Amalfi By Sea (Feb 20, 2025)

Along with Cinque Terre mentioned yesterday, the Amalfi Coast was something Fe wanted to see this trip.  I was concerned that it would be a tourist trap and not worth it, but I was totally wrong.  I actually think it was the highlight of the Italy part.  Now having said that, it was touristy but by going in February I think we got a feel for how it's actually lived in.  One downside was that a good many of the restaurants were closed for the season, but that was just a minor inconvenience.  

And just to be clear, while the boat from Salerno would have stopped at a couple of other small towns along the Amalfi Coast, we settled on going to the town of Amalfi itself since that is where most of the things we've seen online about it are.

Tickets at the Salerno port were about $22 round trip (for both of us) and we left around 1030 am.  The trip took less than an hour, which included calls at a couple of the towns before Amalfi.

The boat we took

Cetara, one of the towns along the way

Ravello

Maiori, another town closer to our destination

Approaching Amalfi

Fe and I on the quay

Tiles at the Porta della Marina

Fe in the archway

The above archway was the main entrance to the town and it led straight to the Piazza Duomo, on which St Andrew's Cathedral faces.

Sixty-two steps up to the cathedral.

Bronze Cathedral door (stolen from Constantinople in the 4th Crusade)

Inside the cathedral

Church Altar

Sculptures

Church organ

Colonnade in front

Fe and the columns

Instead of going straight down to the square, we turned right after exiting the church and walked down some stairs and alleyways and ran into an older Italian lady who pointed up another set of stairs and said, "Panoramico!"  Fe said, "You want to go up there, don't you?"   To which I said, "Of course!"  She also says I'm catnip to these Italian nonna, ha ha.  It was a long climb and my aerobic fitness isn't what it should be, but we made it.

Amalfi panoramic view

Fe and the view

We were up here a little while when we saw the lady (with her cane) going into her home just a flight of stairs below us.  I called down thanks (Grazie mille!) to her and she waved and went into her home.  We were impressed that she did these stairs and cobbled alleys, probably many times a day.

It was a round 1pm now and we were hungry--going on hangry--so we headed back down to the square and found a place.

Here's Fe and the pizza we shared.  It had chesse, tomatoes, anchovies, drizzled with olive oil and topped with lemon zest.  It was the best pizza I've ever had--and I don't like anchovies.  I think the lemon zest cut some of the saltiness of the anchovies.

The further we got from the square the more I could see the "real" Amalfi peeking out.  There were plenty of souvenir shops, but there also were some local places.

A small plaza off the main drag

Produce market

Fishing was the main occupation before tourism

The fountain "De Cape 'e Ciucci".  It dates to the 18th century, but in 1974 it was decided to put a Nativity scene in it.

We had a ferry to catch back, so we headed back towards the square.

St. Andrew

Gelato place, but stressing the lemons, which the area is known for.

And of course we got some.  I usually get a cup since I think you get more that way, ha ha.

Flavio Gioia monument

Fe and I in front of Lovers Fountain

We had to leave Amalfi around 4 pm, so we missed the sunset here.  But I would say it was "golden hour".

Leaving Amalfi.  That long rectangular building in the center is part of the cemetery.  We were right below that when we got the panoramic phots.

We did get a sunset in Salerno.

My mom used to say that I was always happy when I was out of the country (when we would go to Canada).  I have to say that walking around Amalfi put me in a great mood, which is why I think it was the high point of the trip.