This
is the Amalfi Coast
From
Jesse's Journeys in Italy
Wikipedia:
Amalfi Coast
Mapquest:
Amalfi Coast
Writing about the
Amalfi Coast is always dangerous. The extraordinary
beauty of this area, known to Italians as "La Costiera
Amalfitana", over the centuries has drawn millions of
visitors to savour the
wonderful landscapes, the incredible views,
the architectural treasures that dot the
coast, and to enjoy the charming fishing villages that
still maintain their special, local flavour.
The beauty of the
Amalfi Coast is such that words pale to
inspire the senses in the way that
visiting does. It's
an area which has drawn some of the
world's most renowned literary figures, but
reading and seeing are two entirely
different things. You simply cannot know
how beautiful it is until you get there.
What seems on a map to be mere line
between the earth and the sea, in
reality the Amalfi Coast is one of the
most appreciated environmental, historic
and artistic areas in the world. Since
1977, UNESCO has included this area as
part of the Italian World Heritage
Sites.
Yet, the Amalfi
Coast, with the famous towns
which inhabit its coves and slopes, unlike so many
other areas in Italy has
maintained an air of charming authenticity. The
area still draws hundreds of thousands
of Italian tourists each year - always a good sign.
The Amalfi Coast is synonymous with
summer time, luxury and excursions from
wherever you are to even more beautiful
places. Whether you stay in
Positano and venture to Capri or to
Pompeii or Sorrento or Ischia, day trips
to wherever from wherever are always
pleasing.
Today, the Amalfi Coast is synonymous
with holidays, but for centuries it has
been home to fisherman and farmers, who
apart from trying to get by and make a
living, have also faced the threat of
devastation. Throughout the
centuries, they have been forced out of
their homes following pirate attacks,
first by the Saracens and then by the
Ottomans. For almost three
centuries, the middle of the 9th century
to the first half of the 12th century,
Amalfi had a leading role in a period of
relative peace, prosperity and
independence
Amalfi was one of the most important
Maritime Republics and was one of the
most important centres of trade in the
Western Mediterranean.
In 1343, a violent earthquake destroyed a
large part of the coastline. It
devastated the small towns along the
coast and in the mountains and left the
region vulnerable to barbaric attacks.
For centuries along the coast many lived
in fear until the beginning of the 18th
century.
Surrounded by steep rugged mountain
cliffs 700 meters high, that drop
dramatically into the deep blue
Mediterranean sea, chances are after
that after
visiting this
part of Italy you
won't want to leave.
It is often the
favourite area of so many people who
have visited, for the laid back feel,
the astonishingly blue sea and the
locals who are friendly and authentic.
As the famous
American novelist John Steinbeck said "Positano
bites deep" and the author himself ended
up unable to leave Positano and spent
over four months enjoying the coastal
area and the various jazz clubs that
once flourished in many of the fishing
villages along the coast.
Is not only the locations of many of
these residences that are mesmerizing,
but the astounding gardens, terraces,
lemon trees, olive and grape vines, and
an array of flowers which surround them
in an array of color.
One can feel the presence of a rich
history and culture within the many
towns along the coastal route.
Take your pick of one or all towns to
stop in, to breathe, taste and
experience the magic of color, aroma of
the sea and warmth of the people, on the
Amalfi Coast.
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