On the Amalfi Coast, history merges with myth in the coves. You can visit the caves that, legend has it, were home to the mermaids who bewitched Ulysses, church crypts that hold holy relics and palace gardens that hark back to the glory of bygone ages. Mythology and reality weave a tapestry of tales and splendour.

Want to discover secret and mysterious spots and experience the coast from a unique perspective? Want to taste flavours that will transport you back in time? Here are some ideas for an itinerary of secret destinations on the Amalfi Coast that oscillates between the real and the fantastical.

  • 1

    Crypt of St. Andrew

    Experience a miracle under a vault of wonders

    Crypt of St. Andrew
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    Visit the Crypt of St Andrew and witness the miracle of Manna in the Duomo di Amalfi (Amalfi Cathedral), a masterpiece with walls and cross vaults adorned with frescoes depicting religious scenes. The space is punctuated with marble columns, stucco, statues and exquisite stained-glass windows. It was built in medieval times to house St Andrew's remains, but underwent radical transformation in the 17th century when a magnificent altar featuring a bronze statue of the apostle was added above the tomb.

    The so-called miracle of Manna takes place on holy days, when an oily liquid seeps from the walls of the tomb. Want to see it yourself? Visit Amalfi on 28 January, 26 June or during November, a month dedicated to the saint.

    Konum: Piazza Duomo, 84011 Amalfi, Italy

    Açık olduğu saatler: March–June: from 9 am to 6.45 pm. July–September: from 9 am to 7.45 pm. November–February: from 10 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm

    Telefon: +39 089 871 324

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  • 2

    La Fontana De Cape E Ciucci

    Spy a nativity scene in a drinking trough

    La Fontana De Cape E Ciucci
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    In days gone by, La Fontana De Cape E Ciucci was where peasants who had come to Amalfi from the Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills) would bring their donkeys to drink. The name refers to the heads of these animals that would refresh themselves with its water. Nowadays, its distinctive community nativity scene draws tourists instead.

    The main characters are submerged under the water, amongst the goldfish. On the rocks above the water stand shepherds, craftsmen and animals. The figurines are made from tuff and limestone. The fountain can be found on the main road that leads from the Duomo (Cathedral) to the mountains inland.

    Konum: Via Pietro Capuano, 111, 84011 Amalfi, Italy

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    fotoğraf: Marynolli (CC BY-SA 3.0) değiştirildi

  • 3

    Bay of Ieranto

    Visit caves and rocks to listen to nature's song

    Bay of Ieranto
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    Visit the Bay of Ieranto, home of the sirens of the Odyssey who, legend has it, bewitched Ulysses. Head to Nerano, on the west side of the Sorrento peninsula, and follow the path that leads to the Baia di Ieranto (Bay of Ieranto). It's a stunning place where you can swim in a cove and admire the sea stacks of Capri on the horizon.

    Up until Punta Campanella, the coast is marked by crags, rocks and natural caves. If you stop and listen to the sounds of nature, you'll hear the lapping of the waves and the echoes of the sea in the hollows of rock. You'll feel like you're listening to the song that distracted the Greek hero from his journey home.

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  • 4

    Palazzo Mezzacapo Gardens

    Discover the Maltese cross in the centre of Maiori

    Palazzo Mezzacapo Gardens
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    The secret gardens of Palazzo Mezzacapo, unusual gardens skilfully landscaped with plays of perspective, elegant pavilions and a decorative grotto, are found along Maiori's main road. The Palazzo Mezzacapo is the historic residence of a family who boosted their fortune with the timber and coal trade.

    If you carefully examine the paths and canals framed by flowerbeds, you'll discover a little secret: in the centre of the space is the design of a Maltese cross, a tribute to the order which various members of the family belonged to. The water courses that run along the arms of the cross were not made this was for purely decorative reasons; they were used to move the mill blades and irrigate a lemon grove, which is no longer there.

    Konum: Corso Reginna, 84010 Maiori SA, Italy

    Açık olduğu saatler: Daily from 8.30 am to 11 pm

    Harita
  • 5

    Ziro Tower

    Admire the view from a historic watchtower

    Ziro Tower
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    Torre dello Ziro (Ziro Tower) was built for spying enemy ships that would sail near the coast to plunder the villages or conquer the fortresses, and in past centuries, it formed part of a formidable line of defence that protected the coves of the Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast).

    Today, the tower is a gorgeous viewpoint between Amalfi and Atrani. It's about a 5-km walk from Pontone. The path is an easy walk and goes through the woods of Monte Aureo (Mount Aureo). Once you've reached the tower, you can climb even higher. You'll have to face some more steps, but the breathtaking view makes it all worth it.

    Konum: Via Valle delle Ferriere, 36, 84010 Pontone SA, Italy

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  • 6

    Grotta dello Smeraldo

    Find that festive feeling among waves and stalactites

    Grotta dello Smeraldo
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    The Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Cave) is a natural spectacle where the water and wind have chiselled the walls into stalactites, stalagmites and extraordinary shapes. You can get to the cave by sea, leaving from Amalfi or Conca dei Marini, or using the lift and steps that take you along the coastal road. The 60-metre-long cave can only be toured by boat.

    The depths have another surprise in store: an underwater nativity scene made in 1964 to commemorate those who have died at sea. Want to see it up close? Every year, an incredible underwater procession takes place during the Christmas season.

    Konum: Via Smeraldo, 84010 Conca dei Marini SA, Italy

    Açık olduğu saatler: Daily from 10 am to 4.30 pm

    Telefon: +39 089 857096

    Harita
  • 7

    Marisa Cuomo Winery

    Experience the flavours of extreme viticulture

    Marisa Cuomo Winery
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    Enjoy wine tasting at the Marisa Cuomo Winery in Furor. One part of the town is soaked in the waves, with a beach at the bottom of a fjord and ancient, water-operated paper mills. Then, there's the village surrounded by mountains, 300 meters above sea level. This little town produces a wine that's held in high esteem by connoisseurs: the Fiorduva.

    Fancy visiting a winery's vineyards and buildings? In Cantine Marisa Cuomo (Marisa Cuomo Winery), you can take a fascinating tour of crops clinging to rocks and rows of barrels in atmospheric caves. You can also do some wine tasting and try reds and whites produced from vineyards that grow on difficult terrain, made possible thanks to human tenacity.

    Konum: Via Giambattista Lama, 16/18, 84010 Furore SA, Italy

    Açık olduğu saatler: Monday–Friday from 9 am to 2 pm and from 3 pm to 6 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 6 pm, Sunday from 10 am to noon

    Telefon: +39 089 830348

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  • 8

    Monumental Cemetery

    Take a walk through heaven on earth

    Monumental Cemetery
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    The view from the Monumental Cemetery in Amalfi offers you a unique and breathtaking scene. Start from the Duomo di Amalfi (Amalfi Cathedral) and head towards the Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery). After a walk through alleys and neighbourhoods, you'll end up on top of a hill.

    From this panoramic viewpoint, you'll understand why locals say they live in paradise: the view sweeps over the entire town, which is nestled between the sea and hills, and over the coast from Atrani to Conca dei Marini. If you'd rather not walk, you can make the most of the convenient lift that takes you straight from the town centre to the viewpoint.

    Konum: Salita S. Lorenzo del Piano, 84011 Amalfi SA, Italy

    Açık olduğu saatler: Wednesday and Friday–Monday from 8 am to noon and from 3 pm to 7 pm (closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays)

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