a (very reasonably priced, considering) three Michelin-star restaurant.

#2. Visit the town of Ravello for the views and for Mamma Agata's fabulous cooking class. Photo, above, of Ravello by Simon.Monk

#1. Since I love hiking and spectacular scenery, my #1 pick for what to do on the Amalfi Coast is to spend 3 hours hiking Il Sentiero Degli Dei, or The Path of The Gods. 

If you're interested in hiking it, click here or here for more photos and detailed information. Know, however, that this path is not busy like the Cinque Terre. You can get lost, and you may not run into many other hikers. So bring a map or hire a guide, set off with plenty of water and food, and plan on being out for about 6 hours. And please if you go, send me photos! Photo by NileGuide

Note that these are my picks for what to do on the Amalfi Coast. Add a another day or so to your trip and visit the islands of Capri or Ischia off the coast. Or go up the mainland and spend a few days seeing Naples, Pompeii or Herculaneum. 

Let Italy Beyond the Obvious plan your trip to Italy: have a look at the sample itinerary or learn more.

Ischia

The island of Capri, off Naples, is pretty well-known. But less well-known to foreign tourists is the island of Ischia, less than an hour by boat from Naples, and equally worthwhile.

Go to Ischia in the summer for sandy beaches. Or visit in the cooler months or in the evening, and swim at one of the warm beaches fed by Ischia's abundant natural hot springs.

 

Go to Ischia anytime for good food: fish, of course, but also try the local dish coniglio all'ischitana, made with rabbits bred in a ditch (yes, really), and don't forget to sample the local wine and honey as well.

Ischia is small enough to easily explore in a few days, but big enough that you can't do it on foot. Traffic can be heavy, the roads are narrow and winding, and parking can be a challenge, so we rented a couple scooters to get around, which ended up being a great solution after we figured out how to operate them (though the guy renting them to us had no qualms about handing over the keys with very little instruction).

Like most places in Italy, Ischia has a rich history which dates back to the Greeks in the 7th century B.C. When you're done at the beach, or to learn about Ischia's long history, visit:

• the Archaeological museum, which among other artifacts houses the famous Nestor's Cup from Homer's Illiad;
• the Sea Museum to see old nautical instruments, fishing equipment, and models of boats; 
• the Farmer's Museum to see original farming equipment;
• the whitewashed Church of the Soccorso for the spectacular views;
• the Sanctuary of Santa Restituita built 1000 years ago;
• the Castello Aragonese, accessible by crossing a short bridge from Ischia Porto, which was built to protect the island from pirates. The castle inspired 16th century author Ludovico Ariosto to write the famous poem Orlando Furioso which is included in the Italian classico high school curriculum to this day.

I guess my only word of caution when planning a visit to Ischia is regarding the hotels: there are some nice ones, and some nice spas. But Ischia saw its boom in the 1960s, and many of the hotels seem to have been built around that time and not updated much. So do your research, or get a personal recommendation before booking.

Photo by Sanjay