ITALY’S
AMALFI COAST
by Ted Cookson
T
he Amalfi Coast on Drive are rewarded with
the southern part spectacular views of small
of the Sorrento coves and of boats bobbing
Peninsula is one of the in the azure sea far below.
prettiest areas in Italy. The Amalfi and Positano are
Amalfi Drive, hugging the the two most popular spots
coast of the Campania region along the Amalfi Coast.
along the Gulf of Salerno, Amalfi, 61 km (38 miles)
has been called Italy’s most east of Sorrento and with a
romantic road. This narrow, population of only 5,500, is
winding cliff-hanging the largest town on this coast.
byway, in places carved Dramatically situated at the
right out of the side of the mouth of a ravine under
mountain, is a challenge towering 1,315-meter (4,312-
to navigate. However, foot) Mt. Cerreto, the burg
those traversing the Amalfi is sandwiched between tall
Amalfi from the sea
cliffs and a rocky coastline and Genoa for influence
broken occasionally by in the Mediterranean.
coves with sandy beaches. The first mention of Amalfi
Amalfi’s rich history is not dates from the sixth century,
evident from what tourists and a circular maritime trade
see today. Incredibly, this with the East developed
small town was once the soon thereafter. Grain,
capital of the seafaring slaves, salt and timber were
Republic of Amalfi, one traded to Egypt and Syria
of the great maritime for gold dinars. These
powers. From the ninth coins were then paid to the
to the eleventh century Byzantines for silk which
Small cove with beach
Amalfi rivaled Venice was in turn sold back in
Art for sale in Positano Local lemons Watercolors in Positano
Europe. Independent from enough burial plots for those
the seventh century until very emigrees, many of
1075, Amalfi reached the whom wanted to be buried
height of its power in about back in their birthplace.
1000 when it boasted a Positano, little more than a
population of 70,000. Not sleepy fishing village in the
only was the ship compass early twentieth century, was
introduced to Europe in 1302 discovered after World War
by Flavio Gioia, an Amalfi II when American troops,
native, but Amalfi’s maritime stationed in nearby Salerno,
code was used in the began taking holidays
Mediterranean until 1570. there. In the 1950s writers
Positano, a picturesque such as John Steinbeck and
seaport of 3,900 lying 17 km Tennessee Williams and
(11 miles) west of Amalfi, painters such as Paul Klee
was part of the maritime were drawn to Positano.
Republic of Amalfi in the In the 1960s Mick Jagger
tenth century. However, and Keith Richards of the
Positano’s apogee came Rolling Stones composed the
much later. In the sixteenth lyrics to their song Midnight
and seventeenth centuries Rambler while on holiday
ships from Positano carried in Positano. The rest, as
silk, spices and wood to the they say, is history. Today
Middle East. The subsequent tourism is the major industry,
decline of Positano’s and the town is simply
prosperity coincided with besieged by Europeans and Amalfi’s cathedral
the rise of steamships in North Americans during
the mid-nineteenth century. the summer. Positano train, bus, ferry or hydrofoil in the west and Salerno
As much as three-quarters is now among Europe’s from Naples, only 50 km in the east. In summer
of the town’s population most chic destinations. (30 miles) away, or by ferry there are also ferry and
of 8,000 immigrated to Sorrento, on the Gulf of or hydrofoil from the Isle of hydrofoil services between
the United States, with Naples, is the gateway to Capri. Local coastal ferries Amalfi, Positano and
the majority going to the Amalfi Coast. With operate along the Amalfi Capri and between Amalfi,
New York. Interestingly, a population of 17,000, Coast between Sorrento Positano and Naples.
one of the tough tasks Sorrento lies at the western
that faced later mayors end of the Amalfi Drive. It ABOUT TED COOKSON: Egypt’s most widely-traveled
of Positano was finding can be reached easily by travel agent, Ted has been to every country in the world!
He has also visited 307 of the 317 destinations on the
list of the Travelers’ Century Club (visit www.eptours.com
and refer to World Travel Club). A travel agent in Cairo
since 1986, Ted manages EGYPT PANORAMA TOURS,
a full-service travel agency, at 4 Road 79 (between
Roads 9 and 10, near the “El Maadi” metro station) in
Maadi. Contact Egypt Panorama Tours (open 7 days
a week 9 AM-5 PM) at: Tels. 2359-0200, 2358-5880,
2359-1301. Fax 2359-1199. E-mail: ept@link.net . Web
site: www.eptours.com. The password for residents is
eptcool. Both text and PDF versions of all of Ted’s travel
articles published since 2002 are archived online at
www.eptours.com under “Ted’s International Travel Articles.”
Amalfi Drive trestles Some of the archived articles also contain video clips!